Johannes Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1, Handel Variations

Featuring

Rafael Kubelík
Claudio Arrau
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Johannes Brahms

Did you know?

1/7

Performer Biography

At age 8, Claudio Arrau received a ten-year grant from the Chilean government to study in Germany, where he became a pupil of Martin Krause, who had studied under Franz Liszt.

Composition History

Brahms composed the Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel in September 1861 for Clara Schumann's 42nd birthday, with one manuscript headed 'Variations for a dear friend'.

Performer Biography

Claudio Arrau, a Chilean pianist, was a child prodigy who could read music before words and gave his first concert at age 5.

Performer Biography

Rafael Kubelík, the conductor on this album, was the son of famous violinist Jan Kubelík and Hungarian countess Marianna Szell Szentgyörgyvölgy of Duka.

Composition History

Brahms's First Piano Concerto, begun in 1854 during the crisis of Robert Schumann's attempted suicide, took five years to complete.

Performer Biography

Rafael Kubelík's studies at the Prague Conservatory included piano, violin, and composition, allowing him to perform his own violin fantasy and conduct a Dvořák overture in the same concert.

Performer Biography

Claudio Arrau was known for his vast repertoire, performing complete keyboard works by Bach, Mozart, Schubert, and Beethoven, and was considered a leading authority on Beethoven.