Sylvain Dessane is regularly playing recitals with piano, with Sander Lekkerkerk, Gregor Dešman and Anto Bayram Karamendes.
At the moment, proposing a beautiful programa with Anto Bayram Karamendes :
Sylvain Dessane, viola and Anto Bayram Karamenderes, piano present a compelling journey through three pillars of classical music: Bach, Schubert, and Brahms. This carefully curated program spans the Baroque, early Romantic, and late Romantic periods, offering a rich exploration of the viola's expressive capabilities across musical eras.
Originally composed for viola da gamba and harpsichord around 1720, this sonata exemplifies Bach's masterful contrapuntal writing. Bach's genius for creating independent yet harmonically intertwined voices allows both instruments to shine equally in this intimate chamber work, demonstrating why his music has remained an infinite inspiration for composers across three centuries.
Composed in 1824, this haunting sonata was written for the arpeggione—a six-stringed, fretted instrument that quickly fell into obscurity. Today, it's most commonly performed on viola or cello and piano. The work showcases Schubert's gift for lyrical melody and emotional depth, shifting between melancholy, tenderness, and fleeting joy. The expansive first movement gives way to a brief but touching Adagio before concluding with a dance-like Allegretto that reveals Schubert's folk-inspired sensibilities. This sonata represents the quintessential early Romantic spirit that has made Schubert one of the most cherished composers of his era.
Completed in 1894, this sonata was one of Brahms's final chamber works, originally written for clarinet and piano but adapted by the composer himself for viola. The three-movement work displays Brahms's mature compositional style—richly textured, harmonically sophisticated, and deeply expressive. The warm, autumnal quality of the opening Allegro amabile transitions to a passionate Appassionato middle movement before concluding with a theme and variations finale that showcases both instruments' technical and expressive range. As a great admirer of Bach, Brahms brings contrapuntal mastery together with Romantic expression, creating one of the most heartfelt and beautiful works in the viola repertoire.
Total concert duration: approximately 65 minutes