Search - Johannes Brahms, Christian Kohn, Silke-Thora Matthies :: Brahms: Symphony No. 4; Tragic Overture (Piano Four-Hands)

This Outstanding Four-Hand Brahms Series Continues

J Scott Morrison | Middlebury VT, USA | 05/30/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Silke-Thora Matthies and Christian Kohn, a four-hand piano duo unknown to us before this series began, have become very well known to those of us who love the four-hand (piano duet, two players at one piano) arrangements that Brahms made for much of his orchestra music. That's because there are now eight CDs in this series, and it goes from triumph to triumph. This one is the arrangement of the Fourth Symphony and the Tragic Overture. And again the team turns in beautiful performances. These arrangements were made by Brahms to help his pieces gain greater familiarity in the music-loving world at large. That is because relatively rare live orchestral performances were the only other way for the the pieces to be heard in the age before recordings became possible and wide-spread. And it was an age when most well-educated persons had studied piano and were able to sit at the piano with a partner and read through these arrangements. That time is long-past, of course, but some of us have experienced the great joy of making the pieces come alive under our fingers, and this reviewer is delighted that the series has been issued in recordings so lovingly played and well-recorded. There are those who would say that these CDs are unnecessary. But I firmly believe that these arrangements are true Brahms music as much as the orchestral versions. Recommended.Scott Morrison"

Sensational disc!

Paul Bunkerr | New London, CT USA | 08/15/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I echo Mr. Morrison's enthusiasm for this sensational series of Brahms' piano four hand music. These discs, including the new Vol. 8, offer a thrilling look into the complex structure of Brahms' orchestral masterworks, without the distraction of orchestral instruments. These two pianists are obviously passionate about these works, and that passion comes through in these excellent recordings. If you love Brahms symphonies, buy these inexpensive discs and discover these works all over again. The playing is simply marvelous and the recording quality is first rate."