First recordings of music for Violin & Piano by Robert Kahn

[fahl5]

OK,
here is the very first recording of Robert Kahns:

Suite op.69 for Violin and Piano,

dedicated to the young Adolf Busch who became with ca. 25 years the youngest Violin-Prof. at the "königliche Hochschule für Musik" in Berlin and played 1918 a couple of concerts with his colleague Kahn. Published in 1920, the first evidence of a concertprogramm with op.69 is a concert 1919 with the 23 year old Georg Kulenkampf-Post.

It is neither a large projected composition as  Kahns Sonatas nor it is only a couple of romantic characterpieces, like Kahns "Tonbilder". It is in parts very brilliant music especially for the Violinist, that imho seem to give very talented violinists enough opportunity to show what they are able to both technically as musically.

I hope you like the music
greetings
fahl5

[fahl5]

Here are the very first recordings of Robert Kahns:

4 Tonbilder for Viola and Piano

Two of the manuskripts are dated "April 1905" (Nr.2) and "Mai 1905" (Nr.4). Since Kahn played them several times (1907-08) in concert, we know that he himself obviously did not decided to publish them even in a time when nearly all his own music he performed was also published soon. But meanwhile he hesitated to publish the Tonbilder for Viola, he still seemed to liked them enough to play them publicly.

Some critics complained about missing great modern ingeniousness. However I still like them for being wonderful little romantic characterpieces.
(I am sorry that I can't  give the scores, since to be sure, we still have to wait 8 years for that in Germany)

I hope you like them
greetings
fahl5

[fahl5]

Like nearly all other recordings here this is anoher first time recording:

Two little pieces for Violin and Piano from manuscript

There is neither any op. nor any date nor any evidence for any concert of them at all.
The only thing worth mentioning is a titlepage with the words "zu Weihnachten" (for Christmas) which indicates the composition to be obviously part of Kahns "privat musical life". While they are totally unpretentious they still show some quite lovely tasteful romantic ideas.

greetings
fahl5

[fahl5]

completing the first time recordings of music for violin and piano of Robert Kahn with his latest works for these instruments

a) "Variationen über ein altes Lied" (manuscript)

Kahn performed it with Georg Kulenkampf 1925 with very friendly reactions of the critics.
It is definitely Kahns largest movement for Violin and piano and musically as technically likewise demanding.

b) Diary in music Nr.1132: Canzonetta (1948/49)

more than twenty years after his last composition for Violin an piano he came back to the Violin one time among his very latest compositions with 84 years in his British exile. In so far this canzonettta could be understood as a document of Kahns lifelong love to the Chambermusic with piano and violin. It is the only piece of chambermusic he ever wrote after being emigrated. (It is impossible to date this composition exactly since Kahn missed to mark the change of the year 1948-1949 in his Diary in music. Meanwhile it is quite propable, that it is composed in early 1949.)

Perhaps I will complete my recordings of Kahns Duo-compositions with the three works for Cello later.
I hope you got at least a first impression of this great music.
greetings
fahl5

[SadRobotSings]

Bravo! These are so great, I've had the Moderato from the Viola piece stuck in my head all day. Can't wait to hear what's next! I'm dying to hear the rest of the movements from Aus der Jugendzeit, as well as the 1926 Piano Quintet. Are you planning on recording his arrangement of Schubert's Divertissement a la hongroise for winds and strings? That would be awesome!

[eschiss1]

By way of a by the way:

Kahn's 3 violin sonatas are soon(?) to be released by Toccata Classics, it seems from their "In Preparation" page (see http://www.toccataclassics.com/cddetail.php?CN=TOCC0021.)

[Alan Howe]

Hi Eric: see this existing thread...
http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,5197.0.html