The Manoel Theatre is today presenting a concert by pianist Charlene Farrugia and clarinettist Dimitri Ashkenazy performing Johannes Brahms’s Clarinet Sonatas.

The two Clarinet Sonatas by Brahms to be performed in this concert were composed during an extreme creative season, at a time when the composer had decided that he would not write anything any more.

Pianist Charlene Farrugia

In 1891, Brahms met clarinettist Richard von Mühlfeld from whom he discovered the secret possibilities of the instrument. Three years later, in the summer of 1894, Brahms composed the two Sonatas Op. 120. These are his last chamber music compositions. After Op. 120, Brahms composed only two other works before his death: the Vier ernste Gesänge for bass and piano and the 11 organ choral preludes inspired by Bach.

The second half of the concert will open with Debussy’s Première Rhapsodie. After Debussy took a position on the Paris Conservatoire’s board of directors, he wrote this piece as an examination for the school’s clarinet students. The result was a vigorous test of the clarinettists’ ability to project a lyrical singing tone and demonstrate command of technical challenges ranging from chromatic runs to trills and rapid changes of articulation.

The other work on the programme is Bernstein’s first published work, his Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, written between 1941 and 1942.

Farrugia is currently appearing on major international concert platforms in recitals, concerto performances and chamber groups, with partners such as Joseph Calleja and Ning Feng.

Ashkenazy performs widely as both a soloist and chamber musician. He has appeared with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at London’s Royal Festival Hall; Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin at the Hollywood Bowl; SBS Youth Orchestra at Sydney Opera House; Czech Philharmonic Orchestra at the Casals Festival in Puerto Rico; and Japan Philharmonic, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony and Mito Chamber orchestras in Japan.

Ashkenazy has made numerous CD, radio and television recordings, and been invited to give master classes throughout Europe and in Japan, Australia and the US.

The concert is being held today at 8pm at the Museum of Archaeology in Republic Street, Valletta. For tickets, visit www.teatrumanoel.com.mt, call 2124 6389 or send an e-mail to bookings@teatrumanoel.com.mt.