A surprising find | Brahms: 10 Intermezzi for Piano; 4 Ballades

Wow! | Brahms: 10 Intermezzi for Piano; 4 Ballades | Johannes Brahms, Glenn Gould

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	• Brahms: 10 Intermezzi for Piano; 4 Ballades Johannes Brahms, Glenn Gould Sony Bmg Europe, 2002 average customer review:based on 7 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Hear this, love Kempff!

Reading through all the reviews here, I noticed no one specifically refers to the one recording of the Intermezzi and Rhapsodies that to me is an indispensable reference point and to which one will return to again and again for a lifetime to nurture one's heart and soul: Wilhelm Kempff's earlier one from the 1950s on Decca (especially the Op. 116 Fantasias and Op. 117 Intermezzi from 1950).

Having said that, I love Gould and find his Brahms, with the exception of the 1st Piano Concerto elsewhere and the Op. 76 Intermezzo in A major here, very much worth listening to, the Ballades (and among those, the Second that Gould starts off as if awakening from a dream) in particular. They certainly form a worthy alternative to Michelangeli (the 1981 studio recording on DG, or as part of the 1973 Lugano recital on Music & Arts) - that is, assuming you, like me, like listening to alternative versions instead of only one.

If Gould intended the Op. 76 Intermezzo to function as a strategically placed shock effect on this disc, that wears off in no time, and what remains is jarring and honestly confusing - as others have said here, this wonderful piece does not deserve to be treated like this.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

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A surprising find

Brahms and Gould -- a surprising but effective match. From a performer most identified with Bach comes a recording that genuinely captures the Romantic expressiveness of Brahms. Although I knew many of these pieces from previous recordings Gould (as always) brings new ideas to the music. Of course, it wouldn't be Gould without the occasional idiosyncrasy -- op.119 no.1 is played ridiculously fast, for example.

Wow!

Gould delivers. He has a right style and attitude to give power to Brahm's late keyboard works. The sound is excellent. I hear every keystroke clearly.If there is humming, which I doubt, it never reaches the listner. This "oldie" will is still solid gold.

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Definitive, Exquisite, Without Peer

A pianist who made his mark with spare and precise recordings of Bach, Gould here shows a romantic and passionate side that may surprise many listeners unfamiliar with this regrettably small portion of his discography. Gould himself thought these recordings among his best, and I wouldn't quarrel. Over the years, I've listened to just about every recording of the Intermezzi ever made, and while Gould's has its drawbacks (notably his notorious humming and the now less-than-stellar sound quality) they're still my favorites by a league. The E-flat Intermezzo Op 117, No. 1 and the A-Major, Op. 118, No. 2 are among my favorite recordings of any composer by any artist. Absolute perfection that I can listen to on eternal repeat without tiring. If only Gould had returned to the Intermezzi to take advantage of digital recording technology! The recording of the Ballades, on the other hand, is not only a fine interpretation but also sonically good. The 4th is especially moving.

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Lyricism + sobriety + lucid tune = Majestic sonority!

The gallant mood, the aristocratic flair, marvelous expressive poetry non romantic and tune's delicacy will surprise you. Gould assumes another idiomatic perspective, and convinces us about his enormous sense of expression and temperament. His astonishing fingering not only gives us another facet around these Brahms works but besides an indication Brahms has been absolutely misunderstood due an awful misconception of his artistic intentions.

One of the most pyramidal musical achievements of Mr. Gould.

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Tracks
Ballades (4) for piano, Op. 10: No. 1 in D minor 'Edward Ballade' | Ballades (4) for piano, Op. 10: No. 2 in D major | Ballades (4) for piano, Op. 10: No. 3 'Intermezzo' in B minor | Ballades (4) for piano, Op. 10: No. 4 in B major | Intermezzi (3) for piano, Op. 117: No. 1 in E-flat major. Andante moderato | Intermezzi (3) for piano, Op. 117: No. 2 in B-flat minor. Andante non troppo e con molta espressione | Intermezzi (3) for piano, Op. 117: No. 3 in C-sharp minor. Andante con moto | Intermezzo for piano in E flat minor, Op. 118/6 | Intermezzo for piano in E major, Op. 116/4 | Intermezzo for piano in A minor, Op. 76/7 | Intermezzo for piano in A major, Op. 76/6 | Intermezzo for piano in B minor, Op. 119/1 | Intermezzo for piano in A minor, Op. 118/1 | Intermezzo for piano in A major, Op. 118/2

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