Sviatoslav Richter - Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 83 (Remastered) (1960/2024) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

The Piano Concerto No. 2 in B♭ major, Op. 83, by Johannes Brahms is separated by a gap of 22 years from his first piano concerto. Brahms began work on the piece in 1878 and completed it in 1881 while in Pressbaum near Vienna. It took him three years to work on this concerto, which indicates that he was always self-critical. He wrote to Clara Schumann: "I want to tell you that I have written a very small piano concerto with a very small and pretty scherzo." Ironically, he was describing a huge piece. This concerto is dedicated to his teacher, Eduard Marxsen. The public premiere of the concerto was given in Budapest on 9 November 1881, with Brahms as soloist and the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, and was an immediate success. He proceeded to perform the piece in many cities across Europe.

The piece is scored for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (B♭), 2 bassoons, 4 horns (initially 2 in B♭ bass, 2 in F), 2 trumpets (B♭), timpani (B♭ and F, A and D in second movement) and strings. (The trumpets and timpani are used only in the first two movements, which is unusual.)

The piece is in four movements, rather than the three typical of concertos in the Classical and Romantic periods:
I Allegro non troppo (B♭ major)
II Allegro appassionato (D minor)
III Andante (B♭ major—F♯ major—B♭ major)
IV Allegretto grazioso—Un poco più presto (B♭ major)

Tracklist:
01. Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83: I. Allegro non troppo (2024 Remastered, Chicago 1960)
02. Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83: II. Allegro appassionato (2024 Remastered, Chicago 1960)
03. Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83: III. Andante (2024 Remastered, Chicago 1960)
04. Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83: IV. Allegretto grazioso (2024 Remastered, Chicago 1960)


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