current muse , the lovely and safely married Elizabeth von Herzogenberg , he revealed , “ I have written a tiny little piano concerto with a tiny wisp of a scherzo .” However , the composer also revealed the true nature of his newest creation to her when he described it as “ the long Terror .”
For the Second Piano Concerto is long indeed : with four substantial movements and lasting approximately 50 minutes , it is the size of two ordinary concertos put together . And it is monumental in its architecture , emotional scope and the demands it places on the pianist . Brahms scholar Malcolm MacDonald describes the technical challenges well : “ In its massive chording , wide [ finger ] stretches , vigor , richness and textural variety , the piano writing is the most elaborate result of his lifelong fascination with virtuoso technique . … but other moments call for extreme delicacy and limpidity of touch , the reticence and self-effacement of the ideal accompanist .”
Movement one : The concerto ’ s chamber-music opening is unique . A solo horn sings the gently rising principal theme and the piano echoes each phrase . Suddenly , the pianist throws off her reserve and plunges into a titanic monologue , the first of many mini-cadenzas throughout . This in turn galvanizes the orchestra into action , transforming the horn ’ s shy theme into a mighty march . And soon we hear the first suggestion of the movement ’ s second theme : a supple , swaying melody in D minor in the violins that is quickly broken off .
The pianist now expands this thematic material , and when she comes to the swaying second theme , she reveals its character as passionate rather than nostalgic . By now , the music has taken a very dramatic and even ominous turn from its tender beginning . It culminates in a fierce declamation of the principal theme by the full orchestra before the horn quietly sounds that theme again and the music merges into the development section .
The arrival home at the recapitulation section is one of Brahms ’ most magical and moving . He keeps trying to get there by gestures of musical willpower . But finally only gentle acceptance succeeds , as the piano floats in shimmering arpeggios and the horn warmly welcomes it back .
PHOTO © NICK ECKERT
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