Brahms's C minor Quartet, which started in C sharp minor, was initially connected to his unrequited passion for Clara Schumann, the wife of composer Robert Schumann.
Compositional Technique
The C minor Quartet's themes contained references to Robert Schumann's own 'Clara' motifs, reflecting Brahms's personal connection to the Schumanns.
Composition History
Brahms once suggested his C minor Quartet should be illustrated with Goethe's Werther about to shoot himself, identifying with the hero's love for a married woman.
Interpretation
Krystian Zimerman chose to record Brahms's Piano Quartets Nos. 2 and 3, deliberately avoiding the more famous No. 1 to make the others better known.
Performer Biography
Krystian Zimerman, the pianist on this recording, won the 1975 International Chopin Competition in Warsaw at the age of eighteen.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded at LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura, a multidisciplinary arts centre in Switzerland, in June 2021 and April 2023.
