Brahms - Piano concerto n°2. Mov 3 (part1)

[IronGrobSquat]

That conductor is THE man.



[irmagvarama]

brilliant... favorite... beautiful... sublime...



[MOTHERfcknBRAIN]

The principal cellist looks like Richard Dawkins.

[lmagee1948]

When I first started listening to art music, I remember that this piece sounded too thick. I could not process all the beautiful "information" that Brahms had written. It took a while to appreciate this. I love the B-flat minor perorative phrases which occur twice in the first movement.

[revelatorization]

MERCI BRAHMS, MERCI MUNICH !

Ich liebe der deutsche Geist ûber Alles !

[wesleyrocks1738]

Absolutely beautitiful. I have only just discovered this piece of music.....heard a part of it on Classic FM. It was chosen by Anita Shreve (writer) as one of her favourites.

I'm forever thankful Anita! It's amazing in a piano concerto that the cello features so prominently......however I am but a novice. Thanks bugopolo!

[kelseyjudson]

@wesleyrocks1738 Heh, that's the same reason I'm here.

[systemspel]

I'd say it is the best performance I've heard since Claudio Arrau's recording. I began to listen to that when almost still in my diapers, and must have heard it close to a thousand times over the years. Before my late teens, however, I mostly ignored this movement, since the proceeding and consecutive ones are so extrovert and vivant. Now this is my favourite and I can only agree with ravello99, alvarito45 and others.

[akiratabakodesu]

The songs of johannes brahms are the most beautiful in the world

[MartinaFromPoland]

I love that movement, it's so beautiful I wanna cry...this cello...

[sinaia1]

wow Barenboim and Celibidache play Brahms

[unicorndl]

how can somebody dislike a beautiful piece like this?

[PhysicalsimForever]

@unicorndl People dislike it because they do not know any better.

I lament this; though I've noticed that people at my age begin to broaden their horizons with music, but (though I have nothing personally against them) if you play this to a 15-year old almost all of them will call it boring and that all 'classical' music sounds the same. The irony, is that when you analyse the pop music they listen to, you find all *that* music IS the same. A reductionist approach to music is important, I think.

[Rudolph1722]

@PhysicalsimForever You said it right, ALMOST all of them :)

[ravello99]

This movement of the No 2 concerto is so inspiring, moving, calming, etc. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Amazing work of art. God bless Brahms for taping into the divine on this one.

[k73f]

The cello solo is one of the most beautiful melodies i've ever heard

[davidoff9764]

Barenboim plays extremely well. I must say that my animosity towards him is gradually diminishing with regard to the Jacqueline Du Pre debacle.

[PhysicalsimForever]

Right up there with Beethoven's 5th and Rachmaninov's 2nd piano concerto for emotive power.

[1944fernando]

@PhysicalsimForever Querido amigo, has olvidado. Prokofiev´s 2nd, Paderewski y Moszkowski pianos conciertos.

[OrangeSodaKing]

An unbelievably amazing piano concerto, played so well and beautifully by both the orchestra/conductor and soloist, despite how extremely difficult it is!

[Ultrazone91]

Barenboim....unique

[nine9below0zero]

Notice:

The camera work is fantastic! You can become friends with everyone in the orchestra :D this is amazing!

And Brahms was a genius. Not a neo-classic as they say, he was a true romantic.

[bangbangDero]

wah is this clear liquid drippin from my eyes??

sooo soulful.. feels like i've been in heaven 4 10mins!! SNAP!

[Darbkin]

One of the tenderest, most endearing compositions ever!

[magneticmidget]

Terrible cello solo. Just Awful!

[cactuscrane]

@magneticmidget could be way worse. it's elegant and for the most part keeps moving. Look up an old Chicago recording if you want a really yummy rendition.

[Theodosius3308]

6:37 --> 8:30  Best part :)

[esclarmonde1]

The most intelligent and passionate version I have ever heard. Well done Danny.

[skryabyn]

2:53 pure pure pure magic

[mehandas]

@skryabyn I find it weird that everyone prefers different parts to others and cite parts that I didn't find too enticing or 'pure magic'- they are great as the rest of the work, but not enticing as other passages for me. I didn't find Theodosius's sections were the best either. For me the favourite passage is from 4.06 to 6.00, with the magical moment at the sections with the tune 4.17 to 4.33 or so. These passages are close to madness- a possible scenario put in clumsy words in my imagination

[mehandas]

@skryabyn akin to a situation when two people who love each other (not just lovers necessarily) have to part for ever.

[kalonice100]

Me ha emocionado profundamente !!!!!!

Gracias !!!

[davidgee100]

Beautiful cello solo!

[SebastienLoong]

When was this performed???

[andreyborisov]

The orchestra pretty much plays by itself. Celibidache is old and ignorant.

[dga471]

I think it's a crime for not showing the solo cellist in the video in the beginning solo.

[IA2329]

absolutely stunning

[annvanmiegem]

i like this director very much!

[annvanmiegem]

woorden schieten tekort!

[MFN2000s]

"impressive lyrically"? amazing architecture?

What are yo talking about? Are you a musician o just a snob talking about it? God...

[jonnyenglishlim]

a beautiful nostalgic slow movement that brings a tear to my eye especially when I think of sad events that hurt me...

[Casals1990]

Really bad quality, but intensively played!

However, the sound is not equal to the video, that's pretty annoying...

[LARSE42]

MONICA LENGUINSKI AND BILL CLINTON

[furtherdefinitions]

So beautiful!

[jorgealbertobaron]

SINFONIA CON PIANO

[jorgealbertobaron]

HERMOSA OBRA DE BRAHMS

[AZTIQOT]

Ici on touche au sublime... Le hautbois est remarquable.

[rachmaninovpc3dminor]

Absolutely touching . . . just as good as the versions I heard on LP's by Van Cliburn and Philipe Entremont. Very passionate as well.- R.

[AgusLobato]

i have this LP's too ^^

Agus from Argentina!

[oblifan132]

Thank you very much!

[noratranvouez]

slower is not possible, it is almost stopped ; Barenboim's and Eggebrecht's sounds allow this quasi-immobility.

[marcosbabu]

Wonderful. Only a shame that in section 3:41-4:00 right hand has two beautiful melodies and, besides they're not in regular crescendo, they are overlapped by left hand.

[mokacode]

Ah....Brahms.....Schumann's spiritual son.... What a gem,that piano concerto.....

[alvarito45]

From 4:50 to 6:02 is Brahms in his best expresion. An also in the oboe solos.

[alvarito45]

As I wrote in Mov 3 part 2, for me there in no doubt thatthis is the best slow movement among all piano concertos. It has more soul and profoundity than any other. The recording is not very good, and even the music goes to the deeep of one's heart. Tropo bello!!!!

[pianistconductor]

Baremboim and Celibidache (pronounced chehl-EEE-bee-DAH-kay) recorded or performed several concertos (both Brahms, Tchaikovsky 1, Schumann, to name a few). Celibidache usually took his time with slow movements, and this was no exception.

I think that the cellist is Joerg Eggebrecht.

[TomBarristerX]

Yes, the cellist is Joerg Eggebrecht.

[sandatucson]

Does anyone have copies of the Number 1, Schumann and Tchaikovsky? Does anyone know how to locate a copy? I have Brahms 1 in VIDEO cassette but not the others.

PLease let me know if any one knows. THANKS.

[alvarito45]

All those that critisize should realize that the problem is in the recording, not in the interpretation. Barenboim is quite excellent and his Beethoven's sonatas are the best. Also this concert in his hands is perfect. I agree with ersnstmax1403: many silly comments!!

[mrstock185]

Gun to my head probably my favorite Piano Cto. Absolutely no wasted or extraneouos notes from the piano. Saw it live with the NY Phil last year. Awesome.

[kletterkajo]

I love Barenboims clear and structured sound. you can hear every note, instead of some other performances which seem moody and nebulous. its this clearness which lets come what brahms' music is: honestly.

only the cellist could be kicked a bit, for example at 8.35 ... :-D

[ernstmax1403]

Beautiful old recording !! Brahms would have loved it ! ...more of it !

Some of the negative comments are true & tremendous bullshit !!

[IsaacDelarge]

Barenboim is a hell of a musician, I'm not sure if I could say the same about the orchestra's principal cellist. I'm a cellist myself, and that opening solo was not very well done.

[kiddosha]

I agree about the opening cello solo here, and a tick faster would have helped that section. The cello sounds rather whiny and the piano's treble notes somewhat tinny as well, so maybe it's the recording, not the performers. For this concerto, covering a broader range of notes than perhaps any other, a first-rate piano is essential.

[301250]

Sheer cantabile. Never have I heard the slow mvnt of this glorious concerto sing so magically, not even that of the Berlin Phil. with Gilels/Jochum or Pollin/Abbado with the Vienna Phil. Barenboim could not have found a better partner than this genius Celibidache whom some have even called a 'crank'. Well genius is to madness near allied! sd goh (malaysia)

[georgewu5]

Second thought: violin= violincello. dancewu(dot)net

[georgewu5]

I supposed the violin= Brahms; the piano=Clara? dancewu(dot)net

[do1ro]

Der Celi hätte sich einen besseren Pianisten suchen sollen, er und Barenboim, gegensätzlicher kann mensch nicht sein. Ansonsten Brahms... und die Seeele öffnet sich...

[tasteism]

do1tro, es ist ein Jammer dass Celi dich nicht gebeten hat zu spielen - du haettest das sicher perfekt gespielt. Mein Gott was fuer ein kleinkariertes A.... du doch bist.

[henripche]

Now I'm sure the dynamics are fine and the orchestra's great and the whole thing is just teeming with 'musicality', but what the hell's he waiting for? It's an ANDANTE movement, from the Italian, "walking". I could have walked all the way to Tokyo and back and he'd barely have done a phrase. Get a move on! I enjoyed Katz and Slavchev better.

[arioso7]

Barenboim is very impressive lyrically and has amazing architecture in his playing.

[karakallatore]

Well dear Bruno Lien, I wish you all the best hearing it :).

[Camenietzki]

This is one of best music ever writen for any ensemble and instrument, I've heard a lot of versions e none could make this 3 mov. least than wonderfull, and emotionally dense

[SebastienLoong]

@Camenietzki :D Couldn't have put it any better.

[alvarito45]

@Camenietzki Absolutely right!!! For me is the best slow movement of all piano concertos. The second in the list is Beethoven's Emperor.

[BrunoLien]

I totally disagree with you. Celibidache, who played every year with Barenboïm till his death, choses this tempo because he KNOWS Barenboïm's rare capacity for managing with it, for expressing his remarquable poetic sense in it, just as he did, for instance, with Klemperer and his slow tempi in Beethoven's concertos in the 60's. I heard so many renderings of this Brahms concerto in my life, and this one is for sure one of the most beautiful. It's a pity you don't feel it.

[karakallatore]

celibidache is amazing. not sure about barenboim. great skill but not enough spirit for macho brahms.

[BrunoLien]

I find Barenboïm at least as amazing as Celibidache. His playing is unbelievably full of poetry and spirituality. He confirms once more that slow movements are his "speciality".

[karakallatore]

he tends to over-poetisize phrases. and it turns me off. brahms is very complex composer,and the score has to be read fully as a harmonic architecture and not piece by piece, with these bursts of small emotions. Celibidache choose a fantastic tempo, slow and he maintains that slow. Barenboim looses unity and integrity between phrases.

Brahms is a Beethoven type composer, poetic - yes but sentimental - no way.

[etucker82]

I agree that Barenboim tends to exaggerate the phrasing. But the basic tempo is stunningly fast for either Celibidache or Barenboim. If anything, the performance would have benefited from a slower tempo. Through an incredibly liberal use of rubato, the tempo drops to nearly half-speed in the middle of the movement and then picks back up again when the theme is restated. Otherwise though, the tempo is very near to Brahms's flowing metronome mark of 84 to the quarter.

[sab3156]

I enjoy listening to Rubinstein and Arrau when it comes down to it. They have the most masculine and mature sense of direction in their renditions.

[etucker82]

Totally agreed about Rubinstein and Arrau in Brahms. But I'd put Wilhelm Backhaus at the very top of that list.

[sab3156]

Oh, most definitely, etucker82. The recording of Backhaus/Bohm from '62 (i think that's the year) is beyond anything I've ever heard. It is the greatest recording of Brahms in history. I don't think anyone comes close.

[sab3156]

Sorry, it was 1967. But yeah, here it is on Amazon:

Brahms-Mozart-Piano-Concertos-­Backhaus/dp/B00001IVR0/ref=sr_­1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=121786­5365&sr=8-1

It's sublime.

[etucker82]

I'm a big fan of that recording, but Backhaus was already 84 and it began to show in his technique.  My favorite of his three is the second which he did with Carl Schuricht and the Vienna Philharmonic. All three of them are superb in their own ways, but for me the second time was the single greatest recording of this concerto.

[marliben]

Best recording is undoubtedly Tiegerman. If you haven't heard it, go find it immediately.

[lovesGenet]

I didn't think I needed to by another rec of this .This is going to be one of my faves .Brahms the unmuddied classicist fluent orchestrator.this is really great.I have to dig out the Furtwangler/ w/fischer .I cant believe schnabel released his mess -sounds like he  just satkept on a keyboard aw/ a bunch of cats lol.

[cellobasics]

ahhh... Celibidache!!!

[sll10]

This is masterful playing by Barenboim! Amazing how well they are together when the conductor never looks at Barenboim. Course, Barenboim is a conductor too, so he knows what's going on in the orchestra parts.