Introduction : Brahms, musical scores, musical expression, musical meaning -- A note about the organization of this book -- Brahms's notes. It sounds like Brahms -- Shaping Brahmsian themes. I. The opening of the A-major sonata ; II. The G-major sonata begins ; III. An opening theme's potential : the finale of the A-major sonata ; IV. Building a texture : the opening of the D-minor sonata ; V. Varied returns : two further instances -- Brahms's musical narratives. First-movement sonata forms. I. The vivace ma non troppo of the G-major sonata ; II. The allegro amabile of the A-major sonata ; The allegro of the D-minor sonata -- The middle movements. I. The adagio of the G-major sonata ; II. The andante tranquillo and vivaces of the A-major sonata ; III. The adagio of the D-minor sonata ; IV. The un poco presto e con sentimento of the D-minor sonata -- The finales. I. The allegro molto moderator of the G-major sonata ; II. The allegretto grazioso (quasi andante) of the A-major sonata ; The presto agitato of the D-minor sonata -- Brahms and the violin.
Summary:
"Brahms's Violin Sonatas: Style, Structure, and Performance is a companion volume to Joel Lester's award-winning 1999 study Bach's Works for Solo Violin: Style, Structure, and Performance. Using a minimum of technical language and with annotated musical examples illustrating almost every point, Brahms's Violin Sonatas explores three masterpieces of the concert repertoire in a book designed for performers and music scholars alike. A major focus is how much can be learned by carefully reading Brahms's artistically nuanced musical notation, and by understanding Brahms's style-especially his music's deep connections to Classical-Era harmony, phrasing, and form while at the same time using late-19th-century harmonies, dissonances, and thematic evolutions, along with the contrapuntal textures that imbues all his works with a uniquely "Brahmsian" sound. Lester also explores how these works relate to important events in Brahms's life. Practical and concrete suggestions on performance arise from many of these discussions, calling performers' and analysts' attention to both technical and interpretive matters. Lester's aim is to inspire readers to explore their own individual approaches to Brahms's music, balancing what they find in the music to how they balance today's performance and interpretive styles with the ways that Brahms himself and his contemporaries might have played and experienced his creations"--Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.