So I've officially decided that I enjoy playing and listening to chamber music more than solo piano.

This piece is AWESOME! I've been practicing the finale, and even though there are some annoying leaps, it's falling under the fingers quite nicely. The second movement seems tricky, but it doesn't have as many leaps, so it shouldn't be as bad as the fourth in that respect.

The first and third movements are so beautiful, and I can't wait to get started on those.

Does anybody here play this work, and maybe have some tips, insight, or experience that they wish to impart upon me?

Or if not, anybody want to talk about how awesome this trio is? I really like the Serkin/Busch/Brain recording.

Fun fact:

This is the *only* chamber work by Brahms that does not begin with a movement in sonata form. Everything else, even the symphonies, start with sonata forms.

Oh my goodness, it is awesome! I remember the first time I heard it - I was high for a while because it was so wonderful, haha.

What, the S/B/B recording, or the concert that we went to?

Concert.

(concerts are always better than recordings, I think!)

I like your style! We could really get along. I really love the 3rd movement of the horn trio. Very stirring and haunting.

I really do believe that the best of Brahms' piano writing (besides the concertos) is in his chamber music, seeing that he treated the piano as an orchestral instrument rather than a solo one, and that playing his solo piano music feels like playing a transcription rather than something written for piano.

I listen to his chamber music very often, and am addicted to his chamber music with piano (particularly the clarinet sonatas+trio, piano trio no.1, piano quartets, horn trio, and violin sonatas) and like it far more than his pure-strings chamber music.

I love it nearly as much as the quintet op.34 and the quartets, make sure the violonist has a strong right arm though...