Intermezzo in A major, Op. 118 No. 2

History

Brahms worked on new piano pieces during his summer stay in Ischl in 1893 and sent manuscripts to Clara Schumann. She most likely received this Intermezzo with two other Op. 118 pieces at the end of August. Her enthusiastic reply followed on 2 September. After proof corrections in November, the new piano pieces appeared between 5 and 12 December that year.

Sources

• henle.de

What to listen for

1. 1

   A singing contour includes inner replies

   The pickup leads into a singing upper line with overlapping inner and lower responses. Hear the quieter strands within the broader melody.

2. 2

   Broader responses ease into a slower transition

   The opening continuation broadens before più lento wording and held sound. Listen for the change of energy across that longer phrase.

3. 3

   Quieter chords give way to renewed movement

   The continuation alternates quieter chordal responses and internal holds with renewed movement. Hear the connecting exchange beyond the first fermata.

4. 4

   A slower held gesture completes the ending

   The final più lento span reaches a short held closing unit. Hear its settling response without treating the shorter duration as a new global meter.

How to practise it

Connect the C-sharp/B pickup to the held chords, then give the dotted continuation room.

1. Sing the pickup through the half-note destination; play with one breath-like phrase rather than three isolated attacks.
2. Practise the dotted pairs with the following quarter as the destination, then join them to the held opening chords.

How hard is it

About this piece

Licence

Public Domain

Source

mutopiaproject.org

More by Johannes Brahms

1. 1Waltz, Op. 39 No. 10, solo piano editionLevel 4, estimatedWith Maestro
2. 2Rhapsody in B minor, Op. 79 No. 1Level 9, estimatedWith Maestro