Johannes Brahms - Clarinet Sonatas Op. 120; Intermezzi Op. 117 (Nicola Boud; Anthony Romaniuk)

Information

Composer: Johannes Brahms

• Clarinet Sonata No. 2, Op. 120 No. 2
• Three Intermezzi, Op. 117
• Clarinet Sonata No. 1, Op. 120 No. 1
• 5 Lieder, Op. 105: No. 1, Wie Melodien zieht es mir (transcr. Nicola Boud & Anthony Romaniuk)

Nicola Boud, clarinet

Anthony Romaniuk, piano

Date: 2025

Label: Fuga Libera

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This recording pairs two late Brahms masterworks: the Op. 120 Clarinet Sonatas and the Op. 117 Intermezzi for piano, composed in the serene surroundings of Bad Ischl. The sonatas, written for clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld, showcase tenderness and intimate dialogue, reflecting Brahms’s renewed inspiration. Performers Nicola Boud and Anthony Romaniuk use period-appropriate instruments—a replica of Mühlfeld’s 19th-century boxwood clarinet and an 1875 Steinway piano—creating a transparent, intimate sound. Employing 19th-century expressive techniques naturally, the album highlights the lyrical and elegiac qualities of these works, with the Intermezzi described by Brahms as “three lullabies of my grief,” offering a reflective window into his final years.

Nicola Boud, born in Perth, Australia, is a leading historical clarinetist. She earned her Bachelor of Music with first-class honors at the University of Western Australia and completed a Master’s in historical performance at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague with Eric Hoeprich. Based in Belgium, she performs widely as principal clarinet with ensembles including Orchestre des Champs-Élysées, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, Ensemble Pygmalion, Concerto Copenhagen, and Freiburger Barockorchester, recording for labels such as Harmonia Mundi, Naïve, Decca, and Erato. An active chamber musician, she collaborates with Kristian Bezuidenhout, the Edding and Cambini Quartets, and Ensemble Marsyas, performing at prestigious festivals worldwide. She also teaches at the Paris Conservatoire (CNSMDP).

Anthony Romaniuk is an Australian keyboardist known for his versatile and adventurous musical voice. Classically trained at the Manhattan School of Music, he also studied early music (harpsichord and fortepiano) in the Netherlands and has explored jazz, improvisation, indie rock, and electronic music. His repertoire spans Byrd to Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms, Ligeti, Adams, and contemporary works, often on historical instruments. Romaniuk collaborates with artists such as Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Reinoud Van Mechelen, and Vox Luminis, and performs internationally at venues including Wigmore Hall, Concertgebouw, and Berliner Konzerthaus. His solo albums Bells (2020) and Perpetuum (2023) combine inventive programming, diverse timbres, and improvisation.