Sct. Catharinæ Kirke, Ribe Friday 21st August 2026, 4 pm

Brahms A Celebration of Life

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897): Piano Quartet No. 2 in A major, Op. 26
I. Allegro non troppo
II. Poco adagio
III. Scherzo: Poco allegro
IV. Allegro

Valdemar Wenzel Most, piano  · Juliette Roos, violin · Michel Camille, viola · Pau Codina, cello 

Special Concert in Ribe
Sct. Catharinæ Kirke, Ribe
Friday 21 August 2026, 4:00 pm

Please note: This concert is not included in the Festival Pass and admission is payable at the door.

Johannes Brahms’s Piano Quartet No. 2 in A major, Op. 26 stands among the most expansive, radiant, and uplifting works in the chamber music repertoire. Brahms A Celebration of Life presents a masterpiece overflowing with lyrical warmth, rhythmic vitality, and symphonic breadth. While many of Brahms’s works balance light and shadow, the A major Piano Quartet is remarkable for its prevailing sense of generosity, optimism, and joy. It reveals the composer at his most open-hearted and life-affirming.

This special concert at Sct. Catharinæ Kirke in Ribe brings together four outstanding musicians: pianist Valdemar Wenzel Most, violinist Juliette Roos, violist Michel Camille, and cellist Pau Codina. Together they explore one of Brahms’s most ambitious chamber works, a composition that combines intimate musical dialogue with the scale and richness of a symphony.

Completed in 1861 and revised several years later, the Piano Quartet No. 2 belongs to a period when Brahms was establishing himself as one of Europe’s leading composers. Although still a relatively young man, he had already developed the distinctive musical voice that would make him one of the central figures of nineteenth-century music. The quartet reflects both his mastery of form and his extraordinary gift for melody.

The opening Allegro non troppo unfolds on a grand scale. From the very first bars, Brahms creates a musical landscape of remarkable spaciousness and freedom. Long, singing melodies are combined with rhythmic vitality and rich harmonic invention, producing a movement of exceptional warmth and confidence. The interplay between the four instruments is masterfully balanced, allowing each voice to contribute to a constantly evolving musical conversation.

The second movement, Poco adagio, forms the emotional heart of the work. Here Brahms reveals his gift for creating music of profound tenderness and serenity. The movement unfolds with an almost vocal quality, its beautiful melodies and subtle harmonies creating an atmosphere of reflection and inner peace. It is among the most moving pages in all of Brahms’s chamber music.

At the centre of Brahms A Celebration of Life lies the composer’s extraordinary ability to unite emotional depth with structural brilliance. Few chamber works combine intimacy and grandeur so successfully. Throughout the quartet, moments of personal reflection coexist with passages of symphonic power, creating music that feels at once deeply human and magnificently expansive.

The energetic Scherzo introduces dramatic contrast. Its powerful rhythms and driving momentum bring an exhilarating sense of movement and excitement, while the trio section offers moments of elegance and charm. Brahms’s command of musical architecture ensures that every idea contributes to the overall shape and balance of the work.

The finale is among the most exuberant conclusions Brahms ever composed. Filled with dancing rhythms, infectious energy, and an almost orchestral richness of sound, it perfectly embodies the spirit of Brahms A Celebration of Life. Folk-inspired elements, sweeping melodies, and brilliant ensemble writing combine to create a movement of irresistible momentum and joy.

The Piano Quartet No. 2 occupies a unique place within Brahms’s chamber music output. Unlike the darker and more dramatic C minor Piano Quartet or the fiery G minor Piano Quartet, the A major Quartet radiates confidence and generosity. Its musical world is one of abundance rather than conflict, celebrating the expressive possibilities of chamber music with extraordinary imagination and craftsmanship.

Performed within the magnificent surroundings of Sct. Catharinæ Kirke, one of Denmark’s most beautiful historic churches, the music gains an additional sense of atmosphere and resonance. The church’s acoustic and architectural beauty provide an ideal setting for a work whose emotional range extends from moments of quiet intimacy to passages of thrilling power and splendour.

Presented as a special event during EICMF 2026, Brahms A Celebration of Life offers audiences a rare opportunity to experience one of the crowning achievements of the Romantic chamber music repertoire. Rich in melody, warmth, and expressive depth, the Piano Quartet No. 2 remains a work that speaks directly to listeners across generations.

Join us in Ribe for Brahms A Celebration of Life, an unforgettable encounter with one of the most radiant masterpieces in all chamber music. Performed by Valdemar Wenzel Most, Juliette Roos, Michel Camille, and Pau Codina, this special concert promises music of warmth, beauty, humanity, and enduring joy.

Venue: Sct. Catharinæ Kirke, Ribe