This week we return to the artistry of Rudolf Firkušný with a superb pair of Capitol recordings from the late 1950s devoted to Brahms. The 1958 mono sessions, newly presented in Ambient Stereo, pair Firkušný with the legendary William Primrose in the two Op. 120 Viola Sonatas—works Brahms originally conceived for clarinet but later arranged for viola. While the composer himself expressed misgivings about the viola versions, these deeply felt performances make a persuasive case for their place in the repertoire, with Primrose’s radiant tone and Firkušný’s refined pianism offering a compelling counterargument to Brahms’s own doubts.
Complementing the sonatas is Firkušný’s 1959 stereo recital of Brahms’s shorter piano works, culminating in a beautifully shaped account of the Four Pieces, Op. 119. Though the stereo spread is subtle, the clarity and warmth of Firkušný’s playing more than compensate. Together, these recordings offer a fresh opportunity to appreciate Firkušný's elegance and insight in Brahms—interpretations that may well inspire you to reconsider the composer’s own reservations.
We also mark the 88th birthday of the premature death in 1937 of George Gershwin with a 10% discount on all his recordings at Pristine.