Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1

In 1857, Brahms wrote to his friend Joseph Joachim about his
first Piano Concerto, saying, “ “I have no judgment about this
piece anymore, nor any control over it.”  Brahms first began
sketching his first piano concerto in 1853, but it would be five
full years before Brahms finished the piece, and another year
until its first performance.  During that time, the piece
became a Sonata, then a symphony, then a sonata for two pianos,
and then finally a concerto for Piano and orchestra, or as the
joke goes, a concerto for piano VERSUS orchestra.  The
piece, and Brahms’ struggles with it, are completely
understandable considering Brahms’ youth, and the extraordinarily
tumultuous circumstances of his private life during the years of
1853-1858.  During this time period, he was anointed by no
less than the kingmaker of classical music at the time, Robert
Schumann, as the Chosen One that represented the future of music.
He became friendly with both Robert and Clara Schumann, began
achieving huge successes, then witnessed the slow mental
breakdown of Robert, culminating in a suicide attempt and
institutionalization, all while falling deeper and deeper in love
with Clara Schumann, and she with him.  The turbulence and
emotional weight of all of this is reflected in one of Brahms’
most impassioned works, the first piano concerto.  We’ll
talk about the historical background for the piece, Brahms’
working out process, and of course, the structure and insides of
this massive, daunting piece.