Stöhr first violin sonata

[eschiss1]

It has taken me 6 years to listen to this recording or even give a good look to the score. Maybe I triaged it with the other early 20th century G major chamber works.
(1) It -is- lovely, and not just in a surface way.
(2) In fact, comparators that come to my mind include Brahms' first piano trio (btw has anyone heard the orchestral arrangement that was recorded of its early version..), Fuchs' 1st string quartet- (or Mendelssohn's A major symphony)
(3) it goes a bit further than they do in one specific comparative detail. They balance major-mode opening movements with (generally "stroppy") minor-mode finales that, unusually, end right on minor. Here, the first movement changes direction a few bars before the end and closes on quiet minor chords, too. (The finale hints at the opposite: a held penultimate G major chord is followed by a rapid G minor chord to close.)
Separating them is only one movement, in B-flat, but a moderate-length medium-tempo intermezzo, Andante religioso (chorale-like bars that do remind me of the corresponding movement of the Brahms) - Andantino lusingando.
Naturally, all the music is characterful and characterized- important qualities for any music to last in one's mind as good new acquaintance should.

[Ilja]

It is also one of those chamber works with a true "symphonic feel", where you can almost hear it as a violin concerto in your mind (the second sonata not so much). A wonderful piece.