Brahms Solo Piano Works

[Bogey]

What specific recordings do you have that you enjoy?  Thanks!

[Holden]

Antthing by Emil - Gilels  including

Fantasia Op 116
Ballades Op10
Paganini variations

A pity that he didn't record more of this composer.

[Bogey]

Antthing by Emil - Gilels  including

Fantasia Op 116
Ballades Op10
Paganini variations

A pity that he didn't record more of this composer.

The first two are on this cd Holden:



but it is a $45 box set with many other composers.  Not sure if the third rec. is in print.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

For the third piano sonata w/ quality fillers:





Piano sonatas 1 & 2:




Middle and late miniatures:


(Op.76, 116, 119)





And the Hungarian Dances, four hands:

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

This should be interesting, because I've been wondering about this myself.

I recently bought the Katchen set on Decca and was generally disappointed. I like Katchen a great deal in other repertiore (e.g., Liszt concertos), but found his readings of Brahms to be really rather lightweight and superficial. Gould's are terrible IMO, and even Michelangeli stumbles in this repertiore. My favorites by far would have to be Solomon's various recordings, now issued on Testament (Handel Variations, Concertos Nos 1, 2, Sonata No. 3, etc), and Wilhelm Kempff on GPOC series. Both offer very deep, powerful interpretations which are very technically polished.

[Steve]

This should be interesting, because I've been wondering about this myself.

I recently bought the Katchen set on Decca and was generally disappointed. I like Katchen a great deal in other repertiore (e.g., Liszt concertos), but found his readings of Brahms to be really rather lightweight and superficial. Gould's are terrible IMO, and even Michelangeli stumbles in this repertiore. My favorites by far would have to be Solomon's various recordings, now issued on Testament (Handel Variations, Concertos Nos 1, 2, Sonata No. 3, etc), and Wilhelm Kempff on GPOC series. Both offer very deep, powerful interpretations which are very technically polished.

I am also quite found of Solomon's recordings. His rendering really gives them a more modern, dynamic flavor. Interested in the Goode set. Are you familiar?

[Harry]

I have the box from Idill Biret on Naxos Bill!

[Florestan]

[Grazioso]

Any word on Martin Jones's complete set on Nimbus?

[dirkronk]

I recently bought the Katchen set on Decca and was generally disappointed. I like Katchen a great deal in other repertiore (e.g., Liszt concertos), but found his readings of Brahms to be really rather lightweight and superficial.

Interesting. I love the Brahms recordings by Katchen with Suk and/or Starker (assorted sonatas and trios), but was never drawn into his solo piano recordings, though they've certainly received plenty of critical support from other listeners. As always, you must please your OWN ears.

Personally, I can find no one-style-fits-all approach that appeals to me in Brahms' solo piano, and listen to Lupu, Backhaus (!), Michelangeli and Gilels probably more often than most, with a bit of Kempff, Richter and others thrown in. If there's any consistent thread there, I've yet to find it.


Of all the suggestions made so far, the one I'm most keen to follow up is Solomon. I have NONE of his solo Brahms on CD and will have to dig in my vinyl trove to see what may be hiding there. But given my admiration for his Beethoven and (far too little) Chopin, I have a feeling I'd find his Brahms most appealing.

Cheers,

Dirk

[samuel]

lupu yes!

and i love curzon's sonata no. 3:



and i agree with gilels for the ballades and op. 116.

[George]

Antthing by Emil - Gilels  including

Fantasia Op 116
Ballades Op10
Paganini variations

A pity that he didn't record more of this composer.

Seconded. 

[George]

lupu yes!

Thirded! 

Bill there is a Rubinstein CD that comes very highly recommended.

[BorisG]

Kovacevich, Grimaud, Sokolov.

[bwv 1080]

Its hard to beat the complete Katchen set.

Anton Kubilev on Dorian (which may be out of print) was also very good

[O Delvig]

You must get Gould playing the late intermezzi! I never would have thought Glenn would be my choice for Brahms, but these are some of my favorite recordings.

[Norbeone]

You must get Gould playing the late intermezzi! I never would have thought Glenn would be my choice for Brahms, but these are some of my favorite recordings.

Was just about to recommend this. Yes, I completely agree, they're such wonderful performances. So un-Gould like yet so entirely Gould-like too. Also, his ballades are great (though more standardly Gouldian) and the two Rhapsodies are also very nice.

You will never heard a more mezmerizing performance of the 1st and 2nd intermezzi of op.117 (I think that's the opus number)

[SonicMan46]

Bill - I went through this process a few years ago - had a couple of CDs of Brahms solo piano works (mentioned already here), but wanted a more 'complete' package, so I bought the Katchen set, and was generally pleased - the recordings date mainly from the 1960s; the reviews were mostly favorable (including comments from this forum at the time) - still have a Goode disc, but would be willing to hear others - thus, will be quite interested in this thread - Dave 

[Sean]

Grazioso, I bought the Martin Jones set a few months back to swat down some of the lesser known works. It's certainly dependable and accurately played, though with a calculated feel and almost as though he's just finished learning to play the music. However the Brahms solo piano music is controversial territory and I'd agree with the view that it's hard to know exactly what to do with these works- they're romantic and emotional but Brahms at his most tempered and ambiguous.

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Interesting. I love the Brahms recordings by Katchen with Suk and/or Starker (assorted sonatas and trios), but was never drawn into his solo piano recordings, though they've certainly received plenty of critical support from other listeners. As always, you must please your OWN ears.

Personally, I can find no one-style-fits-all approach that appeals to me in Brahms' solo piano, and listen to Lupu, Backhaus (!), Michelangeli and Gilels probably more often than most, with a bit of Kempff, Richter and others thrown in. If there's any consistent thread there, I've yet to find it.


Of all the suggestions made so far, the one I'm most keen to follow up is Solomon. I have NONE of his solo Brahms on CD and will have to dig in my vinyl trove to see what may be hiding there. But given my admiration for his Beethoven and (far too little) Chopin, I have a feeling I'd find his Brahms most appealing.

Cheers,

Dirk

The Handel Variations will blow you away, as will the sonata No. 3, and all of it really! I can't recommend these enough!

http://www.amazon.ca/Pno-Cto-Johannes-Brahms/dp/B000003XIN/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1201295924&sr=1-4

http://www.amazon.ca/Pno-Cto-Johannes-Brahms/dp/B000003XIO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1201295924&sr=1-1



And this CD also contains his legendary performance of Carnaval (not to be missed!)

http://www.amazon.ca/Plays-Pno-Robert-Schumann/dp/B000003XJO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1201295924&sr=1-2