Sonata Op. 120, No. 1 (1894)
Jessica Baum, viola and Daniel Goodman, piano
Originally scored for clarinet, this lyrical sonata written just a year before his death, is one of the last works by Brahms. Brahms had officially retired, but hearing master clarinetist Richard Muhlfeld sparked his creativity. The lovely voice and sonority of the clarinet translates well to the viola, with some of the sharper and more piercing sounds are smoother and a bit darker on the string instrument.