ConcertPulse
Philharmonic Chamber Music Recital
Elbphilharmonie, Kleiner Saal (Hamburg)
The works in this chamber music concert are all about love and connection, in words and through sound: when Johannes Brahms set about composing »Zwei Gesänge«, he had his close friendship with his long-time companion in mind, the violinist Joseph Joachim. Brahms wanted to create a musical memorial to his love and composed the »Geistliches Wiegenlied« for his wedding, based on a text by Emanuel Geibel, but he withdrew the composition and revised it. Together with »Gestillte Sehnsucht« based on a text by Friedrich Rückert, the composer later published both songs on the occasion of another happy event: the christening of Joseph Joachim’s son – and Brahm’s godson.