Johannes Brahms: Sonatas, Scherzo and Ballades

With opuses 1 2 4 5 and 10 this volume contains virtually all of Johannes Brahms??? early piano oeuvre with which the budding composer and pianist introduced himself to the public. The Scherzo op. 4 from 1851 stands alongside the sonatas composed between 1851???53 as a substantial single movement that particularly delighted Robert Schumann leading him to direct the public???s special attention to his young colleague in his famous article ???New Paths??? in 1853. Written the following year the Four Ballades op. 10 complete the volume. Already they strike a new more Romantic note that Brahms described to Clara Schumann thus: ???They are not very difficult and even less difficult tounderstand???. This Urtext edition offers a revision of the musical text based on the new Brahms Complete Edition with an extensive preface by editor Katrin Eich. With opuses 1 2 4 5 and 10 this volume contains virtually all of Johannes Brahms??? early piano oeuvre with which the budding composer and pianist introduced himself to the public. The Scherzo op. 4 from 1851 stands alongside the sonatas composed between 1851???53 as a substantial single movement that particularly delighted Robert Schumann leading him to direct the public???s special attention to his young colleague in his famous article ???New Paths??? in 1853. Written the following year the Four Ballades op. 10 complete the volume. Already they strike a new more Romantic note that Brahms described to Clara Schumann thus: ???They are not very difficult and even less difficult tounderstand???. This Urtext edition offers a revision of the musical text based on the new Brahms Complete Edition with an extensive preface by editor Katrin Eich.

Johannes Brahms?s Piano Sonatas opp. 1 2 and 5 were among the first works that the 20-year-old composer published. They were composed in 1852/53 although the Sonata in f-sharp minor was apparently the first of the three to becomposed as it was finished by November 1852. This work has a special place in his oeuvre. Besides its passionate atmosphere his contemporaries discerned it to be ?serious and dignified in character?. Brahms dedicated thissonata to Clara Schumann whose husband Robert wrote to the composer that ?Your second sonata my friend has brought me much closer to you?. The ingenious fingerings have been provided by the pianist Andreas Boyde a recognisedBrahms expert.

Violinist Simon Fischer is joined by Raymond Fischer performing Johannes Brahmsâ??s three violin sonatas and the fiery Scherzo from the F.A.E. Sonata. Simon Fischer is recognized as one of the pre-eminent musicians of our time enjoying a distinguished and wide-ranging career as a performer educator and recording artist. Raymond Fischer has performed as solo recitalist in the Purcell Room and Wigmore Hall as accompanist and in chamber ensembles in Great Britain Australia and Germany.

[Sonaten, Scherzo und Balladen] / Classique / Editeur : Walter Georgii / Doigtés : Walter Georgi / Partition / Broché / Edition Urtext