Brahms announced his retirement from composing on more than one occasion, but these are among the last solo pieces he wrote for piano. By contrast, the Op 4 scherzo is the work of an eighteen-year-old, and the earliest he approved for publication.
CDA68226 71 minutes 32 seconds
‘Ohlsson leaves the best till last. The Op 4 Scherzo, written when Brahms was just 18, has a driving excitement, a febrile quality that is thrilling. And, with his easy brand of virtuosity, he sounds ... BBC Music Magazine ‘[Garrick Ohlsson] totally won me over with the depth, warmth and power of the performances. It’s big-boned Brahms … but played with such freedom and affection, and it’s a recording that manages ...