Daniel Barenboim and Michael Barenboim play Mozart's Violin Sonatas (II/II)
Recital in Boulez Saal
Cast
Daniel Barenboim — Pianist
Michael Barenboim — Violinist
Program notes
Daniel and Michael Barenboim are back for another moment musical, live from Berlin's Pierre Boulez Saal!
They begin with Six Variations in G Minor, known under the title “Hélas, j’ai perdu mon amant” (Alas, I have lost my lover). Though the melody that inspired it was actually called “Au bord d’une fontaine” (By the edge of a fountain), the customary name is a perfect fit for the melancholy, plaintive tone the work evokes.
Amid the dozens of violin sonatas that Mozart composed, the final one (No. 35 in A Major) stands out, skillfully combining contrapuntal brilliance worthy of Bach and the playful wit reminiscent of Haydn with the ever-ingenious concerto style of Mozart. The Andante, with its minor key sections and expressive harmonies, seems to prefigure Romanticism; the fireworks of the Presto finale bring the work to a stirring and lively conclusion. Daniel and Michael Barenboim offer their incredible skill and artistry to this Mozart masterwork, in which the piano and violin are equal participants in a sparkling conversation.
Daniel Barenboim appears courtesy of Deutsche Grammophon GmbH.
