Orli Shaham’s Brahms.

June 7, 2015

 

 

“Brahms Inspired”

Throughout her career, pianist Orli Shaham has displayed her passion and exceptional interpretations of the music of Johannes Brahms. On this CD, she places Brahms’ late works for solo piano – his most intense and beautiful music – as the keystone of a collection of music history’s most amazing compositions.

The selections we hear are as follows:

Adolphe, B:

  • My inner Brahms (an intermezzo), Commissioned by Orli Shaham. World Premiere recording

Bach, J S:

  • Partita No. 1 in B flat major, BWV825

Brahms:

  • Klavierstücke (6), Op. 118
  • Intermezzi (3), Op. 117
  • Klavierstücke (4), Op. 119

Chopin:

  • Berceuse in D flat major, Op. 57

Dean, B:

  • Hommage à Brahms für Klavier, World Premiere recording

Dorman:

  • After Brahms – 3 Intermezzos for Piano, Commissioned by Orli Shaham. World Premiere recording

Schoenberg:

  • Kleine Klavierstücke (6), Op. 19

Schubert:

  • Impromptu in G flat major, D899 No. 3

Schumann:

  • Romance in F sharp major, Op. 28 No. 2

Performed by Orli Shaham, piano.

Orli Shaham surrounds the Brahms masterworks with compositions that specifically inspired the romantic master: works by J. S. Bach, Chopin and Schumann. Her commitment to living composers led her to commission Avner Dorman and Bruce Adolphe to compose works purposefully influenced by Brahms. As luck would have it, Australian composer Brett Dean’s recent Hommage à Brahms für Klavier, fits neatly into this collection, as well.

Orli Shaham’s love, affection and understanding of Brahms totally pervades this recording. The recording opens with Brahms’ piano pieces Op.118, and it is followed by the three Intermezzi Op. 117

The Chopin, Schumann and Schubert display what is Orli’s enviable technique, a delicacy of touch, along with her ability to carry and sustain lovely melodic line and shape.

Orli Shaham says:

‘In this collection, I have put together some music which inspired Brahms, as well as some directly and indirectly inspired by him, alongside his majestic final oeuvre.’

Here is Orli Shaham in Brahms’ piano pieces Op 118, movements 4 and 5:

 

 

And next, here she is in Brahms’ 4 Piano Pieces, Op. 119: No. 4. Rhapsody in E-Flat Major :

 

Tags: Orli Shaham, Johannes Brahms, Intermezzos, piano pieces, Chopin, Schumann, Avner Dorman