The Guardian raved that the pairing of Alina Ibragimova and Cédric Tiberghien “mesmerizes and captivates, achieving rare freshness and vitality in the most familiar repertoire.” Ibragimova studied with Christian Tetzlaff, heard earlier in the season. The Guardian also declared Ibragimova and Tiberghien “today’s partnership of choice for violin and piano repertory.”

Bach’s Fourth Violin Sonata places both instruments on equal footing, as does Brahms’ Sonata for Piano and Violin. John Cage’s simple yet affecting Six Melodies defines a set of notes and turns them into melodic sequences; AllMusic calls it one of his “most approachable and immediately satisfying compositions.” Cage dedicated this work to Bauhaus-trained modernist artists Anni and Josef Albers, who left Germany in 1933 to teach at North Carolina’s Black Mountain College. Schumann’s masterful Second Violin Sonata provides a vibrant and energetic finale.