Brahms: Piano Pieces Opp. 116 - 119

Johannes Brahms (Composer), Hélène Grimaud (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Hélène Grimaud
• Composer: Johannes Brahms
• Audio CD (September 3, 1996)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Erato
• ASIN: B000005E4I
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #154,119 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Fantasias (7) for piano, Op. 116: 1. Capriccio - Presto energico

2. Fantasias (7) for piano, Op. 116: 2. Intermezzo - Andante

3. Fantasias (7) for piano, Op. 116: 3. Capriccio - Allegro passionato

4. Fantasias (7) for piano, Op. 116: 4. Intermezzo - Adagio

5. Fantasias (7) for piano, Op. 116: 5. Intermezzo - Andante con grazia

6. Fantasias (7) for piano, Op. 116: 6. Intermezzo - Andantino teneramente

7. Fantasias (7) for piano, Op. 116: 7. Capriccio - Allegro agitato

8. Intermezzi (3) for piano, Op. 117: 1. Andante moderato

9. Intermezzi (3) for piano, Op. 117: 2. Andante non troppo

10. Intermezzi (3) for piano, Op. 117: 3. Andante con moto

11. Pieces (6) for piano, Op. 118: 1. Intermezzo - Allegro non assai

12. Pieces (6) for piano, Op. 118: 2. Intermezzo - Andante teneramente

13. Pieces (6) for piano, Op. 118: 3. Ballade - Allegro energico

14. Pieces (6) for piano, Op. 118: 4. Intermezzo - Allegretto un poco agitato

15. Pieces (6) for piano, Op. 118: 5. Romanze - Andante

16. Pieces (6) for piano, Op. 118: 6. Intermezzo - Andante, largo e mesto

17. Pieces (4) for piano, Op. 119: 1. Intermezzo - Adagio

18. Pieces (4) for piano, Op. 119: 2. Intermezzo - Andantino un poco agitato

19. Pieces (4) for piano, Op. 119: 3. Intermezzo - Grazioso e giocoso

20. Pieces (4) for piano, Op. 119: 4. Rhapsodie - Allegro risoluto

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very complex recording, certain to be controversial, November 3, 2000

By 

Justin Weaver - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brahms: Piano Pieces Opp. 116 - 119 (Audio CD)

Behind the Grimaud diva-persona presented on the cover is a complex interpreter whose interesting, although by no means universally praiseworthy interpretations of late Brahms on this recording are destined to controversy.

In a way, her ambiguous stance toward the music makes the CD a to-own, a worthy addition to the collection of connoisseurs who already own say, five recordings of all these haunting 'lullabies of sorrow'.

But, alas, that's the problem really... there just isn't enough 'sorrow' in Grimaud's youthful soul-thrashing approach to the music, although there is a good dose of 'haunting'. She makes the Intermezzi press forward (A Major) or lean back (e minor) too much; or else glosses over moments of surreal beauty that others might dwell on.

In spite of it all, however, I really like this recording. It has a sort of 'involved detachment' only a young French woman living in the US could pull off-- Grimaud's is a 'postmodern' and 'pan-cultural' reading of Brahms. Ego there is (we could do without THAT many breathing sounds!); but late at night in the lamplit hazes of pre-sleep, I think Helene fit to conjure the shade of Brahms, the old master, in his maturest reflections.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easily the best version of these, July 31, 2009

By 

Roland Elbert (Coppell, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Brahms: Piano Pieces Opp. 116 - 119 (Audio CD)

Grimaud makes these pieces as important as life. She uses Brahms' all-important countermelodies and inner voices to greater effect than has any other pianist I've heard, while being as direct and assertive as Brahms sometimes demands. The powerful use of small gestures, a totally persuasive sense of overall form and some of my personal-favorite compositions keep me repeating this CD. I have 8 recordings of 118/2, and only that of Heinrich Neuhaus (see YouTube) is in her league.

16 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful and moving, March 13, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Brahms: Piano Pieces Opp. 116 - 119 (Audio CD)

This is one of my top 2 favorite CDs from Ms. Grimaud. I really wish I could hear her perform a recital of this disc. It's great, I don't know of many recordings for these works. Too bad Brendel won't record them, that would be fun to hear. Anyway, Grimaud's playing on this disc really made me take notice of Brahms' music more than ever before, so I must thank her for this. These works from Brahms are some of the most persona;/intimate masterpieces ever written for solo piano, and that intimacy comes across very well in this recording. Much better than Grimaud's Beethoven recordings.