Mozart composed his Kegelstatt Trio in 1786 in Vienna for clarinet, viola and piano, the first composer to use this combination of instruments. Written for a young piano pupil to play at an informal family gathering, Mozart himself played the viola part and another friend the clarinet. Einstein described the concluding rondo as singing ‘from beginning to end’.
In 1894 Brahms composed two Clarinet Sonatas, the last chamber music pieces he wrote before his death, premiered in 1895 in – Vienna. Brahms also wrote a version for a viola instead of a clarinet and the discussion as to which instrument better suits the music goes on to this day. This concert will give you the chance to decide that for yourself as Carol Hubel-Allen viola, David Campbell clarinet and Paul Turner piano perform both sonatas for you to enjoy.