Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor & Chaconne by J.S. Bach from 5 Studies for the Piano

Featuring

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Daniel Levy
Philharmonia Orchestra
Johannes Brahms

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Interpretation

Pianist Daniel Levy and conductor Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau shared a unique artistic vision for this recording, striving for an ideal and a personal interpretation of Brahms' concerto.

Compositional Technique

Unlike most piano concertos of its time, Brahms' Piano Concerto in D minor, Opus 15, features an extensive orchestral discourse before the piano enters, and the piano is excluded again at the work's end.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Brahms' transcription of Bach's Chaconne for the left hand is not a simplification but an 'alchemic' process that strengthens the original work, making it more precious.

Performer Biography

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, the conductor on this album, was a renowned baritone whose voice was considered one of nature's treasures, and he saw conducting as a natural extension of his vocal power.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Brahms' Piano Concerto in D minor, Opus 15, demonstrates his tendency to challenge the traditional institution of the concerto, which was a prominent form in musical writings of his era.

Composition History

Brahms' Piano Concerto Opus 15 had a troubled gestation, beginning as a symphony, then becoming a sonata for two pianos, before finally assuming its form as a piano concerto.