Violinist Gil Shaham Guides Us Through Beethoven And Brahms In New Recording With The Knights
“Beethoven & Brahms” was released March 12, 2021.
Gil Shaham
If there is one word that conveys violinist Gil Shaham’s artistry and personality – it’s warmth. A meltingly beautiful warm tone from his violin, equally matched by his sweet disposition. Shaham joined “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes to talk about his new recording on the Canary Classics label.
His new album is with conductor Eric Jacobson and the Brooklyn-based ensemble, The Knights. It features two warhorses – the violin concertos of Beethoven and Brahms.
Interview Highlights:
On finding the nerve to play Beethoven’s daunting concerto:
“Early on, I would shy away from performing the Beethoven violin concerto … We all feel so passionately about the Beethoven violin concerto … We’re all very opinionated,” said Shaham. “Then I discovered what so many other musicians, before and after me, had discovered — there’s really no greater joy than to play this music. What a revelation, what a treat, what a miracle of music. How lucky are we to have this?”
His personal philosophy of music:
“I do love [The Knights ensemble], it’s like you say — they are masters of music. They’re so accomplished. And what I love about then is, you know, maybe we don’t take ourselves so seriously. We try as much as we can to think outside the box and to have as much fun with our audience and with ourselves as we can.”
The falling trousers of Brahms:
“At the historic premiere … [Brahms] appeared at the last minute before his ill-humored Leipzig audience, his attire in disarray,” recounts Shaham. He continues, “The effect of the indecorous informality of his gray street trousers was in the course of his performance to be outdone by the unfolding spectacle of those same trousers slipping beyond the point where the most supportive spectators could prolong their suspension of disbelief; Brahms had forgotten to fasten them.”
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