Brahms piano music

[Barbirollians]

Does anyone get close to Rubinstein across the solo pieces - just listening at my desk to his Ballades now - magnificent .

[amateur51]

I must check these out on your recommendation Barbirollians, many thanks - in return I'd recommend Kempff's mono set - and Gilels' and Michelangeli's and Katchen's

[AmpH]

For the Brahms solo piano music, over a period of years I have found the recordings by Gerhard Oppitz on RCA to be the most consistently rewarding and satisfying.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Sadly, I know neither the Rubinstein nor the Oppitz recordings, but I second ammie's Kempff and Katchen for performances "across the solo pieces". Many excellent recordings of individual pieces, too.

[Nick Armstrong]

I've never heard finer than Dmitri Alexeev in the Op 76, Op 116-9 pieces Beautifully recorded, too.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Piano-Music-...2535986&sr=1-1

[Northender]

Murray Perahia Sony SK 47 181
Piano Sonata No. 3, plus Op.76 #2, 79 #1, 118 #6, 119 #4
Recorded Royce Hall Los Angeles 1990
Wonderful playing!

[JFLL]

Lupu and Perahia are pretty good in the late pieces, IMO, and Michelangeli in the Ballades.

[amateur51]

Lupu and Perahia are pretty good in the late pieces, IMO, and Michelangeli in the Ballades.

Sorry my response in msg #2 was about the Ballades only

[Barbirollians]

The Rubinstein is available in one of those amazing Sony bargain boxes with his Piano Concerto recordings with Reiner and Krips and much delightful chamber music especially the piano quartets and trios .

[salymap]

Remember Artur Rubinstein at recitals, Radu Lupu lots of Brahms in box set of his recordings. Other bits and pieces.

[Pianorak]

Got lots of Brahms Intermezzi and such played by Rubinstein (on 2 LPs) but not the Ballades. Another vote for Katchen but also for Glenn Gould, probably because GG plays the Intermezzo Op.117/2 exactly the way I envisage it. There is also Arrau and Brendel and Lupu - but haven't played them for yonks.

[amateur51]

Got lots of Brahms Intermezzi and such played by Rubinstein (on 2 LPs) but not the Ballades. Another vote for Katchen but also for Glenn Gould, probably because GG plays the Intermezzo Op.117/2 exactly the way I envisage it. There is also Arrau and Brendel and Lupu - but haven't played them for yonks.

I recall the late great Joan Chisell's description in Gramophone of some late Brahms piano pieces being played by GG as tho he was walking across a room in the dark - starting tentatively, stumbling, stopping, starting again

Lovely description - not sure how fair it is but JC was usually 'on the money' in Schumann and Brahms

[Pianorak]

. . . Lovely description - not sure how fair it is but JC was usually 'on the money' in Schumann and Brahms

Totally agree. Ah, now I know where I'm going wrong with 117/2.

[amateur51]

Totally agree. Ah, now I know where I'm going wrong with 117/2.

I'm afraid in the making that description, Ms Chisell was not being complimentary Pianorak

Dead impressed at your having a go

[antongould]

I have the Rubinstein box set which is good but would also, as already mentioned, like to put in a word for Mr. Gould who did record a fair amount of Brahms all of which I enjoy other than his peculiar take on PC1 - but on solo pieces IMHO excellent.