The following Andante teneramente is one of the most lyrical creations among Brahms’s final compositions for the piano. In a warm A major, its sentimental melody unfolds gently in the treble with a characteristic inverted escape tone that begins each phrase, and which provides the energy for the following leap upward of first a third then a seventh. The melody is then repeated with modest embellishments to harmony and melody. After this second statement, a related idea is introduced—a neighboring-tone motif that accentuates a beautiful augmented fourth against the underlying harmony—which will ultimately return to close out the first section of the piece. For its remainder, Brahms develops the material already presented in the manner of Wagner’s “endless melody,” eventually coming to a breathtakingly beautiful dolce passage in which the opening measures of the melody is inverted, and the changing tone now becomes an affectionate perfect fifth appoggiatura against the underlying first inversion tonic chord. In the central episode, Brahms introduces a new melodic idea. As this F-sharp minor melody sings out from the pianist’s right hand, woven into the broken chords of the left is an imitation two beats later. Contrapuntal imitation proves to be the unifying feature of the episode, as the theme and its imitation is next rendered in block chords. The opening statement is then repeated later with slight embellishment, but with the theme now subordinated to the middle voice while the imitation is placed in the treble. Following the episode, a near literal reprise of the opening completes the piece’s ternary form. Joseph DuBose
Selection from Klavierstücke, Op. 118 Johannes Brahms
Composed in 1893 and dedicated to Clara Schumann, this Intermezzo beautifully unfolds in a ternary form with a contrapuntal middle section. Despite its brief duration, it demonstrates techniques in Brahms’ larger works where melodic, thematic, harmonic ideas are developed through concise motivic expansion. This is among one of his most beloved works for the piano. Weiyin Chen
Classical Music | Piano Music
Johannes Brahms
Intermezzo No. 2 in A Major, from Six Piano Pieces, Op. 118 Play
Recorded on 05/20/2015, uploaded on 09/03/2015
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
The following Andante teneramente is one of the most lyrical creations among Brahms’s final compositions for the piano. In a warm A major, its sentimental melody unfolds gently in the treble with a characteristic inverted escape tone that begins each phrase, and which provides the energy for the following leap upward of first a third then a seventh. The melody is then repeated with modest embellishments to harmony and melody. After this second statement, a related idea is introduced—a neighboring-tone motif that accentuates a beautiful augmented fourth against the underlying harmony—which will ultimately return to close out the first section of the piece. For its remainder, Brahms develops the material already presented in the manner of Wagner’s “endless melody,” eventually coming to a breathtakingly beautiful dolce passage in which the opening measures of the melody is inverted, and the changing tone now becomes an affectionate perfect fifth appoggiatura against the underlying first inversion tonic chord. In the central episode, Brahms introduces a new melodic idea. As this F-sharp minor melody sings out from the pianist’s right hand, woven into the broken chords of the left is an imitation two beats later. Contrapuntal imitation proves to be the unifying feature of the episode, as the theme and its imitation is next rendered in block chords. The opening statement is then repeated later with slight embellishment, but with the theme now subordinated to the middle voice while the imitation is placed in the treble. Following the episode, a near literal reprise of the opening completes the piece’s ternary form. Joseph DuBose
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Selection from Klavierstücke, Op. 118 Johannes Brahms
Composed in 1893 and dedicated to Clara Schumann, this Intermezzo beautifully unfolds in a ternary form with a contrapuntal middle section. Despite its brief duration, it demonstrates techniques in Brahms’ larger works where melodic, thematic, harmonic ideas are developed through concise motivic expansion. This is among one of his most beloved works for the piano. Weiyin Chen
More music by Johannes Brahms
Capriccio in d minor, Op 116, No. 7, from Seven Fantasies
Variations on a Theme by Haydn
Paganini variatons
Capriccio in c-sharp minor, from Eight piano pieces, Op. 76
Intermezzo in E Major, Op. 116, No. 4, from Seven Fantasies
Schicksalslied, Op. 54
Intermezzo in A Major, from Eight piano pieces, Op. 76
Intermezzo in e minor, Op. 116, No. 5, from Seven Fantasies
Intermezzo in b minor, Op. 119, No. 1
Klavierstücke op. 118 - VI. Intermezzo
Performances by same musician(s)
Piano Sonata in G Major, D. 894
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