If you have a subscription to Naxos.com(and I HIGHLY recommend), check out the Brahms biography. I think it's called:
Life and Works: BRAHMS (Siepmann) 8.558071-74 Music Biographies

It's 4 CDs and 5 hours long but it's extremely entertaining and inspiring. You can also check out:
Classics Explained: BRAHMS - Piano Concerto No. 2 (Siepmann) 8.558030-31 Music Education
A great look into one of the greatest pieces ever.

Both education pieces get the Pootie stamp of approval.

sorry, not a Brahms fan, and never really liked his concerto 2, and always think his concerto 1 is better. somehow, i don't quite get his music language and also similar to Schubert, i oftern wonder what he's talking about?

I liked his 4th symphony the first time I heard it, which was a long time ago.
Mike

signa maybe it would be helpful to listen to the bio then? =)
That and the analysis of the concerto really offer insight into what Brahms is about and I find myself appreciating his works more as a result.
More than that, his life and personality are really fascinating.

thanks for the info! i did read some his bios, and pretty much know his life, his relationship with Schumann and Clara etc. i do like his symphonies and a few others more, but for most of his piano works, i just don't quite get it. i hate especially his 3rd sonata, which i sat through in a recital and i found just like Mahler's symphony, long winded, terribly boring and misrable, and never ending...

it's strange that my teacher likes Brahms more than Beethoven and i'm totally opposite.

before this I had read countless cd sleaves and some short bios online about him. But with this it really goes into detail and is more comprehensive. There is enough complexity to his personality that the reading I had done prior was more misleading in the big picture.

I always like to mention that my first cd of his piano music was not enjoyable for some time.

Since you posted the Intermezzo op 118 no2 last recital, I'm a little bit of a Brahms fan - his first pianoconcerto is nice in between the more "noisy" parts. Thank you for the recommendation.

Ragnhild

Also I think when I didn't care for his piano music I started also listening to his other music which really got me hooked. between his chamber works, violin/double concerto and other orchestral music I started to really like him as a composer. I liked his piano music after the other stuff. It might be partly because his piano music also is generally 'orchestral' in nature. He was an acquired taste in some ways.

I love the first concerto. The first movement is a little much to take sometimes but the 2nd and 3rd never cease to amaze me. Don't get me wrong, the first movement is amazing and I can't think of anything else quite like it.

I think I was mentioning somewhere else that I see a nod to Mozart in this concerto. With it being in Dminor first of all. Secondly the first movement has the piano enter with a new subject. This subject begins calm in contrast to the stormy intro but brings the tension right back. Finally the 3rd movement starts with the piano alone to introduce the theme and then the orchestra mimics. I don't know if this is common but I just happened to notice it recently.

Thanks Rag. It's great to know that my playing did enough justice to the music =)
I'm trying to get off my butt and have something for the next recital. I'll have to go find that thread.

Since we're talking abut Brahms - next year I will probably have the chance to sing in a choir performing "Ein Deutsches Requiem"- I really hope so. I will also hear the 2nd piano-concert live in August played by mr Andsnes (of course).

I have tried to learn the intermezzo you played and the op 117 no1 (suggestion for your recital piece...)for some years now - I have not given up yet

I think Brahms childhood was the kind that he would be taken into custody if he had lived today.

Ragnhild