Review: Brahms - Late Piano Music

In the brief foreword to this album, Piotr Anderszewski reflects on why Brahms’s late piano works remain so elusive. For a composer who produced three expansive piano sonatas alongside other large-scale works, it is striking that he concluded his output for the instrument with a series of concentrated miniatures. Anderszewski suggests that much of their appeal lies in the listener’s ongoing attempt to understand them—an idea that resonates strongly with the approach he takes throughout this recording.

Brahms – Anderszewski

Amazon

Presto

Apple

The pared-down melodic writing of pieces such as the B minor Intermezzo from Op. 119 (track 1) allows considerable interpretative latitude in matters of tempo, phrasing, and tonal character. Anderszewski opts for a restrained pace, shaping the music through evenly spaced notes rather than a sense of forward motion. The effect is almost pointillistic, recalling the gentle fall of water droplets, and creates an atmosphere of quiet inwardness. This stands in contrast to Jeremy Denk’s equally persuasive reading, which introduces more flexibility and momentum, lending the music a stronger sense of urgency. The C major Intermezzo that follows unfolds with a subtle, dance-like sway, and Anderszewski’s use of carefully judged pauses draws particular attention to the harmonic contours of the piece.

The two intermezzi from Op. 118 present a study in contrasts. In the A minor Intermezzo (track 3), Anderszewski releases the work’s underlying tension with force, yet the intensity never feels unshaped or crude. The near-attacca transition into the A major Intermezzo is especially effective, heightening the impression of release and calm more convincingly than in many other recordings of the pair.

Turning to the Fantasies of Op. 116, Anderszewski’s A minor Capriccio (track 5) is noticeably brisker than performances by Paul Lewis (review) or Hélène Grimaud. Still, the interpretation retains a strong sense of line and a vocal quality that animates music whose structure might otherwise feel static. The rapid figuration around the one-minute mark adds a flicker of brilliance that offsets the work’s darker mood.

While the following Capriccio (track 6) might benefit from a touch more raw drive, Anderszewski compensates by bringing out secondary and inner voices often left in the background. This attention to detail clarifies Brahms’s contrapuntal writing and highlights the way the lines interlock. The E major Intermezzo (track 7) emerges as the most compelling performance in the program, capturing precisely the sense of mystery described in the pianist’s introduction. Anderszewski explores a wide spectrum of soft dynamics, achieving a delicate transparency not commonly associated with Brahms’s late style.

Piotr Anderszewski

The only selection that feels slightly undercharacterized is the E-flat major Rhapsody from Op. 119. Given the work’s extroverted and celebratory nature, a broader, more orchestral sound might have brought greater contrast and weight (as heard in versions by Perahia or Angelish). Here, the playing remains controlled and finely nuanced, but perhaps too restrained to fully project the music’s assertive profile. The sudden shift to E-flat minor at the close, however, is convincingly shaped and finally introduces the sense of urgency that was withheld earlier.

Across his recorded output, Anderszewski has consistently demonstrated a thoughtful, probing engagement with the repertoire, and this release is no exception. It offers a carefully considered reading of Brahms’s late piano works, marked by restraint, introspection, and close attention to detail. One is left wishing that the program had included complete sets, allowing for a fuller view of this remarkable and enigmatic phase in the composer’s output.