Johannes Brahms - Piano Quartet in A major, Op. 26

 

Johannes Brahms

 

Piano Quartet in A major, Op. 26

 

Frost Quartet: Kelsey Blumenthal, violin; Hannah Nicholas, viola,

Alan Toda-Ambaras, cello, Sophie Scholnik-Brower, Piano
New England Conservatory, Jordan Hall, May 2014

                    

The Piano Quartet in A major, Op. 26 by Johannes Brahms is a musical composition scored for piano, violin, viola and cello. It was completed in 1861^[1] and received its premiere in November 1863 by the Hellmesberger Quartet with the composer playing the piano part.^[2] It has been especially noted for drawing influence from composer Franz Schubert.^[3][1] Lasting approximately 50 minutes, this quartet is the longest of Brahms's chamber works to perform.

 

The quartet is in four movements:

1. Allegro non troppo (A major): sonata form.
2. Poco Adagio (E major): rondo form.
3. Scherzo: Poco Allegro (A major , trio in D minor):  scherzo and trio in compound ternary form, where both the scherzo and the trio are in sonata form.
4. Finale: Allegro (A major): The fourth movement in sonata form with foreshortened recapitulation

Pierre Colombet, violon
Arnaud Thorette, alto
Marc Coppey, violoncelle
Finghin Collins, piano