Brahms Piano Concerto No.2 Premiere

Classical Music Milestone: November 9

Composer Johannes Brahms is soloist in the first performance of his Piano Concerto No.2 at Budapest.

Johannes Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op.83 is a composition for solo piano with orchestral accompaniment. November 9, 1881 marks the day that the composer first performed it in Budapest, himself the soloist.   It is separated by a gap of 22 years from his first piano concerto.

He began work on the piece in 1878, completing it in 1881 while in Pressbaum near Vienna, Austria.  He dedicated this piece of music to his teacher, Eduard Marxsen.  The premiere was an immediate success. Brahms performed it in many cities across Europe soon after.

The piece is scored for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (B-flat), 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets (B-flat), timpani (B-flat and F), and strings.  (The trumpets and timpani are used only in the first two movements, which is considered unusual.)

Rather than the typical three movements of a concerto in the Classical and Romantic periods, this piece has four, resulting in a lengthier concerto at that time.

1. Allegro non troppo (B-flat major)
2. Allegro appassionato (D minor)
3. Andante (B-flat major/F-sharp major)
4. Allegretto grazioso (B-flat major)

Note:  Below, I’ve included a 2nd performance with  Pollini / Abbado concert, Vienna Philharmonica, as some readers may want a video more with actual performance.

Sviatoslav Richter plays Brahms Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 83 (1/5)

Video Credit:
Richter plays Brahms’ Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat major, Op.83  YouTube Uploaded by truecrypt –
http://youtu.be/Z4Z2gjSzyDY.  Accessed 9 Nov 2011.

Brahms Piano Concerto No.2 Pollini Abbado Wiener Philharmoniker 2.avi

Video Credit:
Brahms Piano Concerto No.2 Pollini Abbado Wiener Philharmoniker 2.avi. YouTube Uploaded by 12clar3412clar34. http://youtu.be/zfQf19EFv38. Accessed 9 Nov 2011.

Sources:

• Brahms’ Orchestra Works (free music score of this composition available. In public domain.)

• Johannes Brahms Biography

• Piano_Concerto_No.2_Op.83_(Brahms,_Johannes)   Free scores at the  imslp.org (International Music Score Library Project)