Brahms' Variations on a Theme of Schumann op.9...

[Barbirollians]

i think that I listened to some of that prior to purchasing the Ohlsson. It made me interested enough in the work to further pursue it, but I picked the Ohlsson recording because:
1) I prefer the couplings, and
2) I have heard Ohlsson many times in Concert and am somewhat of a "fan".

How interesting . I have only heard him once - in much the most boring performance I have ever heard of Brahms Piano Concerto No 1 at a Prom in the late 1980s .

[vinteuil]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the two piano version. Brahms was an inveterate reviser of his compositions throughout his career and this is another instance of how the less familiar version adds another dimension to the work. There is a committed interpretation from Angelich and Maisky (fille) on the Argerich and Friends 2010 Lugano Festival CD for anyone interested in hearing Brahms' initial thoughts in richer quasi orchestral sonorities than the solo version provides.

... I think that's of the op 23 variations on a theme by Schumann in Eb major and not the op 9 variations on a (different) theme by Schumann in f# minor .

Is there a two piano version of op 9 ??






.

[Roehre]

... I think that's of the op 23 variations on a theme by Schumann in Eb major and not the op 9 variations on a (different) theme by Schumann in f# minor .

Is there a two piano version of op 9 ??

I seem to recall having heard an opus 9 performance for piano-4-hands a couple of years ago, as well as a piano-2-hands of op.23 (which is originally for 4-hands), plus an orchestration of the latter (Roberto Benzi's methinks).
However, there is no copy of such a work on my shelves, nor does any of the oeuvre-catalogues mention one specifically.

Hence, you might be right, vinteuil, and we mixed up two works here.

[Sir Velo]

... I think that's of the op 23 variations on a theme by Schumann in Eb major and not the op 9 variations on a (different) theme by Schumann in f# minor .

Is there a two piano version of op 9 ??






.

Oh dear, shamefacedly I have to confess you're right.

Thats what comes from not reading the thread sufficiently closely.

[teamsaint]

The last variation also alludes to the first of Robert's Impromptus on a Theme by Clara op. 5. And I feel like there are references to Robert's other set of variations on a Clara theme from the Concert sans orchestre Op. 14, but I can't prove it.

Clara wrote a set of variations on the same Albumblätt, the same year, I think. This was around the time Robert started suffering from auditory and visual hallucinations and became suicidal iirc.

(It's also interesting to note that this piece with all its canons was written immediately after the Trio Op. 8, a much freer and more "romantic" work that could have been written by early Schumann or even Wagner [it quotes Robert's old favourite An die ferne Geliebte at one point], and the culmination of numerous such works from Brahms's "apprenticeship". Perhaps Schumann's sickness instilled in him a fear of madness and the irrational, and thus a turn to a more "classicizing" idiom? After the Op. 9 came the two Serenades, the first Piano Concerto and other such works modeled on the example of Beethoven to a greater or lesser extent.)

The Schumann Variations mark the point where Brahms's mature style emerges almost fully-formed imo (there was still a bit more forming to do, most of which had been accomplished by the time he finished the Concerto). No other real "periods", just lots and lots of refinement from here on. He had the skill from Op. 1 of course, but seems to have had a hard time figuring out what to do with it before now.

I have been listening to the Op9 Variations along with the Op 8 Trio today. Admittedly in the car, so not perfect conditions.

As ever, some fantastic tips, advice and guidance from this board, which some people would rather stick pins in their eyes than read.

I think that Kea was suggesting that there is a noticeable change in style between the Trio and the Op 9 variations, The variations certainly seem much more harmonically varied and adventurous. If somebody had told me they were a much later work, I would have believed them.
I'll try to listen with Roehre's comments to hand sometime soon as well.....not recommended while driving.

Whatever, is a lovely work, and deserves more outings.
A good days listening.

[Barbirollians]

I first got to know this beautiful work from Katchen's recording, first on LP and later in the CD box. Nowadays I find the close and dry recording rather lacking in atmosphere. Luckily there's are very fine performances available from Jorge Osorio on ASV, and Louis Lortie on Chandos, both still available on Amazon. Osorio is wonderfully inward sounding in the quiet opening, which Katchen makes curiously matter of fact. Osorio's disc also includes the Handel Variations and fine performances of the Four Ballades. I haven't heard the Lortie for a while, but he includes Schumann's Bunte Blatter, which was the inspiration for Brahms at the time when he was already anxious about the composer's state of mind.


I think my favourite Brahms performance is by Michelangeli in the fourth Ballade on DG, he takes it very slowly, but it's magic in every note.

I go for Brahms waltzes played by Dinu Lipatti and Nadia Boulanger .

[LeMartinPecheur]

I've built up umpteen versions of most Brahms piano works over many years but Op 9 has largely passed me by. My only recording is in a recently-acquired Brilliant nearly-complete piano works box set where it falls to one Wolfram Schmidt-Leonardy. Does anyone have views on this?

Can't actually recall why I bought this box...perhaps it was a free gift?

[Ooops, I see teamsaint has already mentioned W S-L's recording but he expresses no view on its qualities...]

[teamsaint]

I've built up umpteen versions of most Brahms piano works over many years but Op 9 has largely passed me by. My only recording is in a recently-acquired Brilliant nearly-complete piano works box set where it falls to one Wolfram Schmidt-Leonardy. Does anyone have views on this?

Can't actually recall why I bought this box...perhaps it was a free gift?

some of the stuff in the Brilliant big box, the 40 CD set, is well worth having. The Choral works , with the Chamber choir of Europe are especially good, IMO.

I was listening to the WS-L performances of OP9 today. Thoroughly enjoyable , but I have nothing to compare with.