Antje Göttert

In the 1960s Aram Khachaturian engaged in a number of experiments in which he covered terrain situated at an astonishing distance from the immediately appealing tone of the works that he had composed prior to those years. These experiments included the first of his three concert rhapsodies, in which he completely emancipated himself from the established forms that he had filled out in his concertos for piano, violin, and violoncello, which already then were world famous. While the virtuosic ambitions of the rhapsodies are in no way inferior to the technical demands of their older sister works, he now requires what is perhaps an even higher measure of expressive shared experiencing and solo messaging.

Antje Weithaas probes every detail in the musical text, charged with energy and with her compelling musical intelligence and unrivaled command of technique. Her charisma and stage presence are gripping but never force their way in front of the work. And we therefore are happy that this internationally top-ranking violinist is now interpreting the Violin Concerto by Robert Schumann and the Double Concerto by Johannes Brahms for cpo with Maximilian Hornung, a cellist who in every way is her equal.

Within a very short time of about 10 years, Beethoven's technique of composing developed rapidly. The artists on this recording wanted to show the comparison between earlier and later pieces, and this is the basis of this new series of recordings. of Beethoven's Violin Sonatas on three volumes.

Both highly in demand on a worldwide scale as unique, exceptional chamber music performers, Antje Weithaas and D?nes V?rjon each ideally combine the highest degree of enthusiasm and precision: their energetic, passionate playing is the result of intense concentration. In Vol. I of their complete recording of Beethoven's violin sonatas, Weithaas and V?rjon have chosen not to follow chronological order, but to seek out thrilling contrast and fascinating variety instead - thus making Beethoven's rapid evolution as a composer all the more astounding. Volume 1, featuring Op. 12/2, Op. 23, and Op. 47, revolves around the tonal center of A major / A minor.