Filippo Faes, the pianist on this recording, won the International Schubert Competition in Dortmund in 1989 and is highly acclaimed as a Schubert specialist.
Critical Reception
The 1st Piano Concerto's 1859 premiere in Hanover was unsuccessful because the German public did not understand the difficult work, which was considered far ahead of its time.
Composition History
Brahms initially conceived his 1st Piano Concerto as a Sonata for two pianos, then attempted to rework it into a Symphony before settling on a piano concerto.
Performer Biography
Volker Hartung, the conductor, studied viola at the Juilliard School of Music and conducting with Sergiu Celibidache, and has developed a special understanding of French, German, and Russian musical styles.
Critical Reception
The 2nd Piano Concerto, which Brahms jokingly referred to as 'some little piano pieces', was a great success at its 1881 Budapest premiere, contrasting sharply with the failure of his first concerto.
Composition History
Brahms waited over twenty years between his 1st and 2nd Piano Concertos, largely due to the failure and scorn that greeted the premiere of the first.
Compositional Technique
Brahms' 2nd Piano Concerto is unique for its insertion of a scherzo movement in second place and the use of a solo violoncello in the second movement.
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