Pina Napolitano, celebrated as “one of the finest living interpreters of the music of the Second Viennese School” (Classical Explorer), continues her acclaimed “Brahms the Progressive” series with Volume 3, exploring chamber music alongside renowned violinist Franco Mezzena. This album, released in Schoenberg’s 150th anniversary year, bridges the rich romanticism of Brahms and the expressive modernism of the Second Viennese School. It features Schoenberg’s widely expressionistic Phantasy, his enigmatic Satzfragment, Brahms’ second and third sonatas, and Webern’s Vier Stücke Op. 7, demonstrating the intricate interplay of tradition and innovation. Napolitano’s interpretations, praised for their technical precision and emotional depth, are complemented by Mezzena’s dynamic interplay. The album continues her journey of reinterpreting Brahms as a precursor to modernism.
