Credits:

Heinrich Koll

Description:

Shining a Light on the Unsung HeroesIn this series, where we thoroughly savor the masterful artistry of the Vienna Philharmonics principal players, this installment focuses on the viola. Given that the viola is often treated as a background instrumenteven to the point where a whole subgenre of viola jokes has developedthe program selection for this series, which balances mainstream and niche tastes, has truly come into its own. Please enjoy these superb performances, ranging from Hindemiths sonatacomposed by a master violist himself and brimming with dramatic effectto Beethovens duo, which capitalizes on the charm of its unusual instrumentation to create a playful and joyful atmosphere. The supporting cast is also top-notch, featuring musicians like Schmidl, already familiar to listeners from the clarinet installment.Naxos Japan