A high moment in 19th century music.

[Enrique]

I think if there is a god up there, by listening to this music, he would feel satisfaction at his having created man. I speak of bars 30:37 - 32:10 in this recording of Brahms' first piano concerto:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXd0omiCuA4[/youtube]

Though there may be better renditions of the second movement, perhaps. By the way, Rubinstein was 86 here. Ain't that something?

[Peter]

Yes, wonderful of course but I couldn't just single out a moment like that from the entire 19th century! Rubinstein was of course phenomenal especially as you say at 86, remarkable as was Horowitz at 88 I think when he gave his last recital.

[Enrique]

Well, I exaggerated a bit perhaps and besides these things are very subjective. But that that movement shows Brahms at his best or that it is one of his finest slow movements is rather beyond the subjective. When I was in my twenties I put the second concerto above this one. Now, it is the other way around.