Day 331: Hungarian Dances (Piano Four Hands)

BrahmsCD25Today’s CD of Hungarian Dances written for four-hand piano was recorded in 1956 and features the legendary Alfred Brendel as one pair of hands and Walter Klien as the other pair.

Musically, it doesn’t get much better than this. The performances are sublime.

Sonically, there’s a lot of tape hiss. Not to the point of distraction. But one can definitely tell this recording is nearly 60 years old.

There are 21 tracks on this, the 25th of 58 CDs in the Brahms Complete Edition from Brilliant Classics.

I’m going to award this a Favorite Brhams CD designation for two reasons:

1. Alfred Brendel
2. It makes Brahms sound livelier and more interesting than he has been to this point

This music is perfect for passive listening while writing, reading, or thinking. And it sounds good enough for active listening as well. I’m really enjoying these little snippets of music.

From its
entry on Wikipedia:

The Hungarian Dances (German: Ungarische Tänze) by Johannes Brahms (WoO 1), are a set of 21 lively dance tunes based mostly on Hungarian themes, completed in 1869.

They vary from about a minute to four minutes in length. They are among Brahms’s most popular works, and were certainly the most profitable for him. Each dance has been arranged for a wide variety of instruments and ensembles. Brahms originally wrote the version for piano four-hands and later arranged the first 10 dances for solo piano.

Only numbers 11, 14 and 16 are entirely original compositions. The most famous Hungarian Dance is No. 5 in F♯ minor, but even this dance was based on the csárdás by Béla Kéler titled “Bártfai emlék” which Brahms mistakenly thought was a traditional folksong.

If these were composed in 1869 (the IMSLP web site suggests a much later date), then Brahms was 36.

Day 328: Viola Sonatas, Piano Trio in A

BrahmsCD22There’s something about the first composition (Sonata for Viola & Piano in F minor Op. 120 No. 1) that drew me in from the opening notes.

It still sounds like two instruments – piano and viola – are playing different pieces of music.

But, at least the music they’re playing is compelling.

What I’m listening to today:

Sonata for Viola & Piano in F minor Op. 120 No. 1

All four movements of this sonata are well done. I even detected a bit of melody amidst all the notes.

I thought Movement III (“Allegretto grazioso”) was good. But Movement IV (“Vivace”) kicked my keister.

Op. 120 No. 1 is terrific.

Here’s an article about it publishing on the LA Philharmonic web site. It indicates that this sonata was composed in 1891. If that’s true, Brahms was 58.

Sonata for Viola & Piano in E flat Op. 120 No. 2

This sonata is also quite good. The piano is well recorded. As is the viola. Very crisp. But organic. Real sounding.

My favorite of the three movements is Continue reading

Day 320: Piano Trio No. 2 & Horn Trio

BrahmsCD14Instant Brahms Favorite!

These trios are splendid, full of melody and pathos.

There are two compositions on today’s Brahms’ CD:

 

 

Piano Trio No. 2 in C Op. 87

Performed by:

Israel Piano Trio
Menahem Breuer violin
Marcel Bergman cello
Alexander Volkov piano

According to its entry on Wikipedia:

The Piano Trio in C major, Op. 87, by Johannes Brahms was composed during 1880-2. It is scored for piano, violin and cello. It was first performed at a chamber music evening in Frankfurt-on-Main on 29 December 1882.

Brahms was 49 when he completed his Piano Trio.

Horn Trio in E flat Op. 40

Performed by The Nash Ensemble
Frank Lloyd horn
Marcia Crayford violin
Ian Brown piano

According to its entry on Wiki:

The Horn Trio in E-flat major, Op. 40, by Johannes Brahms is a chamber piece in four movements written for natural horn, violin, and piano. Composed in 1865, the work commemorates the death of Brahms’ mother, Christiane, earlier that year. However, it draws on a theme which Brahms had composed twelve years previously but did not publish at the time. The work was first performed in Zurich on November 28, 1865, and was published a year later in November 1866. The Horn Trio was the last chamber piece Brahms wrote for the next eight years.

Brahms chose to write the work for natural horn rather than valve horn despite the fact that the valve horn was becoming more common. The timbre of the natural horn is more somber and melancholic than the valve horn and creates a much different mood. Nineteenth-century listeners associated the sound of the natural horn with nature and the calls of the hunt. Fittingly, Brahms once said that the opening theme of the first movement came to him while he was walking through the woods. Brahms also learned natural horn (as well as piano and cello) as a child, which may be another reason why he chose to write for these instruments following the death of his mother.

Brahms was 32 when he composed the Horn Trio.

Both are equally wonderful. It would be hard for me to pick between the two, although I am partial to the horn. It’s one of the most soothing sounds on the planet. So the Horn trio would probably get the nod.

Day 319: Piano Trios 1 & 3

BrahmsCD13This is beautiful music.

I could listen to this again, and likely will.

I’ve always enjoyed trios (piano, violin, cello). Those particular instruments blend well together.

This is just nice, soothing, intriguing music that pulls me in and compels me to keep listening.

The musicians on today’s CD are the Gutman Trio, which consists of:

Sviatoslav Moroz violin
Natalia Gutman cello
Dmitri Vinnik piano

The compositions are:

Piano Trio No. 1 in B Op. 8

According to its entry on Wikipedia:

The Piano Trio in B major, Op. 8, by Johannes Brahms was composed during 1854. The composer produced a revised version of the work in 1889. It is scored for piano, violin and cello, and it is the only work of Brahms to exist today in two published versions, although it is almost always the revised version that we hear performed today. It is also among the few multi-movement works to begin in a major key and end in the tonic minor; another being Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony.

Brahms was 21 when he first composed this music, and 56 when he revised it.

Piano trio No. 3 in C minor Op. 101

According to its entry on Wiki:

The Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 101, by Johannes Brahms is scored for piano, violin and cello, and was written in the summer of 1886 while Brahms was on vacation in Hofstetten, Switzerland. It was premiered on 20 December of that year by Brahms, violinist Jenő Hubay, and cellist David Popper.

There are still a lot of competing notes for my tastes. But these compositions are exquisite.

I particularly liked Movement II (“Scherzo: Allegro molto”) from Piano Trio No. 1 in B Op. 8, and Movement I (“Allegro energico”) from Piano Trio No. 3 in C minor Op. 101.

Of the two compositions, I think I liked Piano Trio No. 1 better than No. 3. The first one seemed more melodic and introspective to me.

Brahms was 53 when he composed this piece of music.

Day 312: Hungarian Dances

BrahmsCD6I like this CD.

Often, Brahms seems to take a while to get something going. He eases into his compositions.

But Hungarian Dances is like a thoroughbred lunging out of the chute from the get-go.

I’m willing to bet all of the Hungarian music you’ve heard over the years is right here. I’ve heard bits and pieces of this music most of my life, usually in movie soundtracks. Maybe TV shows.

It’s beautiful, lush music that evokes tremendous emotions.

There are 21 tracks on Brahms CD 6. Every one is well played, well recorded, and worth listening to.

The musicians on today’s CD are:

London Symphony Orchestra
Neeme Jarvi, conductor

According to its entry on Wikipedia:

The Hungarian Dances (German: Ungarische Tänze) by Johannes Brahms (WoO 1), are a set of 21 lively dance tunes based mostly on Hungarian themes, completed in 1869.

They vary from about a minute to four minutes in length. They are among Brahms’s most popular works, and were certainly the most profitable for him. Each dance has been arranged for a wide variety of instruments and ensembles. Brahms originally wrote the version for piano four-hands and later arranged the first 10 dances for solo piano.

Only numbers 11, 14 and 16 are entirely original compositions. The most famous Hungarian Dance is No. 5 in F♯ minor, but even this dance was based on the csárdás by Béla Kéler titled “Bártfai emlék” which Brahms mistakenly thought was a traditional folksong.

Brahms was 36 when these dance songs were completed.