Chamber Music Evening. Bach, Brams, Schnitke
Friday 26. December at 19:00 - 20:30
Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation, Rīga
This program brings together three works that illuminate the evolution of the violin–piano duo across different historical periods. Bach’s sonata represents the Baroque sonata da chiesa tradition and a finely balanced polyphonic dialogue between the instruments. Brahms’s sonata embodies a mature synthesis of Romantic form and expression. Schnittke’s suite, in turn, offers a contemporary perspective on historical genres. Together, these works create a panorama of three centuries of chamber music — from Baroque architectural clarity to postmodern stylistic play.
J. S. Bach — Sonata No. 3 in E major for Violin and Harpsichord, BWV 1016
The third of the six sonatas BWV 1014–1019 reflects the sonata da chiesa tradition and showcases Bach’s refined duet writing, in which violin and harpsichord act as equal contrapuntal partners. Its four-movement design provides formal clarity, while the slow movements stand out for their lyrical intensity.
J. Brahms — Sonata No. 3 in D minor for Violin and Piano, Op.108
Brahms’s final violin sonata unites dramatic breadth with rigorous structural design. The four-movement cycle reveals the composer’s mature style: the contrast between the energetic outer movements and the lyrically centered inner ones forms a cohesive Romantic dramaturgy.
A. Schnittke — “Suite in the Old Style” (1972)
A neostylistic work that reimagines Baroque and Classical genre models through a modern musical lens. Clear chamber textures, stylistic irony, and deliberate historical allusions shape Schnittke’s distinctive artistic voice.
Performers:
Anna Salnit — violin
Katerina Yazhova — piano / Germany
Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation • Palasta iela 4, 1050 Rīga, Latvia
