PENTATONE releases Brahms/Koncz: Sonatas for Clarinet and Orchestra with Daniel Ottensamer, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and Stephan Koncz in JUNE 2025.
Daniel Ottensamer performs Brahms’ two clarinet sonatas in new orchestral arrangements by Stephan Koncz, who also conducts the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. The album also features a rare gem: Walter Rabl’s prize-winning clarinet quartet, once championed by Brahms himself. Pianist Christoph Traxler and violinist Noah Bendix-Balgley join Ottensamer, with Koncz also contributing on cello, offering a rich portrait of late 19th-century Viennese music.
Koncz’ orchestrations bring these masterful pieces out of the limited space of chamber music, presenting them in a new symphonic light. The idea to create this very personal album has accompanied them both since their student days, and now the time to turn this vision into reality has finally come.
“After a lifelong musical friendship that began in childhood, this album gave Stephan Koncz and I the unique opportunity to collaborate as composer and soloist. As a clarinetist, it has always been a dream of mine to expand the repertoire for my instrument, and Stephan’s orchestrations of Brahms’ clarinet sonatas do just that. His musically authentic and impressive arrangements allow clarinetists to experience these beloved works as full-scale concertos, and recording them with the wonderful Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin made the project even more special.”
Daniel Ottensamer
Daniel Ottensamer has been hailed as one of the prominent clarinettists of today and is enjoying a multi-faceted career as soloist, chamber musician and principal clarinettist of the Vienna Philharmonic. Stephan Koncz is a cellist of the Berlin Philharmonic, and divides his time between composing/arranging, conducting, and various chamber music groups, often together with Ottensamer, pianist Traxler, violinist Bendix-Balgley and their Vienna Berlin Music Club – namely „Philharmonix“. The Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin (DSO) emanates into the world from renowned Berliner Philharmonie, while remaining societally relevant at all times, close to people and keeping pace with the times. All performers make their PENTATONE debut.
Digital Release Date: 13 JUNE 2025
Physical Release: JUNE 2025
Released physically on standard CD and digital formats for streaming and high-resolution downloads.
