Triendl/Karmon/Mijnders - Josef Labor: Violin Sonata Op. 5, Cello Sonata Op. 7, Theme and Variations Op. 10

The positive response to Capriccio�s first release of Labor�s Piano Quartet and Piano Quintet (C5390) enabled this series to be continued with three works representative of Labor�s output from the early 1890s. In Vienna, Labor was part of Johannes Brahms� close circle of friends. Brahms particularly valued his composer colleagues who went their own way without copying him. Labor�s music is very skillfully composed, always sensuous, and first and foremost melodious; it does not require too deep a scrutiny. Around eighty of his compositions have survived. They include practically no occasional works, arising from the fact that he was blind. For him, composition was a luxury, insofar as he had to rely on the help of an amanuensis who had to commit the work to paper.