BRAHMS Piano Trio Op. 8 (ver.1854) 1.mov - Live 2022

performed by:
Latica Honda-Rosenberg, violin
Božo Paradžik, double bass
Annalisa Orlando, piano
1. movement: Allegro con moto
Recorded live in Ljubljana, Križanke Church, July 26, 2022
The recital was organised and promoted by Ljubljana Festival 2022
About the piece: Piano Trio Opus 8 in B major is the only work by Brahms that exists in two different versions. Brahms composed this work 1853 when he was only 20 years old and the first version was printed 1854. Brahms revised the composition 35 years later, in 1889. That revision resulted in the most frequently performed version of this trio, the way how almost everyone knows it today.
Yet this, first version of the Trio Opus 8 is possibly one of the most important compositions in the history of music: it is thanks to this work that music world learned about the existence of Johannes Brahms the composer. Brahms was still completely unknown in age of 20 and he struggled with self-confidence. He even entertained thoughts of breaking off his music career. He was advised to travel to Düsseldorf to show his work to the world-famous composer Robert Schumann and ask for his opinion. The score of the Trio Opus 8 was one of the most important works the young Brahms presented to his idol. Schumann immediately understood that a young genius was standing next to him. He helped Brahms to get the attention of the music world and to have his first works published. Brahms was invited by Clara and Robert Schumann to stay as their guest. He stayed not less than two months and a real, true and deep life-long friendship among them begun then. Only six months later Schumann became seriously ill, maybe it would be too late for Brahms then. But he went to Schumanns with this version of the Trio Opus 8 just on time. The rest is the history.
Until just short ago, I didn't even know that the early version of this trio existed as a printed sheet music. The good playability of the cello part of this earliest version of the trio on the double bass caught the eye of my master's student Xenia Bömcke. She played this first movement in her final exam in the summer of 2022. That was crucial for the creation of this KZbin video: it became necessary short-termed (in June 2022, just six weeks before this recital) to completely change the programme and to play one half of this recital with only violin, double bass and piano. This gave me the chance to finally play something together with wonderful violinist Latica Honda-Rosenberg. Since the original chamber music literature for this instrumentation is rather thin, inspired by Xenia's recent performance our choice fell on this great and rarely performed early composition by Brahms.
Sheet music for double bass (at the moment, only for the AEHF# tuning) is available in the online shop at www.bozoparadzik.com, for the time being exactly as in this video and only the first movement. The continuation of my project "Double Bass Goes Brahms" got in this piece another addition. In this stage, numerous "smaller" works by Brahms, technically easier to perform than the sonatas are being adapted. A continuation of the work on the early version of the trio Opus 8 and the playability of the remaining three movements on the double bass is being checked at the moment.

[@vrilvanir]

Wow, this is one of the most beautiful pieces I’ve ever heard, I had no idea a trio version existed. Thank you for this.

[@bozoparadzikcom]

You are very welcome, I also love it

[@JoelQuarrington]

More beautiful than a cello! Really love this.

[@bozoparadzikcom]

Thank you so much 🙏🍀 such a honour, a compliment by such a Master 🙏 yes, I also think it suits so well... but I fear the subjectivity

[@aristideduplessis8151]

I find all of your videos and your playing so incredibly inspiring and motivating. As a cellist I am so drawn to Bass virtuosos because their artistic desire to make music is so strong that they conquer the ability to play this most physically demanding of all instruments!

[@bozoparadzikcom]

Thank you for your words 🥰🙏

[@ikawinner960]

Great music

[@benoitlecluse7774]

J'aime énormément. Merci pour ce moment . Cette large contrebasse est également magnifique.

[@ursthomann3463]

Most beautiful. This is a piece that may match perfectly with two young musicians you and I know very well. Currently, they are working on Brahms‘ double concerto, 2nd movement 🤩

[@johnharding9634]

Bravo...I really enjoyed this performance.

[@bozoparadzikcom]

Thank you so much, dear John 🥰

[@leonardnovel]

♥️

[@john_precs2019]

you and they are very good, I am from Brazil and I also play the bass, I am still a student and I know how difficult it is to play, but one day I will play very well hahaha

[@heliospantazis216]

Absolutely magical, thank you for your upload!!! Bass is my favorite instrument, one day id like to try to learn it. What is your favorite thing about the bass?

[@bozoparadzikcom]

Playing good music 😻

[@sampignato2788]

Božo, is this your mix of the performance? This is much better sounding than the evening of the life performance. Either way, this is just wonderful, as are all of your performances. A presto Caro!

[@bozoparadzikcom]

Yes, it is my recording, done separately at the same time 🤗

[@SteveAbrahall]

Božo, is that a new (old new?) Bass your playing (it does not look like your usuall bass?) I like the sound your getting from it - most impressive! Thanks this is a very interesting project!

[@bozoparadzikcom]

Hi 🤗 yes, I didn't use it frequently for some years. But there are plenty recordings with this bass, also KZbin videos (since 1998)

[@SteveAbrahall]

@@bozoparadzikcom I like the darker chocolate elements to this bass (esp the low end) I think a lot of younger bass players these days go for a very bright sound (often they use metal bridge adjusters) which I understand is good for melodic / solo projection but I think they are often missing the velvet quality of power and character the bass can offer.

[@bozoparadzikcom]

@@SteveAbrahall it is its natural sound, pronounced even more with gut strings. I don't think one can change the sound of the instrument very much, otherwise. I agree that metal bridge adjusters don't sound well. But producers claim they don't change the sound and many people believe them. A quick replacing and comparing with a classical bridge might help, but most of people with adjusters don't even have a second bridge.

[@SteveAbrahall]

@@bozoparadzikcom So your using pure gut? Or wound gut like the Pirastro: Eudoxa?

[@bozoparadzikcom]

@@SteveAbrahall neither of that. Handmade hi-tech gut core strings by string maker Gerold Genssler from Berlin, with very stable winding. Pirastro Eudoxa has a very poor quality compared to these strings. Also extremely short lifetime, due to too much internal tension

[@john_precs2019]

I don't know if I wrote everything right

[@bozoparadzikcom]

Thank you, I understood 🤗

[@a.s.vanhoose1545]

Somebody stop this man. His tone is killing people out here 🪦