BRAHMS IS A HEARTFELT MATTER FOR THE VIOLINST JANA VONÁŠKOVÁ - NOVÁKOVÁ

Hot on the heels of the release of the complete Brahms piano trios (Smetana Trio, SU 4072–2), the violinist Jana Vonášková-Nováková has returned to Brahms, this time with the seasoned Latvian pianist Irina Kondratenko. Besides the composer’s two violin sonatas, the CD (SU 4170–2) features the F.A.E. Sonata, a work created by Brahms, Schumann and Dietrich as a present, and conundrum, for the celebrated violinist Joseph Joachim. Brahms’s ebullient Scherzo is widely known, yet the sonata has rarely been performed or recorded in its entirety. Bearing witness to the remarkable qualities of the album’s protagonist Jana Vonášková-Nováková are her numerous successes (debut with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Jiří Bělohlávek, victory in the Young Concert Artists Trust competition in London, debut at Wigmore Hall, etc.), as well as the Smetana Trio’s acclaimed recordings. For the violinist, Brahms is above all a heartfelt matter.

Jana, what compelled you to record Johannes Brahms’s sonatas in particular?

I arrived at the decision to record Brahms’s sonatas after giving it a lot of thought. I wanted to link up with the violin sonatas to the previous recording of the complete Brahms piano trios, which the Smetana Trio and I made for Supraphon in 2012. But, above all, I really wanted to make a recording of the F.A.E. Sonata, which is not generally familiar to performers and listeners alike.

What surprised you most during the recording?

I was perhaps most taken aback by the actual recording sessions. You know, a bad dress rehearsal makes for a good first night. But the feeling of lightness only appeared after we had finished the recording !

What was it like working with the pianist Irina Kondratenko?

Working with Irina was wonderful and extremely beneficial, especially during our joint exploration of the sonatas. I am grateful to her for thoroughly preparing all the sonatas for the project; she devoted a lot of time and energy to it.

Have you anything interesting lined up?

The mezzo-soprano Olga Černá, the pianist Daniel Wiesner, the narrator Alfred Strejček and I are currently preparing a marvellous project called Musikalische Stimmungsbilder (Musical Mood Pictures), featuring J. B. Foerster’s and Erwin Schulhoff’s music. Within the project, we will be performing at Prague’s Mozarteum on 15 March, as well as in Vienna and Leipzig. I am also scheduled to give concerts together with my husband, the bassoonist Václav Vonášek, and the violist Jana Vavřínková. And in July we will hold our 7th summer master classes for violin, piano and bassoon in Domažlice.