Brahms' 1st piano concerto, the second movement.

[Enrique]

I was listening to Brahms' 1st piano concerto, and there came the second movement. I had listened to the concerto several times, but this one I was in a state of abstraction and completely inside the music. I do not know why, but suddenly I understood how wonderful it is. The music slowly flowed, and each note, each cell, each phrase did not tell much in itself. But the melody was growing inside one, until you see the beauty of the whole. It was like a travel to the deep.

And then --everyone has some moments in a movement which seem particularly striking-- those bars where you clearly see that Brahms soars, higher and higher:

A |D_D A |D_D D |G E D |C# B A |D_D A |D C D |G_G D |G E C |B A G |F E D | ...

I think they are the climax of the movement. Well, it's been quite a long time since that, but I always remember that afternoon ... and I wanted to share.

[Peter]

Thank you Enrique - yes I think there are particular occasions when the music and our own feelings combine perfectly to produce a very special experience - this is rare. It is strange how the same piece of music can effect us differently. The slow movt of the Brahms concerto has such a beautiful serene and calming melody.

[Enrique]

Thank you, Peter, for reading.

[Enrique]

In another time it was the 2nd concerto that I liked and the 1st I new it, because it was radiated more times than the 2nd, but I disliked it. Now, I do not dislike the 2nd but it seems more academic, less inspired to me than the 1st. But how different is Brahms to Beethoven. The music of the former has colour, Beethoven has not. Brahms makes me see landscapes, Beethoven never. But they belong to different ages.

[gprengel]

Yes, this 1st piano concerto by Brahms with no doubt is the greatest concerto from the whole Romantic period (followed by Tchaikowsky's No 1 and Mendelssohns No 2 in d-minor + the fragmentary No 3 in e-minor)!! The first movement is gigantic!
The Adagio opens like a wonderful view to heaven (originally titled by Brahms with "Benedictus qui venit in nomine dominus") , but after about 4:00 I don't feel comfortable with some of the longer piano passages. They seem to be a bit artificial to me and there is no real dialog with the orchestra...
In the 3rd mov. I love especially the wonderful fugato part in the middle.

[Enrique]

Yes, this 1st piano concerto by Brahms with no doubt is the greatest concerto from the whole Romantic period (followed by Tchaikowsky's No 1 and Mendelssohns No 2 in d-minor + the fragmentary No 3 in e-minor)!! The first movement is gigantic!
The Adagio opens like a wonderful view to heaven (originally titled by Brahms with "Benedictus qui venit in nomine dominus") , but after about 4:00 I don't feel comfortable with some of the longer piano passages. They seem to be a bit artificial to me and there is no real dialog with the orchestra...
In the 3rd mov. I love especially the wonderful fugato part in the middle.

Strange, somebody said that about Schumann's concerto, but I am completely in accord with you. Mendelssohns D minor I played at the orchestra (not the soloist) and I remember it bored me. But I must listen again and reevaluate. As to dialog with the orchestra, this work is more a symphony than a concerto, in the sense of the virtuosism of that time and I must disagree.

But I agree as to the allegro, with its greatly delayed entrance of the piano, in the manner of Beethoven's fifth piano concerto, and when it finally appears, it pours pure melody into our ears with it (re)exposition of the main theme. I saw a picture with Shirley McLane, Madame Susashka playing a piano teacher, and there I was stuck on that piano entry.

[Belle]

I actually think the Brahms 2nd piano concerto infinitely superior to his 1st. Not convinced? Listen to this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KQSF...feature=relmfu

[gprengel]

I actually think the Brahms 2nd piano concerto infinitely superior to his 1st. Not convinced? Listen to this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KQSF...feature=relmfu

The opening theme with the solo Cello is indeed fantastic! But after this there are about 10 minutes that don't speak to me at all (until the reapearence of the theme at the beautiful end).

Also the first movement has its great moments, especially when the wonderful main theme appears in various forms, but the movement as a whole - to me - can't quite reach the greatness of the first concerto's first movement. Probably it would be better if this movement (20 minutes long) would be shorter.
And the 4th movement? It hardly can compare with the gorgeous rondo of the 1st concerto.