Brahms's first two piano sonatas incorporate quotations from German folk songs, or 'Minnelieder', in their slow movements, such as 'Verstohlen geht der Mond auf' in Op. 1.
Recording & Production
The recording was made in May 2010 at Teldex Studio Berlin, with Martin Sauer as artistic director and Philipp Knop handling sound engineering.
Instruments
The album features a Bösendorfer piano from 1875, a type of Viennese instrument that Brahms praised in a letter, though his relationship with the piano maker was complex.
Composer Biography
Johannes Brahms, at age 20, visited Robert and Clara Schumann in 1853, who were so impressed they called him a 'genius' and 'an envoy of God'.
Critical Reception
Brahms's Piano Sonata No. 1 in C major, Op. 1, received mixed reactions at its 1853 premiere, with some critics finding it lacked originality due to resemblances to Beethoven and Schumann.
Performer Biography
Alexander Melnikov, the pianist on this album, was born in Moscow in 1973 and studied at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory, later participating in festivals at the invitation of Sviatoslav Richter.
Composition History
Robert Schumann's article 'Neue Bahnen' (New Paths) in his journal, the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik, launched Brahms's career but also created immense pressure for the young composer.
You might also enjoy...
Brahms: The Complete Works for Solo Piano, Vol. 1
Brahms: Piano Works
100 Years of the Piano Sonata
Works For Two Pianos
Brahms, J.: Piano Sonatas Nos. 1 and 2 / Scherzo, Op. 4
