Baerenreiter Verlag Fantasies op. 116 - Brahms/Kohn - Piano - Book

Composer: Johannes Brahms
Editor: Christian Kohn
Format: Book
Instrumentation: Piano

• Scholarly-critical Urtext edition for performers
• Spacious layout on the page with practical page turns
• With fingering by Christian Kohn
• With informative preface and suggestions for performance (Ger/Eng)

Composed in 1892-93, Brahms's piano pieces opp. 116 to 119 are the last collections that he wrote for the instrument. Particularly noteworthy is his use of 'small forms' accompanied by a further increase in musical expression compared to his earlier works. In November 1892 Clara Schumann, probably the secret dedicatee of these pieces, confided to her diary that they were 'a true source of enjoyment, everything, poetry, passion, rapture, intimacy, full of the most marvellous effects [...]. In these pieces I at last feel musical life re-enter my soul, and I play once more with true devotion.'
The Fantasies, op. 116, were composed in the Austrian resort of Bad Ischl in summer 1892. Clara described them ecstatically as 'wonderfully original piano pieces', four 'dreamlike' intermezzos and three 'deeply passionate' capriccios. The former are moderately difficult to play, while the capriccios require considerable virtuosity.

The editor
Christian Kohn teaches piano at the Musikhochschule in Detmold. One of his specialties is the piano music of Johannes Brahms. Together with his duet partner Silke-Thora Matthies, he is a prize-winner of the Munich Competition and has released the world's first complete recording of Brahms's works for piano duet. In addition to the Serenades for piano four-hands, opp. 11 and 16, he has already edited many of Brahms's solo piano works for Baerenreiter.

Contents:

• Preface
• Fantasy: Capriccio in D minor op. 116/1
• Fantasy: Intermezzo in A minor op. 116/2
• Fantasy: Capriccio in G minor op. 116/3
• Fantasy: Intermezzo in E major op. 116/4
• Fantasy: Intermezzo in E minor op. 116/5
• Fantasy: Intermezzo in E major op. 116/6
• Fantasy: Capriccio in D minor op. 116/7
• Critical Commentary