Brahms: Piano Concerto No.2

Tracklisting

Disc 1

Side 1

• 1. Introduction; Opening Horn Call And Piano's Answer
• 2. Rising Three-note Scalewise Pattern
• 3. Quicker, Descending Six-note 'Answer'
• 4. Second 'Answering' Phrase
• 5. First Main Theme Completed By Orchestra
• 6. Peace Shattered As Piano Bursts Back In Like A Tiger
• 7. Variant Of Opening Horn Call In Bass
• 8. Orchestra Returns, Beginning Of Exposition Proper
• 9. Big, 'Singing' Theme In Orchestra; Piano 'Forgotten'
• 10. Call To Arms By Strings; Marshalling Of Orchestral Forces
• 11. Piano Re-enters Fray With Massive Expansion Of Opening Figure
• 12. Piano 'Explores' Two Main Facets Of Opening Theme
• 13. Transition. Sense Of Key Weakened. Piano And Orchestra Come Together
• 14. Piano And Orchestra 'Argue' Over Speed Of Thematic Three-note Rise
• 15. Piano And Orchestra In Friendly Dialogue Before Piano Falls Away
• 16. 'Winged' Harmonic Shadow Of Pure Pianistic Tone-Colour
• 17. New 'Transitional' Theme From Orchestra Developed By Piano
• 18. After Indecision And Discussion, The Mood Suddenly Turns Playful
• 19. Reminder Of Second Main Theme In It's Original Form
• 20. Transformation Of Second Main Theme By Piano
• 21. Piano Hijacks Orchestra's 'Call To Arms' (First Heard In Track 10)
• 22. Piano And Orchestra, Now Allies, Explore Theme, But With Piano Leading
• 23. Dramatic Eruption Of Orchestra Leads To The Development Section
• 24. Pianistic 'Tiger' Replaced By Gentle, Reflective, Soft-spoken Poet
• 25. Transformed 'Tiger' Theme Amicably Shared By Piano And Orchestra
• 26. An Apparently New Theme - But Battle Hymn Of The Republic?
• 27. Brief, Downward-driving Section Prepares For The Recapitulation
• 28. On The Threshold Of The Recapitulation
• 29. Recapitulation: The Magical Return
• 30. From Gate-crashing Tiger To Celestial Tenderness - And A Surprise
• 31. An Unexpected And Portentous Change Of Mood, Suggesting Tragedy
• 32. Summation
• 33. First Movement (Complete)
• 34. Second Movement: The Upward-driving Opening Gambit, Piano Alone
• 35. Downward-driving Answer From Lower Strings (Violas, Cellos, Basses)
• 36. Theme Vs Melody
• 37. Eerie, Unharmonised, 'White' Sound Of Second Theme
• 38. Second Theme Taken Up And Developed By Piano
• 39. Expectation And Surprise; Harmonic Fluidity And Intensifying Drama
• 40. Return (And Transformation) Of Theme Two
• 41. Theme One Returns In Orchestra; Theme Three Emerges In Major Mode
• 42. Sequence Of Fragmentary Episodes Begins With Unexpected Fanfare
• 43. Variant Of Theme Three In Piano (Diabolical Piano Octaves)
• 44. Rescored Variant Of 'Fanfare' Theme; From Grandeur To Solemnity
• 45. Rhapsodic Variant Of Fanfare, This Time For Piano Alone
• 46. Recapitulation Of Opening, With Piano And Orchestra Reversing Roles
• 47. Theme Two Transformed By New Instrumentation
• 48. Cue And Second Movement (Complete)

Disc 2

• 1. Introduction, Cue And First Main Theme
• 2. Theme One Taken Up By Strings And Solo Oboe; Piano's Entry
• 3. Complex Variant Of Theme One With Very Different Speed And Rhythm
• 4. Orchestra And Piano In Mixed Variants Of Theme One, Now Intensified
• 5. Theme Two, Hushed And 'Tuneless', With Piano, Clarinets And Strings
• 6. Oboe Theme Returns, Now Delicately Embroidered By The Piano
• 7. Cue And Third Movement (Complete)
• 8. Finale: Introduction, Cue And Main Theme
• 9. Violins Take Up Tune, With Winds And Piano Accompanying
• 10. Piano Introduces Part 2 Of The Main Theme
• 11. Part 3 Of The Theme, Led By Piano, In 'Fiercely' Self-confident Mood
• 12. First Episode, Part 1
• 13. First Episode, Part 2
• 14. Piano Hands Theme Over To Clarinets And Bassoons
• 15. First Episode, Part 3, In Piano, First; Then Flutes And Oboes
• 16. Strings And Flutes Take Theme, With Bubbling Commentary From Piano
• 17. Tipsy Dancers (Piano And Winds) Return, Tiring; Strings Take Over
• 18. In The Central Episode, The Orchestra Throws Down A Dramatic Challenge
• 19. ...To Which The Piano Duly Responds With A Stormy Outburst
• 20. Piano Kick-starts Run-up To Final Section In A Variant Of The Main Theme
• 21. Orchestra Sets Off On A Jaunty March, Later Joined By The Piano
• 22. Piano Propels Orchestra Into Final Section
• 23. Summation And Cue To The Movement As A Whole
• 24. Finale (Complete)