Brahms composed this work in his late 20s, the first flower of his early maturity. Criticised a bit at first (even by the pianist playing in the premier - Clara Schumann) the piece was well received almost immediately. William Murdoch reports it's popularity is partly due to it's "boldness of the themes in the first movement, the charm and delicacy of the Intermezzo and trio, the majestic grandeur of the Andante with its powerful climax, and the Hungarian dash of the Finale."
I. Allegro
The first movement Brahms employs 5 different themes, ranging from very serious to light and gently playful - while always employing his particular ability for composing variations and variations.
Brahms Piano Quartet No. 1 in g minor, Op. 25
(for violin, viola, cello and piano)
Isaac Stern
Emanuel Ax
Jaime Laredo
Yo-Yo Ma
upload dedicated to Avraham, who got me listening to more Brahms...
Wow. I have the CD version of this, but I didn't know they had documented their performance! This is such a joy to watch--I've been listening to their recording for so many years, it's fascinating and nostalgic to watch the artists in action. Thank you for sharing!
cattolyst 2 months ago