Brahms - Six Klavierstucke-Op118 [Grimaud]
This disc includes all of Brahms's shorter pieces with the opus numbers 116-119, all neatly and conveniently fitted onto one disc, and it's this work on it [Op118], that includes my most viewed Blog webpage of all [7th November 2010], and if you type in Grimaud + Brahms into Google, then guess what comes up as the second image?, it drives some nice traffic to my site, this is certainly a treasured disc in every way, great music, great quantity, great interpretations, and a great visual package too, i got this disc in late 2007, so it's still fairly new-ish to me, but i can see a decade further down the road it will become a truly treasured disc.
Helene Grimaud is French, she's now 43, though she still looks fabulously young, she made this recording in 1995, the front cover picture [by J Henry Fair] is one of the delights of this issue, catching Grimaud in a stunning portrait, face really lit well, as well as her hair behind caught in a sort of silhouette glow, the lettering is nicely placed and well laid out, altogether a terrific issue.
On this listen it was 2 & 5 that were so poetic, and even though i've played this piece to death, and it's appeared so many times as a favourite, it's Op118 / 2 which i found so treasurable, there's this real heartbreak the way Grimaud plays it, Brahms is truly a genius, and i like the piano sound, it adds to the enjoyment immensely, Grimaud gives that teasing little hesitation on the first note, i like the way she doesn't treat this like some whisper of sentimentality, but is rather robust, letting the notes sing out real clear, at times it may seem a louder approach would border on making this piece some sort of grandiose statement, but i love her fortes, they bring a quiet power and dignity to the piece, i notice little hesitations which nicely weight certain passages, the opening melody really does have a sure finesse, the middle section has that passage that sounds just like a middle section of a Chopin Nocturne [2:51-3:14], just love that phrase, did Brahms subconsciously copy it?, and right after it there's a nice intense and firm crescendo from Grimaud [3:15-3:33], before bringing us back to the opening melody, and the delicacy of certain points are truly touching, Grimaud really has got the melody of the piece, it finishes on notes of real substance and satisfaction, bravo Brahms and Grimaud.
Here's on Elena Kuschnerova playing the Intermezzo Op118 / 2 on YouTube.
Helene Grimaud is French, she's now 43, though she still looks fabulously young, she made this recording in 1995, the front cover picture [by J Henry Fair] is one of the delights of this issue, catching Grimaud in a stunning portrait, face really lit well, as well as her hair behind caught in a sort of silhouette glow, the lettering is nicely placed and well laid out, altogether a terrific issue.
On this listen it was 2 & 5 that were so poetic, and even though i've played this piece to death, and it's appeared so many times as a favourite, it's Op118 / 2 which i found so treasurable, there's this real heartbreak the way Grimaud plays it, Brahms is truly a genius, and i like the piano sound, it adds to the enjoyment immensely, Grimaud gives that teasing little hesitation on the first note, i like the way she doesn't treat this like some whisper of sentimentality, but is rather robust, letting the notes sing out real clear, at times it may seem a louder approach would border on making this piece some sort of grandiose statement, but i love her fortes, they bring a quiet power and dignity to the piece, i notice little hesitations which nicely weight certain passages, the opening melody really does have a sure finesse, the middle section has that passage that sounds just like a middle section of a Chopin Nocturne [2:51-3:14], just love that phrase, did Brahms subconsciously copy it?, and right after it there's a nice intense and firm crescendo from Grimaud [3:15-3:33], before bringing us back to the opening melody, and the delicacy of certain points are truly touching, Grimaud really has got the melody of the piece, it finishes on notes of real substance and satisfaction, bravo Brahms and Grimaud.
Here's on Elena Kuschnerova playing the Intermezzo Op118 / 2 on YouTube.
