Barry Douglas - Brahms: Works for Solo Piano, Vol. 3 (2014) [Hi-Res]
Artist: Barry Douglas
Title: Brahms: Works for Solo Piano, Volume 3
Year Of Release: 2014
Label: Chandos
Genre: Classical
Quality: FLAC (tracks, booklet) [96kHz/24bit]
Total Time: 1:07:24
Total Size: 982 MB
WebSite: Album Preview
Tracklist:Title: Brahms: Works for Solo Piano, Volume 3
Year Of Release: 2014
Label: Chandos
Genre: Classical
Quality: FLAC (tracks, booklet) [96kHz/24bit]
Total Time: 1:07:24
Total Size: 982 MB
WebSite: Album Preview
Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897)
16 Waltzes, Op. 39
01. No. 1 in B Major - Tempo giusto (0:49)
02. No. 2 in E Major (1:17)
03. No. 3 in G-Sharp Minor (1:05)
04. No. 4 in E Minor - Poco sostenuto (1:32)
05. No. 5 in E Major - Grazioso (1:10)
06. No. 6 in C-Sharp Major - Vivace (1:04)
07. No. 7 in C-Sharp Minor - Poco più Andante (1:58)
08. No. 8 in B-Flat Major (1:24)
09. No. 9 in D Minor (1:10)
10. No. 10. in G Major (0:35)
11. No. 11 in B Minor (1:31)
12. No. 12 in E Major (1:24)
13. No. 13 in B Major (0:35)
14. No. 14 in G-Sharp Minor (1:21)
15. No. 15 in A-Flat Major (1:33)
16. No. 16 in C-Sharp Minor (1:21)
Theme and Variations in D Minor, Op. 18b
17. Theme and Variations in D Minor (10:58)
4 Piano Pieces, Op. 119
18. No. 1, Intermezzo in B Minor (3:01)
19. No. 3, Intermezzo in C Major (1:51)
7 Fantasies, Op. 116
20. No. 5, Intermezzo in E Minor (3:10)
Piano Sonata No. 2 in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 2
21. I. Allegro non troppo, ma energico (6:13)
22. II. Andante con espressione (6:19)
23. III. Scherzo: Allegro (3:59)
24. IV. Finale. Sostenuto - Allegro non troppo e rubato (12:04)
Barry Douglas returns for the highly anticipated third volume in his series devoted to Brahms's solo piano music, the first two volumes having been met with widespread critical acclaim. Of Vol. 2, International Record Review wrote, 'this is indeed Brahms playing of the utmost integrity and authority... this cycle looks set to become a benchmark'.
The selected Intermezzi performed here come from the collections of short piano pieces which Brahms published in 1892 93, his last works for piano. A sense of wistful, melancholic reflection pervades these exquisitely crafted masterpieces of Brahms's late maturity.
Composed at the other end of his life, at the age of twenty, the Piano Sonata in F sharp minor is full of a youthful, strident energy. It was among the pieces that, when he heard them privately, convinced Robert Schumann of Brahms's genius. It was dedicated to Robert's wife, Clara, who was to remain a key figure in Brahms's life. Indeed it was Clara who, having heard the movement, begged Brahms for a piano transcription of the noble Andante from the String Sextet in B flat major, the Theme with Variations in D minor heard here.
Brahms's set of sixteen Waltzes, Op. 39 were originally conceived for piano four hands and were arranged, by popular demand, for solo piano soon after, in 1867. They capture the sense of joyful abandon often associated with the genre but their romanticism and nostalgia are uniquely Brahmsian.
"Barry Douglas has reached the third volume of his survey of Brahms's piano works, continuing his mix-and-match policy of bringing together pieces from all periods of the composer's output, often as incomplete works. The latest collection includes a sequence of late intermezzos the first and third from the four pieces of Op 119, followed by the fifth of Op 116 but the rest of the disc does consist of three complete works as Brahms published them: the Sonata in F sharp minor Op 2, the 16 Waltzes of Op 39 and the set of D minor Variations, one of the greatest of all Brahms early inspirations, which is better known as the second movement of the Op 18 String Sextet. The performances are generally first-rate, with a real Brahmsian mix of toughness and slightly gruff charm about them; Douglas is at his best in the early Sonata, but his account of the jewel-like intermezzos Clara Schumann described the first of Op 119 as a grey pearl are most subtlely coloured too." (Guardian)
"This is indeed Brahms playing of the utmost integrity and authority. IRR, Dec'14 /// The youthful op2 Sonata finds Douglas on excellent form, standing tall in the light pf his main rival (Richter). The Chandos recording is top notch, enabling granitic chords and trill-encrusted lines alike to shine." (International Piano)
"Outstandingly recorded and presented, this is a fine addition to Brahms, to music which in such hands leaves you a different person." (Gramophone)
The selected Intermezzi performed here come from the collections of short piano pieces which Brahms published in 1892 93, his last works for piano. A sense of wistful, melancholic reflection pervades these exquisitely crafted masterpieces of Brahms's late maturity.
Composed at the other end of his life, at the age of twenty, the Piano Sonata in F sharp minor is full of a youthful, strident energy. It was among the pieces that, when he heard them privately, convinced Robert Schumann of Brahms's genius. It was dedicated to Robert's wife, Clara, who was to remain a key figure in Brahms's life. Indeed it was Clara who, having heard the movement, begged Brahms for a piano transcription of the noble Andante from the String Sextet in B flat major, the Theme with Variations in D minor heard here.
Brahms's set of sixteen Waltzes, Op. 39 were originally conceived for piano four hands and were arranged, by popular demand, for solo piano soon after, in 1867. They capture the sense of joyful abandon often associated with the genre but their romanticism and nostalgia are uniquely Brahmsian.
"Barry Douglas has reached the third volume of his survey of Brahms's piano works, continuing his mix-and-match policy of bringing together pieces from all periods of the composer's output, often as incomplete works. The latest collection includes a sequence of late intermezzos the first and third from the four pieces of Op 119, followed by the fifth of Op 116 but the rest of the disc does consist of three complete works as Brahms published them: the Sonata in F sharp minor Op 2, the 16 Waltzes of Op 39 and the set of D minor Variations, one of the greatest of all Brahms early inspirations, which is better known as the second movement of the Op 18 String Sextet. The performances are generally first-rate, with a real Brahmsian mix of toughness and slightly gruff charm about them; Douglas is at his best in the early Sonata, but his account of the jewel-like intermezzos Clara Schumann described the first of Op 119 as a grey pearl are most subtlely coloured too." (Guardian)
"This is indeed Brahms playing of the utmost integrity and authority. IRR, Dec'14 /// The youthful op2 Sonata finds Douglas on excellent form, standing tall in the light pf his main rival (Richter). The Chandos recording is top notch, enabling granitic chords and trill-encrusted lines alike to shine." (International Piano)
"Outstandingly recorded and presented, this is a fine addition to Brahms, to music which in such hands leaves you a different person." (Gramophone)
