Alberto Williams has been described as ‘the grand old man of Argentine music’ and is recognised as one of the founders of an independent musical language for his native country. Williams studied in Paris during the 1880s, and his violin sonatas draw comparisons with his teacher César Franck – their heroic mood reflects the post-Wagnerian grandeur that was popular at the time. The concentrated and passionate interplay between violin and piano in Violin Sonata no.2 bears comparison with Brahms, while the adventurous and at times experimental Violin Sonata no.3 is notable for its striking shifts in harmony and dazzling virtuosity.

We have previously explored some of the music of Alberto Williams with two volumes on our Marco Polo label (8223799 and 8223800) with pieces that were described as ‘music for a pleasant summer afternoon’, 8579120 and ‘recommended for all fans of offbeat solo piano works in the Romantic mode’ in ClassicsToday.com.

DUO AM:
- Alejandro Aldana (violin)
- Fabio Martino (piano)