Johannes Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor Op. 15

[johannesbrahms]

Has anyone here played the concerto mentioned in the title? I am going to learn it sometime, but I was wondering: What are the main technical difficulties? I would like to know so I can get a head start on them. Thank you in advance!

[j_menz]

Surely a look at the score will tell you all you need to know.

[johannesbrahms]

I don't have the score. That is why I am asking.

[cauliflower1]

Anything that's not copyrighted is probably online.

https://imslp.org/wiki/Piano_Concerto_No.1,_Op.15_(Brahms,_Johannes)

[le_poete_mourant]

The main difficulty in playing this piece is obtaining a score. The rest is easy. 

Seriously, it's like the rest of Brahms.  Thirds. Sixths. Octaves. Chords. Really awkward trills.

[jamaicaway]

Awkward is the word. But if you can manage the awkwardness, the music can sound magnificent.

There are a lot of places where you have to do wide stretches while maintaining legato. Big hands won't help because the stretches are so wide, you have to move your hands rapidly while using the pedal to maintain legato and not smudge the harmony.

There's also that triple trill at the end of the 2nd movement.

[g_s_223]

https://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/culture/stephenhough/100045394/brahms-no-2-is-better-but-brahms-no-1-is-greater/

[g_s_223]

Pollini at 70:

How I love the Dresden Staatskapelle - sublime!