Brahms: Clarinet Sonatas, Op. 120 & 3 Intermezzi, Op. 117 Nicola Boud & Anthony Romaniuk

• Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897): Clarinet Sonata No. 2, Op. 120 No. 2:
• 1 Brahms: Clarinet Sonata No. 2, Op. 120 No. 2: I. Allegro amabile 08:32
• 2 Brahms: Clarinet Sonata No. 2, Op. 120 No. 2: II. Allegro appassionato 05:16
• 3 Brahms: Clarinet Sonata No. 2, Op. 120 No. 2: III. Andante con moto - Allegro 07:34
• Three Intermezzi, Op. 117:
• 4 Brahms: Three Intermezzi, Op. 117: No. 1, Andante moderato 04:35
• 5 Brahms: Three Intermezzi, Op. 117: No. 2, Andante non troppe e con molto espressione 04:25
• 6 Brahms: Three Intermezzi, Op. 117: No. 3, Andante con moto 05:58
• Clarinet Sonata No. 1, Op. 120 No. 1:
• 7 Brahms: Clarinet Sonata No. 1, Op. 120 No. 1: I. Allegro appassionato 08:04
• 8 Brahms: Clarinet Sonata No. 1, Op. 120 No. 1: II. Andante un poco adagio 05:04
• 9 Brahms: Clarinet Sonata No. 1, Op. 120 No. 1: III. Allegretto grazioso 04:29
• 10 Brahms: Clarinet Sonata No. 1, Op. 120 No. 1: IV. Vivace 05:29
• 5 Lieder, Op. 105:
• 11 Brahms: 5 Lieder, Op. 105: No. 1, Wie Melodien zieht es mir (Transcr. for Clarinet and Piano by Nicola Boud and Anthony Romaniuk) 02:23
• Total Runtime 01:01:49

Info zu Brahms: Clarinet Sonatas, Op. 120 & 3 Intermezzi, Op. 117

Diese Aufnahme vereint zwei späte Meisterwerke von Brahms: die Klarinettensonaten op. 120 und die Intermezzi für Klavier op. 117, entstanden in der stillen Umgebung von Bad Ischl.

Die Sonaten, voller Zärtlichkeit und stiller Intensität, schrieb Brahms für den Klarinettisten Richard Mühlfeld, dessen warmer, lyrischer Ton sein verstummtes Schaffen neu entfachte. Es ist Musik des Dialogs, nicht der Deklamation.

Nicola Boud und Anthony Romaniuk spielen auf Instrumenten, wie sie auch Brahms und Mühlfeld kannten: einer Kopie von Mühlfelds Buchsbaumholz-Klarinette aus dem 19. Jahrhundert und einem Steinway-Flügel von 1875. Diese Instrumente verleihen dem Klang eine weiche, transparente Qualität, die zu einem intimeren Hörerlebnis einlädt. Ausdrucksmittel der Aufführungspraxis des 19. Jahrhunderts – Rubato, Flexibilität, Arpeggierung – werden hier nicht als Effekte eingesetzt, sondern als natürliche Erweiterung der emotionalen Musik-Landschaft.

Brahms selbst nannte die Intermezzi op. 117 einst „drei Wiegenlieder meines Schmerzes“. Diese zurückhaltenden und zugleich leuchtenden Stücke destillieren seinen späten Stil zu elegischen Monologen, die stille Räume eröffnen, in denen die Zeit stillzustehen scheint. Gemeinsam geben diese warmen, nachdenklichen und tief empfundenen Werke einen berührenden Einblick in Brahms’ letzte Schaffensjahre.

Nicola Boud, Klarinette
Anthony Romaniuk, Klavier

Nicola Boud
Born in Perth, Australia, Nicola Boud is one of the most sought after historical clarinet players of her generation. She obtained her Bachelor of Music with first class honors from the University of Western Australia and during her studies she began to play with the Australian Chamber Orchestra both on modern and historical clarinet. She completed her Masters in historical performance at the Royal Conservatoire in the Hague with Eric Hoeprich in 2004.

Based in Belgium, Nicola tours and records extensively, and is in demand as principal clarinet with many orchestras and ensembles including l’Orchestre des Champs Elysees (Ph.Herreweghe), Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique / English Baroque Soloists (J.E.Gardiner), Ensemble Pygmalion (R Pichon) Concerto Copenhagen (L.U Mortensen), Dunedin Consort, Le Concert Spirituel (H.Niquet) Freiburger Barockorchester, Helsinki Baroque Orchestra....

With these ensembles she has recorded for Harmonia Mundi, Naïve, Etcetera, Passacaille, Phi, Ondine, Virgin Classics, Fuga Libera, Decca, Erato...

Nicola is an equally active chamber musician, regularly performing with the fortepianist Kristian Bezuidenhout, the Cambini and Edding Quartets, and Ensemble Marsyas and has performed at many prestigious festivals including Edinburgh, Saintes, Bruges, Boston Early Music Festival , Accademia delle Crete Senesi , Amsterdam Concertgebouw Robeco Zomerconcerten and Wigmore Hall. She recorded the Mozart clarinet quintet with the Edding Quartet for the label Etcetera to critical acclaim, and the Schubert Octet with Edding Quartet/ Northernlight for the label Phi.

As soloist she has performed in Europe and Asia with the Orchestre des Champs Eysees, Academy of Ancient Music, Concerto Copenhagen, Il Gardellino and Le Cercle de l’Harmonie in venues such as the Theatre Des Champs Elysees in Paris, and at the Barbican Centre in London.

Nicola is also teaches at Paris Conservatoire (CNSMDP).

Anthony Romaniuk
Keyboardist Anthony Romaniuk’s singular artistic voice stems from his relentless exploration of a vast range of musical styles. A natural musical polyglot, his classical training is complemented by his improvising prowess, allowing him to fluidly traverse the borders between genres.

Jazz-obsessed in his youth in Australia, he studied classical piano in New York (Manhattan School of Music), spent several years specialising in early music (harpsichord and fortepiano in the Netherlands) and since then has continued his development across the realms of improvisation, indie rock and ambient/electronic music.

As a classical recitalist, his repertoire includes music from Byrd to Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and Brahms (often on historical instruments), to Ligeti, Adams and contemporary music. He works regularly with violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja and tenor Reinoud Van Mechelen and is also a core member of Vox Luminis.

Other noteworthy collaborations include working with clarinettist Reto Bieri, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Camerata Bern and Danish indie rock group Efterklang. He has played at many important concert venues in Europe, including Wigmore Hall (London), Salle Gaveau (Paris), Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Berliner Konzerthaus, Bozar (Brussels), Flagey (Brussels) and at the Bachfest Leipzig, as well as frequent engagements in the US, Australia and Japan.

His two solo albums on Alpha Classics consciously push the boundaries of classical orthodoxy through their blend of innovative programming, timbral diversity and improvisation. “Perpetuum”, released in February 2023, features no fewer than six keyboard instruments colouring a programme based around the timelessness of perpetual motion. “Bells”, his debut solo recording, was released in 2020 to widespread acclaim. A third solo album, entitled “On Modes”, will be released in March 2026 and premiered at the Klara Festival in Brussels.

Booklet für Brahms: Clarinet Sonatas, Op. 120 & 3 Intermezzi, Op. 117