This Sunday at 8:00 PM, the second concert of the Meleagris Festival opens a window into the inner world of Johannes Brahms with three sonatas for three different instrument combinations, written during different periods of the composer’s life: the 1st cello sonata from the youthful Brahms of dramatic impulse, the 3rd violin sonata from the mature Brahms of inner struggle, and the 1st clarinet sonata from the late Brahms of serene acceptance.
Ahead of the concert, we spoke with the distinguished cellist Christophoros Mirosnikof about the 1st Cello Sonata he will perform in the unique setting of the Meleagris Estate, an ideal venue for the Romantic Dialogues that make up the evening’s program.
You have an impressive resume, you come from a musical family with deep roots that are almost as old as… Brahms’s era, and you started playing the cello at the age of 5. When did you first encounter this sonata and how much has it occupied you in your life and career?
Johannes Brahms’s first sonata is probably the first serious sonata of the Romantic period that every young cellist encounters, and it constitutes their first substantial introduction to Brahms’s music. For me, it was an important stage in my development as a musician, because this sonata is not an exercise piece but a concert program work. Performing it on stage, even though it wasn’t my personal recital, I briefly forgot that I was still a student and got a taste of what it feels like to be an artist.
Various anecdotes accompany it, such as the composer advertising it as easy. Are these true?
Yes, indeed! After all, the sonata was dedicated to an amateur cellist; it was written for him, and he was supposed to perform it. So, from a compositional standpoint — with the exception of a few passages — there shouldn’t be any particular difficulties. However, if we want to captivate the audience for 25 minutes, we need not just to play notes, but music. And that is a real challenge.
And beyond that, what other major challenge does its performance present?
A lot depends on the pianist! I’ll explain: the cello part is mainly written in the middle and lower registers, which creates difficulty in balancing with the dense texture of the piano writing. Furthermore, the sonata is very emotional, and it’s easy to lose the sense of balance: the pianist can easily get carried away, forget they’re not alone, and inadvertently overshadow their partner, while the cellist is called upon to manage this, all while maintaining sound quality. That’s why the pianist must be a very sensitive collaborator. Fortunately, with Nasos, there’s no such issue — he feels and protects this delicate balance exceptionally well. Moreover, I remember from my performance at last year’s Meleagris festival that the acoustics of the venue are very pleasant and aid in sound reproduction.
You yourself play with two very remarkable instruments: which one have you chosen for the concert?
Yes, I have two Italian instruments: one quite old and one… newer. “Grandpa” is currently receiving care in the workshop, so there’s only one choice: a very recently made instrument, from 2023, by the young luthier from Cremona, Lucas Curraz. Although the cello is only 3 years old, it sounds like it’s 100! I greatly enjoy playing this cello and use it in all my recent concerts. I hope our audience at Sunday’s concert will enjoy it just as much — and of course, Brahms’s music will help with that.
Brahms himself adored the cello, and at the beginning of his career, he was equally involved with it as with the instrument that ultimately won him over, the piano. Is this evident anywhere in his writing style?
There is no doubt that Brahms adored the cello. This is literally palpable in every one of his chamber music works: before playing anything, the cellist must work very seriously. And Brahms grants his most beautiful melodies precisely to the cello! I’m not even talking about the sonatas and the Double Concerto!
This particular work is even considered one of those that best highlight Brahms’s interest in Bach’s music. Does the listener perceive this?
Bach is not just a source of inspiration; he is a true teacher for almost all composers, and Brahms is no exception. In this sonata, the listener will hear and understand it. Perhaps not so clearly in the first movement, but in the finale — certainly!
