Jan Vermeulen, Veerle Peeters - Brahms: Works for Piano Four Hands (2021)

Tracklist

01. Ungarische Tänze Nr. 7 in A Major: Allegretto
02. Ungarische Tänze Nr. 8 in A Minor: Presto
03. Walzer Op. 39 Nr. 1, B Major: Tempo Giusto
04. Walzer Op. 39 Nr. 2, E Major
05. Walzer Op. 39 Nr. 3, G Sharp Minor
06. Walzer Op. 39 Nr. 4, E Minor: Poco Sostenuto
07. Walzer Op. 39 Nr. 5, E Major
08. Walzer Op. 39 Nr. 6, C Sharp Major: Vivace
09. Walzer Op. 39 Nr. 7, C Sharp Minor: Poco Più Andante
10. Walzer Op. 39 Nr. 8, B Flat Major
11. Walzer Op. 39 Nr. 9, D Minor
12. Walzer Op. 39 Nr. 10, G Major
13. Walzer Op. 39 Nr. 11, B Minor
14. Walzer Op. 39 Nr. 12, E Major
15. Walzer Op. 39 Nr. 13, C Major
16. Walzer Op. 39 Nr. 14, A Minor
17. Walzer Op. 39 Nr. 15, A Major
18. Walzer Op. 39 Nr. 16, D Minor
19. Ungarische Tänze Nr. 9, in E Minor: Allegro Non Troppo
20. Ungarische Tänze Nr. 11, in D Minor: Poco Andante
21. Variationen über ein Thema von Robert Schumann Op. 23
22. Ungarische Tänze Nr. 15, in B Flat Major: Allegretto Grazioso
23. Ungarische Tänze Nr. 16, in F Major: Con Moto-Presto
24. Liebesliederwalzer Op. 52 Nr. 1, E Major: Rede, Mädchen allzu liebes
25. Liebesliederwalzer Op. 52 Nr. 2, A Minor: Am Gesteine rauscht die Flut
26. Liebesliederwalzer Op. 52 Nr. 3, B Flat Major: O die Frauen, o die Frauen
27. Liebesliederwalzer Op. 52 Nr. 4, F Major: Wie des Abends schöne Röte
28. Liebesliederwalzer Op. 52 Nr. 5, A Minor: Die grüne Hopfenranke
29. Liebesliederwalzer Op. 52 Nr. 6, A Major: Ein kleiner, hübscher Vogel nahm den Flug
30. Liebesliederwalzer Op. 52 Nr. 7, C Minor: Wohl schön bewandt war es vorehe
31. Liebesliederwalzer Op. 52 Nr. 8, A Flat Major: Wenn so lind dein Auge mir
32. Liebesliederwalzer Op. 52 Nr. 9, E Major: Am Donaustrande da steht ein Haus
33. Liebesliederwalzer Op. 52 Nr. 10, G Major: O wie sanft die Quelle
34. Liebesliederwalzer Op. 52 Nr. 11, C Minor: Nein, es ist nicht auszukommen
35. Liebesliederwalzer Op. 52 Nr. 12, E Flat Major: Schlösser auf! Und manche Schlösser
36. Liebesliederwalzer Op. 52 Nr. 13, A Flat Major: Vögelein durchrauscht die Luft
37. Liebesliederwalzer Op. 52 Nr. 14, E Flat Major: Sieh wie ist die Welle klar
38. Liebesliederwalzer Op. 52 Nr. 15, A Flat Major: Nachtigall sie singt so schön
39. Liebesliederwalzer Op. 52 Nr. 16, F Minor: Ein dunkler Schacht ist Liebe
40. Liebesliederwalzer Op. 52 Nr. 17, D Flat Major: Nicht wandle, mein Licht dort aussen
41. Liebesliederwalzer Op. 52 Nr. 18, B Flat Minor: Es bebet das Gesträuche
42. Ungarische Tänze Nr. 17: Andantino-Vivace in F Sharp Minor
43. Ungarische Tänze Nr. 19: Allegretto in B Minor


Brahms had been an unreserved admirer of the hundreds of waltzes and Ländler that Schubert had composed even before he himself arrived in Vienna. He was just as lyrically enthusiastic about the waltzes of his contemporary Johann Strauss II. It is clear that Brahms, like Schubert and Chopin, took lighter genres such as the waltz very seriously. This can be seen in the wealth of melody, the variation of rhythm and the lush harmonies of the Waltzes op. 39. These were composed in 1865, three years after he had settled in Vienna. It is astonishing to see how a Northern German could feel so at home in every genre that he attempted; he is completely at ease with the gypsy idiom and seems also to be Viennese-born and bred.

Brahms raises the folk character of Georg Friedrich Daumer’s poems to an ultimate refinement in his Liebesliederwalzer op. 52. The work was initially intended for vocal quartet (the vocal parts are marked ad libitum in the original edition) and piano four hands; the marking ad libitum is apposite, given that the work is just as effective without the vocal parts. It is, however, well worth taking a look at Daumer’s poems just to see and hear how ingeniously Brahms handled them.

Given that such an album as this requires variety and contrast, we have not only alternated Hungarian dances with waltzes but also have placed Brahms’ profound Variationen über ein Thema von Robert Schumann op. 23 at the centre of these otherwise light-footed works.

DOWNLOAD ALBUM [flac]