Brahms: Double Concerto (1929) Casals/Thibaud/Cortot 2024 Remastering

Johannes Brahms
"Double" Concerto in A minor, Op. 102

1. Allegro (0:07)
2. Andante (15:15)
3. Vivace ma non tanto (22:12)

Pablo Casals, cello
Jacques Thibaud, violin
Alfred Cortot, conductor
Pau Casals Orchestra, Barcelona

Recorded on May 10/11, 1929
in Barcelona, Spain

Johannes Brahms composed the Double Concerto in the summer of 1887 for cellist Robert Hausmann, and as a peace offering to Joseph Joachim, with whom he had been estranged over his role in Joachim's divorce proceedings with his wife, Amelie. The work received its premiere on October 18th of that same year with Brahms on the podium.

It was not well received initially by his friends or critics, which affected Brahms so much that he destroyed his notes for a second double concerto. (What a pity!) In the 20th century the concerto not only came into its own; it is now a popular work that is widely regarded as a true masterpiece.

The present recording from 1929, which is also the first, played no small role in bringing the work to its present popularity. The famous trio of Casals, Cortot, and Thibaud re-introduced the concerto, and it was enthusiastically received by audiences and critics alike.

The present recording is a landmark in many respects. Not only is it the first recording, but it is a masterful one in terms of performance. It is also no less a landmark in the history of recording. By 1929 the music industry had begun to take on the technical challenge of making recordings with solo instruments and orchestra, a great challenge indeed with only a single carbon microphone to cover soloists and large ensembles simultaneously.

One can only observe that the effort here was a tremendous success, not only in performance and sonic quality, but in record stores where it really counted. This early recording has worn exceptionally well over the better part of a century since its release. Not surprising when we consider the artists involved here.

The present recording is nearly a century old. Although every effort has been made in restoration some surface noise and wear are still present.

Digital transfer: (2004) Art et Son Studio, Paris
Field acoustic restoration (2024): Paul Howard - The Yucaipa Studio

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