Johannes Brahms
Piano Concerto no.2 Op.83 explained


#    Title    Time    Info  
1 Introduction: opening horn call and pianos answer 1:51
2 Rising three-note scalewise pattern 0:26
3 Quicker descending six note answer 0:19
4 Second answering phrase 0:33
5 First Main Theme completed by orchestra 0:51
6 Peace shattered as piano bursts back in like a tiger 1:25
7 Variant of pening horn call in bass 0:20
8 Orchestra returns beginning of exposition proper 2:26
9 Big singing theme in orchestra - piano forgotten 0:42
10 Call to arms by strings marshalling of orchestral forces 1:04
11 Piano re-enters fray with massive expansion of opening figure 0:49
12 Piano explores two main facets of opening theme 0:46
13 Transition - Sense of key weakened - piano and orchestra come to... 1:08
14 Piano and orchestra argue over speed of thematic three-note rise... 0:42
15 Piano and orchestra in friendly dialogue before piano falls away... 1:29
16 Winged harmonic shadow of pure pianistic tone-colour 0:46
17 New transitional theme from orchestra developed by piano 1:52
18 After indecision and discussion the mood suddenly turns playful 0:27
19 Reminder of Second Main Theme in its original form 0:44
20 Transformation of Second Main Theme by piano 0:41
21 Piano hijacks orchestras call to arms 0:44
22 Piano and orchestra no allies explore theme but with piano leadi... 1:09
23 Dramatic eruption of orchestra leads to the Development section 1:14
24 Pianistic tiger replaced by gentle reflective soft-spoken poet 0:31
25 Transformed tiger theme amicably shared by piano and orchestra 0:45
26 An apparently new theme - Battle Hymn of the Republic 0:42
27 Brief downward-driving section prepares for the Recapitulation 0:55
28 On the threshold of the Recapitulation 0:55
29 Recapitulation - The Magical Return 1:07
30 From Gate-crashing Tiger to Celestial Tenderness - and a surpris... 1:18
31 An unexpected and portentous change of mood suggesting tragedy 1:02
32 Summation 0:31
33 First Movement - COMPLETE 17:17
34 Second Movement - the upward-driving opening gambit piano alone 0:14
35 Downward-driving answer from lower strings 0:28
36 theme vs melody 0:59
37 Eerie unharmonised white sound of Second Theme 0:46
38 Second Theme taken up and developed by piano 1:26
39 Expectation and surprise - harmonic fluidity and intensifying dr... 1:41
40 Return and transformation of Theme Two 0:42
41 Theme One returns in orchestra - Theme Three emerges in major mo... 1:01
42 Sequence of fragmentary episodes begins with unexpected fanfare 0:59
43 Variant of Theme Three in piano - diabolical piano octaves 0:37
44 Rescorved variant of fanfare theme - from grandeur to solemnity 0:22
45 Rhapsodic variant of fanfare this time for piano alone 0:25
46 Recapitulation of opening with piano and orchestra reversing rol... 1:08
47 Theme Two transformed by new instrumentation 10:00
48 Cue and Second Movement - COMPLETE 9:24
Total time 67:57