One-on-one music is a peculiar, if not uncommon, dynamic in classical music: we are more likely to make music in packs. So when pianist Robert Thies announced this concert and its intimate premise, it was clear that he’d hit upon something very special.
‘The Intimate Side of Brahms’ is a concert made mostly of works for piano and just one other instrument, whether it be voice, violin or cello. Joined by the sensitive talents of Elissa Johnston (soprano), Kevin Kumar (violin), Dale Hikawa-Silverman (viola) and Armen Ksajikian (cello), Thies completes his scaled-down palette with one of Brahms’ most powerful works: the Piano Quartet in C Minor, Op. 60. Part of South Pasadena Library’s ‘Restoration Concerts’ series, it’s unlikely that this collection of works will often be seen together, but they’re ideal fodder for a late-summer Sunday.
