Sergey Khachatryan & Lusine Khachatryan - Brahms: Sonatas (2013) [Official Digital Download 24/88]

Sergey Khachatryan’s fifth recording on Naïve, and second with his sister, is dedicated to the three luminous and deeply romantic sonatas for violin and piano by Johannes Brahms. Spread over ten years, from 1878 to 1888, the three sonatas are contemporary with his four symphonies and are flanked by the Violin Concerto in D major (1878) and the Double Concerto for violin and cello in A minor (1887).

A distinctive, gifted, often heart-rending violinist, Sergey Khachatryan has been establishing a brilliant career worldwide, in both recital and concerto fields. His recording of the Shostakovich concertos with the Orchestre National de France under Kurt Masur [v5025] was a Gramophone Choice.

Sergey's exclusive recital partner is his sister, pianist Lusine Khachatryan, which whom the musical connection has always been very special. Together, they regularly perform at the most prestigious venues in the world, such as London's Wigmore Hall, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées and Cité de la Musique (Paris), Auditori Nacional Madrid, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Palais des Beaux Arts (Brussels), Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall (New York) and Herbst Theater in San Francisco.

In early 2014, Sergey and Lusine Khachatryan will perform this Brahms programme at the Wigmore Hall and in other prestigious European venues.

“The Armenian brother-and-sister team give passionate, deeply felt performances of all three sonatas…what gives these performances their particular strength is the performers' ability to project the crucial movements of harmony on which the sense and appeal of Brahms's music rests.” (Gramophone)

“As one listens, it becomes clear that they have a strong grasp of each movement as a structure. Classicism may not be uppermost, but it certainly hasn't been sacrificed.” (BBC Music Magazine)

“The music often wistful, frequently sad, and on occasion intensely dramatic, but rarely sounding happy for all the beauty in the playing. Their basic tempos are among the most expansive of the dozen recordings I used for comparison, and they frequently insert changes of pulse. It is as if they seek to interpret every bar, with rhythmic changes employed to beautify or intensify the effect.” (theStrad)

TRACKLIST

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

01. Violin Sonata No 1 in G Major Op. 78: I.Vivace ma non troppo
02. Violin Sonata No 1 in G Major Op. 78: II.Adagio
03. Violin Sonata No 1 in G Major Op. 78: III.Allegro molto moderato
04. Violin Sonata No 2 in A Major Op. 100: I.Allegro amabile
05. Violin Sonata No 2 in A Major Op. 100: II.Andante tranquillo
06. Violin Sonata No 2 in A Major Op. 100: III.Allegretto grazioso (quasi andante)
07. Violin Sonata No 3 in D Minor Op. 108: I.Allegro alla breve
08. Violin Sonata No 3 in D Minor Op. 108: II.Adagio
09. Violin Sonata No 3 in D Minor Op. 108: III.Un poco presto e con sentimento
10. Violin Sonata No 3 in D Minor Op. 108: VI.Presto agitato

PERSONNEL
Sergey Khachatryan, violin
Lusine Khachatryan, piano

Recorded in July & August 2012 at Wigmore Hall