Brahms - 6 Klavierstucke Op118 [Dalberto]Wow!, this disc is becoming a real favourite of mine, plus Brahms solo piano music has become so much more endearing to me in the last few months, this is a copy i picked up in a second-hand record shop in London for £4 i think, an old and early Erato disc, it's already appeared in my Blog a couple of times this year [2nd October 2010] & [2nd September 2010], and the Ballades are especially phenomenal from Dalberto.
Michel Dalberto is 55 and born in France, he recorded the 6 Klavierstucke in 1992.
The second Klavierstucke is the longest, and with the serene fifth piece in the set, are the only two pieces in a major key, this one is in three sections, with three parts to every section, very much sonata form, the first section in three parts [0:00-2:07] has an opening tune which is so lovely, and full of pathos [0:00-0:41], Dalberto uses the right hand here with real aplomb, and then a slightly darker part takes over [0:42-1:24], nicely complementing the opening, somewhat more down the keyboard, the third part [1:24-2:07], is really the return of the opening, but this time more pleading in the treble, section two / the middle section [2:07-3:56], greatly complements the first, slightly more lighter, is very Chopin-esque indeed, is also in three parts, the first part is so sweet and serene [2:07-2:48], and it's followed by a ravishing second part [2:48-3:22], that i can only describe as a Chopin Nocturne of the highest order!, it's the 'middle of the middle' of the whole piece, and for me of course it's the heart, it's so good to let yourself drift away downstream for roughly half a minute here, full of dreamy clouds, the third part is a return of the opening part of this section [3:23-3:56], but this time there's more passion involved, the third section is really a return to the opening section [3:56-5:59], and of course with three parts, this time with subtle variations, the whole piece is an incredible Intermezzo, a truly heart-wrenching piece of music from Brahms.
Here's Elena Kuschnerova playing the second piece on YouTube.
