Johannes Brahms wrote his last chamber music work, the E-flat major Sonata, op. 120, 2, three years before his death for the clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld. The fact that he published it alternatively for viola had to do with the then still noticeable lack of good wind players.

Carl Maria von Weber used a Chinese theme from Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Dictionnaire de musique for his Chinese overture, written in 1805. Weber's friend, the composer Franz Danzi, employed as Kapellmeister at the Stuttgart court, encouraged him to write some music for a performance of Schiller's play at the court theatre. The result was his 1809 drama music for Turandot, in which the Chinese overture was integrated.

The present version for string orchestra compresses the orchestral writing and adds some string-specific features (col legno, pizzicato) using a solo violin and a solo cello..

The work probably goes back to the four-part poem Märchenbilder, which the Berlin poet Louis du Rieux sent to Schumann on February 19, 1851, asking him to choose the verses as a model for a "sonata". Schumann's response was positive. The composition was written shortly afterwards, between March 1 and 4, 1851
The premiere took place on November 12, 1853 as part of a soiree given by Clara Schumann in the hall of the hotel "Zum goldenen Stern" on Bonn's Marktplatz. The viola part was played by Wilhelm Joseph von Wasielewski, the dedicatee of the work and later Schumann's biographer.
The cycle, consisting of four lyrical character pieces, is one of the few original compositions for viola and piano. Here is a version for viola and string orchestra in the original keys.

In the version for mezzo sporano, alto or baritone and string orchestra, the 6 late song compositions by Johannes Brahms are given a completely new and surprising sound. Most of them are in the original keys for lower voices.

Audio examples FAGOT
Feldeinsamkeit op. 86,2,  Immer leiser wird mein Schlummer op. 105,2,  Nachtwandler op. 86,3,  Sapphische Ode op. 94,4,  Wie Melodien op. 105,1,  Wir wandelten op. 96,2.

Robert Schumanns congenial song cycle after poems of Joseph v Eichendorff gets in this version for soprano or tenor and string orchestra absolutely new sound aspects. You will be surprised!

1. In der Fremde,  2. Intermezzo, 3. Waldesgespräch, 4. Die Stille, 5. Mondnacht , 6. Schöne Fremde

Robert Schumanns congenial song cycle after poems of Joseph v Eichendorff gets in this version for soprano or tenor und string orchestra absolutely new sound aspects. You will be surprised!

7. Auf einer Burg, 8.In der Fremde, 9. Wehmut, 10. Zwielicht, 11. Im Walde, 12. Frühlingsnacht