Paul Juon - Viola Sonata No. 1, Op. 15 (1901)

[@notaire2]

Wunderschöne Interpretation dieser spätromantischen und perfekt kompnierten Soante im lebhaften Tempo mit mildem Ton der genialen Bratsche und klarem Klang des ebenso genialen Klaviers. Der zweite Satz klingt besonders schön und auch traumhaft. Der intime und perfekt entsprechende Dialog zwischen den beiden Virtuosen ist echt eindrucksvoll. Erstklassig!

[@mmbmbmbmb]

As so often with composers of the later 19th/20th Century I am most taken by their Adagios. However this charming composition caught my attention from beginning to end. Always it is interesting to learn about the many gifted musicians that you introduce. Thank you for that !

[@АлександрЯрков-ш2з]

Bravo bravo bravo brilliance grandiose music sonata super wow

[@xavierlemblun8446]

Une tres belle tendresse dans le 2eme mouvement comme le Paradis perdu de quelque chose impossible a contenir .. Le plus beau de la musique classique c est tout de meme quelque chose a travailler on percoit tjs l exigence du travail la beaute du travail.

[@pteroglosis]

Very nice work for viola

[@charleyfeng2054]

Beautiful!

[@nathanturczan]

Really like this composer. His brother also painted some great 2d art

[@brennentaggart3291]

Which is who? I'd like to check it out

[@TheodoreServin]

@@brennentaggart3291 Konstantin Juon (or Yuon). Unlike Paul, Konstantin remained in Russia after the revolution, and became a prominent symbolist artist in the Soviet Union. His art is similar to that of Kustodiev. A famous work of his is "New Planet", which is often shown in the context of Soviet art.

[@nathanturczan]

@@brennentaggart3291 Konstantin Yuon

[@SergioLOSOWICH]

Sounds very nice ♥️

[@bag3lmonst3r72]

The slow movement gets interesting around 10:23

[@AlbertoSegovia.]

There feels something blatantly wrong with the combination of metronome markings, tempo terms, and performance. Were some composers using different thought systems when calling an adagio quarter = 30 BPM while others were calling for 70 or so BPM? Thanks for sharing!

[@OrangeSodaKing]

Since this sonata is lesser known, it’s important to note: measure 3 is a glaring error in the score, which the violist faithfully followed. It should NOT be a C natural. It’s a C sharp! The overall harmony there is D major 7. Later, when the piano takes over the main theme, it is C natural, but not in measure 3. It sounds like the performers used the IMSLP edition instead of buying the International edition that has errors fixed

[@bartjebartmans]

Which international edition is that? Because I don't see any mistakes. Would be nice to compare.

[@OrangeSodaKing]

@@bartjebartmans it won’t let me edit my comment: listen to Spencer Martin play this on KZbin - he does measure 3 with C sharps instead of C naturals.

[@Whatismusic1234]

You are right! It's supposed to be C sharp!

[@marknieuweboer8099]

It's interesting to compare the opening bars to those of the Rubinstein viola sonata. Juon immediately goes to the A-snare while Rubinstein utilizes the viola's strongpoint: the low register. Juon starts this off as a violin sonata in disguise. As a former amateur viola player I'm immediately put off. I bet this music works better when transposed up a fifth and played on the violin. Which would mean that Juon doesn't had a proper understanding of my favourite instrument. For all would be composers: explore the low register!

[@bartjebartmans]

You are on your own buddy: Dr. Amy Engelsdorfer, Assistant Professor of Music, Luther College writes: The Sonata in D Major for Viola and Piano, like all Juon’s chamber repertoire, displays a masterful integration of the instruments, sensitivity to musical color, and unerring sense of form and proportion. Juon is often referred to as the “Russian Brahms,” for as Edwin Evans states in the fifth edition of the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians: “Juon’s style is an interesting blend of Russian and German, the material being almost invariably Slavic in character, while the treatment thoroughly German, leaning often toward Brahms.”

[@marknieuweboer8099]

Shrug, pal. Your reply doesn't address my criticism.

[@bartjebartmans]

Read your comment and then read the reply. lol.

[@marknieuweboer8099]

I did, silly. You're laughing at yourself.

[@jonathanfinney7821]

Lovely piece. By Brahms Junior.