Michael Tilson Thomas: Brahms

As part of his Artist Portrait series, violinist Christian Tetzlaff joins Michael Tilson Thomas to explore the sunlit world of Brahms’ Violin Concerto.

The Programme

Johannes Brahms wrestled with passions and sorrow, but even genius need an occasional holiday, and when the sun shone, every note of Brahms’ music lit up with beauty and warmth. His Serenade No 1 is pure happiness and humour – the sound of a 25-year old out to enjoy himself. The glorious Violin Concerto, meanwhile, was written one summer amid the beauty of the Austrian Alps – and you can tell.

The Performers

It’s a wonderfully upbeat programme for two of the LSO’s favourite guest-artists – Conductor Laureate Michael Tilson Thomas, and the subject of our latest Artist Portrait series, violinist Christian Tetzlaff. With these two, the music always comes first. ‘After all’, says Tetzlaff, ‘it’s the composers who change the world, who show us the soul in a new light’.

‘Brahms is one of those who comes as if straight from God’ – Clara Schumann

Header Image © Giorgia Bertazzi