Brahms: Piano Quartets Nos. 1-3 (Complete)

The chamber works of Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) have long been seen as a window onto the German composer’s rigorous, intricate approach to composition and restrained yet Romantic style. This is true of his piano quartets; although he only composed three, in their individual characters and masterful control of musical material, they are an integral aspect of Brahms’s chamber output.

The Piano Quartet in G minor Op.25, the earliest of Brahms’s works in this genre, reveals the composer’s great creativity. Based on short motifs that are continuously extended and combined to form larger structures, it draws on song-like melodies in the first movement and Hungarian folk music in the finale, to create a work that, at times, seems to stray into the territory of orchestral music.

The second Quartet in A Op.26 is relaxed and expansive in comparison, with flowing, extended melodies that retain a sense of control and poise, while The Piano Quartet No.3 in C minor is the most dramatic, practically operatic in style. Since the initial release of this popular Brilliant Classics recording, its performers have gone from strength to strength. While Isabelle Faust has forged a reputation as one of the leading international violinists, particularly in chamber music, Derek Han, Bruno Giuranna and Alain Meunier are some of the most acclaimed musicians in their fields. Chamber music enthusiasts should not be without this world-class recording in their collections.

Following their autumn 2007 release of Brahms’s Double Concerto and Clarinet Quintet Renaud Capuçon and Gautier Capuçon further their plan to record the composer’s complete solo and chamber works for Virgin Classics.

After Renaud’s collaboration with Nicholas Angelich for the violin sonatas, later joined by Gautier for the piano trios, French violist Gérard Caussé joined them in Lugano last December to record Brahms three Piano Quartets.

The mid-priced set brings together on two CDs all three of Brahms’ piano quartets, which although they were composed at the same time (even though Op. 62 was first performed in 1875), are very different in character and mood, from a lighter and more poetic nature in the first 2, opus, to a darker more sombre atmosphere in Op. 60.

The Nash Ensemble is one of Britain’s finest chamber ensembles. With repertoire spanning the classical, romantic and contemporary and with over 255 new works in their repertoire including 118 commissions the Nash Ensemble has set a very high standard for future generations.

The series of recordings they made for ONYX of Brahms’s chamber works were highly praised both in the UK and internationally. Gathered together in one box with new booklet notes, these recordings represent music making at its highest level and superb value for money.

The Ames Piano Quartet, the resident chamber music ensemble at Iowa State University, holds a unique position in the chamber music field as one of the few piano quartets in the world. The combination of their lush string sound, blended with the orchestral quality of the piano, produces an exquisite and rare sonority that The Washington Post optly described as "one of the most heavenly combinations of instruments around."

This set, which contains passionate and brilliant interpretations of some of the greatest music in the piano quartet repertoire, embodies all of the releases by the ensemble over the last 20 years on Dorian Recordings, plus a bonus CD of two works that have never before been released on Dorian.