Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Waltz in A Flat
Op 39 No. 15
Pianist: Stephen Bishop Kovacevich
I used to play (still play? that requires a piano, which I don't have, and slogging through my music books to get nimble fingers once again) some of Brahms' waltzes for piano. The Waltz in A Flat Major (No. 15) is one of the easier ones in the collection Brahms Waltzes (for piano solo), but it has difficult octaves. The Waltz in B Minor (No. 11) is harder. But before that comes the short but fast and furious Waltz in G Major (No. 10). (The waltzes can be listened to at this Wikipedia site: Sixteen Waltzes, Op. 39 - Brahms.) My hands are too small to play the octaves in No. 15 effectively, much less the octaves with chords! I compromise and play the octaves without the chords. Playing octaves fast is actually easier since I just have to skim across the notes without putting too much pressure on the keys. The volume can be increased with a loud and dramatic base with the left hand.
Below are pages from my music book: Brahms Waltzes Opus 39. Piano Solo
(Emil Sauer)
Edition Peters
The light pencil marks in my old piano book (which I kept as clean as possible, and protected as much as possible by covering it with a plastic cover) are still visible. Such reminders help during a difficult passage, or when the placement of fingers need to be changed (e.g. using the thumb instead of the index finger), to make for a smoother performance.
I've played at least two of the waltzes from this collection in public recitals.
Johanne Brahms
Waltz in G Major
Op 39 No. 10
Waltz in B Minor
Op 39 No. 11
Page 1
Johanne Brahms
Waltz in B Minor
Op 39 No. 11
Page 2
Johanne Brahms
Waltz in A Flat Major
Op 39 No. 15
I wrote about my visit to the Morgan Library in New York, this past December, where I posted copies of Brahms' transcripts on display in the library.
I have hand written notes on Brahms' music manuscripts. I was surprised by his messy style, and wrote down in my notes "drama - also in manuscript" comparing his melodramatic music with his writing style.
But Brahms' music is less chaotic than his writing style. That is what art is, after all, to contain energy so that it comes out ordered and structured, rather than chaotic and loose.
Below is one Brahms manuscript from the Morgan:
Brahms, Johannes, 1833-1897
Score, p. [3] (3 of 4)
Lieder und Gesänge, op. 59
Dämmrung senkte sich von oben
Autograph manuscript, 1871?
Morgan Library