Where to go next with Brahms?

[hornteacher]

Any suggestions on where to go next with Brahms after the list below?

Symphonies 1-4
Violin Concerto
Piano Concerto 1+2
Double Concerto
Clarinet Quintet
Academic Festival
Tragic Overture
String Sextet in Bb
Hungarian Dances
Haydn Variations
Horn Trio
German Requiem

[Lethevich]

A lot left to explore, fortunately His lieder is exceptional, some of the best to come from Germany in the 19th century. The recital with Bernarda Fink on Harmonia Mundi is very fine, but there are many options available, including a good quality "complete" box on Brilliant.

Judging from what little I have heard from Gardiner's recent Brahms cycle, his choral works appear to be stunning as well.

[Taxes-]

The lieder maybe? the Liebeslieder and the Neue-Liebeslieder are two lovely collections of folk song adaptations scored for four voices and piano four hand.

Or, how about the cello sonatas? This is an excellent recording.

[not edward]

More chamber music, I'd think: the piano quartets and piano quintet for his more youthfully dramatic side; plus the clarinet sonatas and trio for the later, more ruminative one.

The late piano pieces (opp. 116-119) are remarkable too. In fact, I think I need to listen to them right now.

[DavidW]

More chamber music, I'd think: the piano quartets and piano quintet for his more youthfully dramatic side; plus the clarinet sonatas and trio for the later, more ruminative one.

The late piano pieces (opp. 116-119) are remarkable too. In fact, I think I need to listen to them right now.

+1 and I'll add the serenades.

[MishaK]

String quartets, piano quartet and quintet, Lieder as mentioned above, piano sonatas, piano pieces Opp.10, 76, 79, 116, 117, 118, 119, the two serenades. So much left.

[ChamberNut]

Don't overlook the Clarinet Trio.  Wonderful piece, very much overshadowed by the Clarinet Quintet.

[ChamberNut]

Also check out Brahms' music for Two Piano (Four hand), which includes most of his orchestral works and some of the chamber music as well.

[SonicMan46]

Well, I'd agree w/ the others on the Chamber Works - plenty to explore; also, how much Solo Piano do you own?  Just added some posts to the 'Brahms Thread' on solo piano alternates for 'complete cycles' - Dave 

[admiralackbar74]

The late piano works (Opp. 76, 79, 116-119) will come up a lot here I expect, and I agree with their selection. Along with those, I'll point you to a personal favorite: Variations on an Original Theme in D Major (Op. 21, No. 1). Such a great piece!

I also concur with the Piano Quintet (Op. 34) recommendation. Another wonderful piece.

[greg]

All the chamber music, especially the Piano Quartets and Piano trios.

[Mozart]

I suppose you could go to the zoo with Brahms, or a nice picnic, maybe even a romantic walk on the beach by moonlight.

[Passau]

Schicksalslied and Nänie for chorus and orchestra are lovely, though I can't think of which recordings I prefer at the moment... Bruno Walter or Carl Schuricht perhaps. There are some rather poor recordings out there of the 1st orchestral serenade, but the one by Michael Tilson Thomas is nice. Brahms composed some pieces for organ, a fact which I've only recently discovered. There's a disc by Rudof Innig on MDG containing all of them which I highly recommend.

You didn't mention any specific recordings that you are familiar with. Unless you are completely satisfied in every way with the ones that you have, I encourage you to revisit those works from time to time through different performances. The first recordings of Brahms' symphonies I ever heard were those made by Karajan in the 80s, which I still enjoy listening to from time to time, but how impoverished I would feel without my Furtwangler, Toscanini, Mengelberg, Solti! They're all so different.

Passau

[The new erato]

Most of the chamber music, particularly the Piano Tris, Quartets and Quintets as well as the string quintets and the remaining sextet.

The songs (second the Fink recommendation), burt you need the op 91 songs with viola as well (vion Otter?) and the 4 serious songs (Hotter?)

Deutsche Requiem, Klemperer and Herreweghe for alternate views Edit: sorry; I see you mentioned that)

All the late piano pieces (sublime); Lupu, Katchen,....

The Choral Works, I have a soft spot for Rinaldo.

Brahms is one of the composers where you really need everything if first you fall into the honey trap. Very consistent.

[Grazioso]

The violin sonatas are models of their kind.

[greg]

I suppose you could go to the zoo with Brahms, or a nice picnic, maybe even a romantic walk on the beach by moonlight.

Yeah, but you might get arrested (not to mention you might need to use a little bit of deodorant on him).

[Scarpia]

I see they have been mentioned, but I'd emphasize the clarinet sonatas.

[Drasko]

1st Piano Trio, 3rd Violin Sonata, 1st Cello Sonata, Piano Quintet, 3rd String Quartet, some solo piano music.

[admiralackbar74]

hornteacher - Are the pieces you listed in any order of preference? It might be helpful as we consider other recommendations. Also, have you picked anything else up since starting this thread? Finding anything to your liking?

[DavidRoss]

Any suggestions on where to go next with Brahms after the list below?

Symphonies 1-4
Violin Concerto
Piano Concerto 1+2
Double Concerto
Clarinet Quintet
Academic Festival
Tragic Overture
String Sextet in Bb
Hungarian Dances
Haydn Variations
Horn Trio
German Requiem

Most of my suggestions have already been made, but for me:

1--Piano Quintet
2--Liebeslieder Walzer (& other Lieder)
3--Violin Sonatas
4--Piano Trios
5--Serenades
6--Cello Sonatas
7--The other sextet, #2 in G
8--Piano Quartets