The last few posts have featured large symphonic works. Today we move to a mostly quiet thoughtful and beautiful composition for solo piano. I mentioned this work yesterday – the Opus 5 Sonata in F Minor for piano by Johannes Brahms. The complete sonata was the centerpiece of my senior recital in undergraduate school – many many years ago.

Today I encourage to listen to a superb recording of the second movement of this great work – the following two links will take you to a wonderful 1971 recording by Claudio Arrau – be sure to listen to them in sequence as the first is for the beginning of the movement while the second is for the conclusion.

This movement begins with a quotation above the music of a poem by Otto Inkermann under the pseudonym C.O. Sternau.

Der Abend dammert, das Mondlicht scheint,
Da sind zwei Herzen in Liebe vereint
Und halten sich selig umfangen

Through evening’s shade, the pale moon gleams
While rapt in love’s ecstatic dreams
Two hearts are fondly beating.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrX9dz1HHoo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkLuQtzjxOA

When you follow these links you will also find links to the other four movements of the work from the same recording.

Enjoy and be at peace!