Brahms often conceived his piano works with an orchestral scope, yet also emphasized lyrical and cantabile elements, reflecting his skill in art-songs and choral works.
Compositional Technique
Brahms's piano style is characterized by full chords, arpeggios, doubled octaves, thirds, and sixths, polyrhythmic passages, powerful energy, and contrapuntal writing.
Composition History
Robert Schumann, a co-founder of the 'Neue Zeitschrift für Musik', published an article in 1853 titled 'Neue Bahnen' (New Pathways) that enthusiastically introduced the 20-year-old Johannes Brahms to the world.
Album & Artwork
The pieces on this recording are presented in reverse chronological order of their composition dates.
Performer Biography
Olivier Roberti, the pianist on this album, studied at the Royal Academy of Brussels and the Conservatoire of Geneva, where he won a First Prize of Virtuosity in 1975.
Compositional Technique
Brahms intensely studied piano technique and the works of old masters like Bach, Handel, Domenico Scarlatti, and Couperin, eventually publishing his own instructional work, '51 Übungen' (51 Exercises), in 1893.
Recording & Production
This recording was made at Villa Louvigny, Luxembourg, between July 5 and 7, 2019, using a Steinway D piano.
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