Video: Brahms Intermezzo op 119 no 3

[pianistavt]

One of my long-standing favorite Brahms pieces, first heard when I was 16 or so, on an LP by Van Cliburn, "My Favorite Brahms".  Also discovered on that LP another great Brahms achievement - the Variations on a Theme by Handel, which I hope to undertake someday.

Anyway, here is the intermezzo which I worked on this past August:

Your comments / feedback welcome here or on YT.

[carmelopaolucci]

Wonderful Performance pianistavt!
I really liked the touch you used for this piece: a full, rounded sound... Very beautiful.
Perhaps I would have used a little less pedal, but that's a detail that depends a lot on taste.
Greetings from Italy
Carmelo
 

[essence]

yes, very nice. Did I hear you singing along?

Maybe one or two pauses were too long?

There seem to be two approaches - i first heard this played by Peter Katin, I have the album but can;t find anything on youtube. Radu Lupu had a similar approach.

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Van Cliburn takes a software approach, closer to what you do

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Aha - i see you mention Van Cliburn. Clearly influenced you.


Richter is, of course, wonderful. More like Van Cliburn, but even softer.

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To be honest, I have doubts about the Katin/Lupu approach, apart from it being very difficult to put into practice.

[essence]

is this more authentic, in terms of what Brahms wanted?

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[pianistavt]

Thank you, essence, for posting all these different versions!
I'll come back to these on a day I'm revisiting this piece, I did very little outside listening at the time of that recording, primarily going on what I wanted to hear, but inevitably influenced by my first and foremost listening experience - Van Cliburn's recording.
Very curious about the Friedberg.

I've started playing intermezzo no 1 in b minor from this opus - very interesting piece!  It's not on my official practice list but will be soon, I hope.  I think they'll make a nice pair.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

That's a nice full sound you have.

I enjoyed it!

[dizzyfingers]

Agreed, nice full sound.

And thanks for giving us a personal anecdote to go along with the vid, makes it more interesting.  The personal connection can be heard.

[pianistavt]

There seem to be two approaches - i first heard this played by Peter Katin, I have the album but can;t find anything on youtube. Radu Lupu had a similar approach.
Van Cliburn takes a software approach, closer to what you do
Richter is, of course, wonderful. More like Van Cliburn, but even softer.
To be honest, I have doubts about the Katin/Lupu approach, apart from it being very difficult to put into practice.

As promised, I came back and listened to these recordings, having just performed this piece for a small crowd, I'm now thinking about it.
Agreed re: Lupu and Katin.  Lupu demonstrates how one could/should practice this piece - staccato, but they must have got the tapes mixed up, I'm surprised he would release a Brahms recording so mechanical like that.  Katin has a similar approach but somehow pulls it off better.

TBH, I prefer my interpretation above all those you listed.  It's the prefect blend of Cliburn and Richter.
:-)