Celebrated violinist James Ehnes picks up the viola for his first recording of the Op. 120 sonatas of Brahms in the composer’s arrangement for viola and piano. Originally written for clarinet, Brahms made subtle changes for the viola versions, enriching the meagre viola sonata repertoire with these two late masterpieces. Composed in just a few days in 1851, Robert Schumann’s Märchenbilder (Fairy Tale Pictures) are prized for their potent sense of fantasy, melancholy, and drama. The well-known Brahms Wiegenlied (Lullaby) is included as an encore to the program. James Ehnes plays on the 1696 ‘Achinto’ Stradivari viola for this recording, courtesy of the Royal Academy of Music.