# Johannes Brahms Piano Sonata no. 1



## JohannesBrahms

Hello, everyone. This is my first post, so I'm hoping to learn a lot here. Thank you to all the people who make this website possible.

That said, lately I have been listening to Brahms' first piano sonata. It has become one of my favorite pieces. Does anyone else really like this sonata? What kind of feeling/emotion do you think Brahms was trying to express in this piece?


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## Sonata

I like his first two piano sonatas, the third I'm not as fond of. I'm not one to really analyze music, and I don't know these sonatas well, having listened to each just once. But as a Brahms afficionado, I intend to own the first two at some point, the third I'll give a few more listens.


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## peeyaj

I don't like them.. sorry  but I found Brahms solo piano works uninspiring.. (


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## clavichorder

I could stand to know the first sonata better. I recall the first theme as initially sounding very "blunt" to my ears, but heavy would be a better descriptor. I don't know if I've ever listened to it all the way through...

But I generally really like early Brahms.


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## Ravndal

peeyaj said:


> I don't like them.. sorry  *but I found Brahms solo piano works uninspiring*.. (


I don't know how it's possible to say something like that. You got to give it more tries. In my opinion: His piano works IS the romantic era.


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## Feathers

It's not one of my favourites by Brahms, but I do enjoy it, with a slight preference for the last two movements. I haven't heard it in a long time though, so my opinion could easily change with another listen.


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## Selby

I, like another poster, have yet to be captivated by Brahm's solo piano work. But, I am going to listen to this later to give it another shot. Any chance you have a youtube clip you would recommend? I can't justify buying it at this point.


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## Kazaman

I think his later miniatures are superior to his early works, but I do enjoy the sonatas.


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## JohannesBrahms

Mitchell said:


> I, like another poster, have yet to be captivated by Brahm's solo piano work. But, I am going to listen to this later to give it another shot. Any chance you have a youtube clip you would recommend? I can't justify buying it at this point.







This is the recording I always listen to. The sonata is played by Sergey Schepkin


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## ScipioAfricanus

Brahms first sonata was inspired by Beethoven's HammerKlavier which Brahms performed frequently


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## Vaneyes

Richter and Katchen recs are worth hearing, but the Op. 1 work itself is not essential listening. Brahms ups his mark considerably with 2 & 3.


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## Nicksievers

As a composer I can say and I think with some level of confidence (although always take it with a grain of salt), composers who aim for emotion as the subject of creation always fail to deliver but having read many biographies and knowing many other composers and artists I think the aim is generally nothing outside of the realm of musicality. We know what sounds create delight and though it may be originally inspired by emotion, music (especially older music like Brahms) is meticulously constructed not unlike an architect. However somehow through our relation to these tones the emotion comes through but it is completely subjective. A composer cannot hope to send a definite emotion but WHATEVER YOU FEEL IS WHAT HE INTENDED. Though Brahms was the gracious facilitator the music belongs to all of us in the end and it is whatever you make of it. That I think is very beautiful.


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## Animal the Drummer

Sonata said:


> I like his first two piano sonatas, the third I'm not as fond of. I'm not one to really analyze music, and I don't know these sonatas well, having listened to each just once. But as a Brahms afficionado, I intend to own the first two at some point, the third I'll give a few more listens.


Interestingly I'm the mirror opposite - love the Third Sonata, its two predecessors not so much. But they're all by Brahms, so our ongoing efforts are bound to be worthwhile.


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## Animal the Drummer

Ravndal said:


> I don't know how it's possible to say something like that. You got to give it more tries. In my opinion: His piano works IS the romantic era.


Peeyaj may have listened to these pieces often for all we know. I happen to like Brahms' solo piano music too, but most of us have the occasional musical blind spot.


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## Jacred

The first sonata definitely has a sense of grandeur to it (thick chords, sweeping dynamics). That being said, it's not what comes to mind when I think of a "Brahms masterpiece." Rather, the first piano sonata was, for the young Brahms, a formative exploration of the process of writing for solo piano.


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