Credits:

Christoph Zimper

Description:

For the composition competition held in 1896 under the auspices of the Vienna Musikverein, a rule stipulating that at least one wind instrument must be used was established at the suggestion of Johannes Brahms, then honorary president. There were 18 entries in the competition; 12 of them were performed in concert, with Walter Labres Quartet winning first prize and Alexander Zemlinskys Trio taking third. Both works share many commonalities, such as their adherence to the traditions of Schumann and Brahms while simultaneously exploring their own unique styles.At the time, Labru was studying musicology under Guido Adler at the German University in Prague. To support this promising young composer, Brahms wrote a letter of recommendation to his close associate, the publisher Zimrock, leading to the publication of four of Labrus works, including this one. However, he devoted himself to compositio