Double Concerto a minor op. 102

Between 1859 and 1885 Johannes Brahms, with his four symphonies, two piano concertos, violin concerto, dances, variations and overtures, became the representative of large-scale orchestral music. In 1887he chose the violin and violoncello as solo instruments for his Double Concerto in a minor op. 102, since he had outstanding soloists at his disposal. After the premiere of Brahms’s second cello sonata, cellist Robert Hausmann had requested a concert piece; while the renowned violinist Joseph Joachim was Brahms’s friend and had premiered his Violin Concerto, among other things.

After the dark-hued Fourth Symphony this concerto comes across as strikingly optimistic and conciliatory. We now offer the score, also published as part of our New Complete Edition, in a convenient study edition.