Topic: Brahms Piano Quintet, Op. 34

[Valentino]

Is there a Hungaroton Cover Art Fan Club to join?

[Chafing Dish]

Picked up the Busch Quartet playing op. 34 and op.115 with Rudolf Serkin and Reginald Kell, respectively. These recordings are as old as my father, should make for interesting listening.

[Gurn Blanston]

Picked up the Busch Quartet playing op. 34 and op.115 with Rudolf Serkin and Reginald Kell, respectively. These recordings are as old as my father, should make for interesting listening.

The Piano 5tet is older than me, and excellent! I've tried a variety of newer recordings, but always go back to that old EMI References recording from 1938. Actually the only truly old recording I've ever hung on to and played more than a few times.

[Jo498]

I see the Gould/Juillard is on the March prerelease lists. Anybody know that?

To my knowledge there is no Gould/Juilliard Brahms quintet. They recorded the Schumann piano quartet together (the quintet was with Bernstein as pianist).
The Gould recording is from the CBC with some Canadian ensemble. Other than the Schumann which is great IMO the Brahms is very dry (sound and interpretation) with, among other things, a very fast and unpoetic andante, so I'd say this is for Gould fans only (I don't remember, but some things are surely interesting, Gould hardly fails to do something interesting even in interpretations I would count as failures (like LvB op.57).

[Bhava]

Dear Friends:

Any suggestions / your favorite recordings of Brahms Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34?

While reading the history about this famous Chamber Work of Brahms, I read that Brahms
first started this as a 'String Quintet' with two cellos, soon metamorphosed into a sonata for two pianos
and finally transformed into this Piano Quintet. I wonder if these two middle works (string quintet,
two pianos) have been recorded and released.

Thanks a lot for your kind help!

Best wishes, Bhava.

[Spotted Horses]

I don't believe the original version for string quintet survives, but the two piano version is designated Op 34b. I am familiar with a recording featuring Martha Argerich.



I also have another recording featuring Martha Argerich, and one with Heidsieck.

[Bhava]

I don't believe the original version for string quintet survives, but the two piano version is designated Op 34b. I am familiar with a recording featuring Martha Argerich...

I also have another recording featuring Martha Argerich, and one with Heidsieck.

Thanks a lot for your great help!

Any recommendations for the Brahms - Piano Quintet, Op. 34 ?!

[Spotted Horses]

Thanks a lot for your great help!

Any recommendations for the Brahms - Piano Quintet, Op. 34 ?!

The Pollini/Quartetto Italiano is the first recording of the piece I heard, and I have a sentimental attachment to it.

[Todd]

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

My current favorite is the Arcanto Quartet on Harmonia Mundi. Here's a review:

https://www.classicstoday.com/review/review-14929/?search=1

I also have Artemis Quartet, coupled with Schumann. Haven't listened in a while, but my memory of it is good.

[Jo498]

The Pollini/Quartetto Italiano is the first recording of the piece I heard, and I have a sentimental attachment to it.

Same here, although I think it is flawed, it's not very chamber like and too much "quartet vs. pianist".
Of the "classics" I'd support Rubinstein/Guarneri. Don't remember enough about Busch/Serkin, Janacek/Bernathova. I was a bit disappointed when I got Juilliard/Fleisher, found this a bit cool; it's only available in a box anyway. I don't know any from the last 10-20 years.

[amw]

The recordings I've listened most to are Arcanto Quartet/Avenhaus (modern instruments), La Gaia Scienza (period instruments), and Leipzig Quartet/Staier (modern instruments). I don't actually like the piece very much, so I'm not sure how I accumulated so many recordings (10 or 11 at the moment), nor am I sure entirely how best to evaluate them. That said the Arcanto Quartet are a default recommendation in anything they've recorded, which is criminally little; under normal circumstances you'd think record companies would be lining up to get a band consisting of Antje Weithaas, Daniel Sepec, Tabea Zimmermann and Jean-Guihen Queyras to set down the entire standard rep, but apparently not.

Of recordings I haven't listened to, Takács Quartet/Hough and Pražák Quartet/Klánský seems like the strongest contenders offhand.

There is a recording of the string quintet version by the Divertimenti Ensemble (and possibly others), but this is a modern reconstruction, not Brahms's original, which is lost. I thought I had a recording of the Sonata for Two Pianos (usually labelled Op. 34b or 34bis) but apparently not, or at least not one that I ever ripped to my hard drive.

[Jo498]

There are quite a few recordings of the two piano version which is (like in the case of the Haydn variations) official and authentic. The Naxos in the Brahms 4 hand/2 piano series is very good and so is the Argerich shown further above.

I have not heard any of their recordings but I believe that the Arcanto (like Zehetmair and Tetzlaff's quartet) are occasional quartets as all of these musicians have other things as main occupations. That's why they will probably never record a larger body of works.

[MusicTurner]

Pollini/Italiano was my introduction too, especially in the early collecting days. It is a rather heavy and dark performance. Nowadays, Jando/Kodaly would probably be the first one to choose to listen to - very dfferent, more flexible phrasing, and lighter. I also own some, that I don't recall details of
- Bocchese,Zordanazzo and soloists, probably not that good;
the historical
- Harold Bauer, Flonzaly 1925
- Serkin, Busch 1938
- Richter, Borodin 1958
- Szpilman,Gimpel 19xx
plus
- Argerich, Zilberstein piano version

[betterthanfine]

If the recording is as good as the concert I attended, this is HIGHLY recommended.

[Que]

If the recording is as good as the concert I attended, this is HIGHLY recommended.

Good to see you here again! 

[amw]

Pollini/Italiano was my introduction too, especially in the early collecting days. It is a rather heavy and dark performance. Nowadays, Jando/Kodaly would probably be the first one to choose to listen to - very dfferent, more flexible phrasing, and lighter.

I forgot that I had Jandó/Kodály Quartet—it was my introduction to the work, my only recording for years, and I had no idea what I'd think of it on revisiting now. Turns out: holds up very well indeed. I wonder if it's time for me to go through all my recordings of the piece (Ránki/Bartók Quartet also proved to be excellent, and interesting, which this piece often wasn't for me) and try to come to terms with it.

[LKB]

Since the 1980's, I've tried to appreciate and enjoy this work, but I've never been able to...

I believe the cause lies within myself, rather than with Brahms. Since l couldn't enjoy Shostakovich for many years, but now value several of his symphonies a great deal, l believe the same may happen with this piece should l live long enough. 

[betterthanfine]

Good to see you here again! 

Thanks! I'm usually more of a lurker than a poster.

[Spotted Horses]

This work was my first exposure to Brahms chamber music and a big milestone for me. I only really remember the Pollini/Italiano, although I have a few other recordings (two by the Talich Quartet, Schiff and Hough, and Prazak/Klansky). Another recording that I had but apparently sold is Amadeus/Eschenbach (in a boxed set). Time for a revisit.