Johannes Brahms

Konzert für Klavier und Orchester Nr. 2 op. 83

Brahms' "Clavier-Symhonie" in the original text of the complete edition

Sometimes Brahms operated understatement, when he came to speak of his 2nd piano concerto, called it a "small" concerto - but was quite clear that he had expected by the four movements (with Scherzo) his fellow world rather something really symphonic. The press did not flinch for long, calling the work, among other things, pejoratively "Clavier-Symphonie" (Piano Symphony), but this did not detract from its triumphant success. Brahms himself and other pianists played the work all over the country in the 1880s, and the piano reduction was so successful that it had to be reprinted three times within three months of its publication.
The Urtext edition is based on the 2013 volume of the new Brahms Complete Edition. It is based on the first printing of the score as the main source; in addition, the autograph as well as the printed piano reduction provided further important information with which engraving errors of the first edition could be corrected.