7 Fantasien, Op. 116 (Complete)( Brahms).

Fantasias, Op 116, is a curious title for a collection of pieces consisting of three capriccios and four intermezzos. Brahms had used the same labels of ‘capriccio’ and ‘intermezzo’ to indicate a division between agitated and more serene pieces for the individual numbers of a similar collection he had composed some fourteen years before; these earlier pieces had appeared under a more neutral banner as eight Clavierstücke, Op 76.
Brahms sent the Op 116 pieces to Fritz Simrock with the instruction that they should be issued in two volumes of three and four pieces respectively, though in view of the exceptionally strong unity underlying the set as a whole the composer’s desire to divide it in this way was surprising.
The Fantasies (German Fantasien) were composed by Johannes Brahms in the Austrian town of Bad Ischl during the summer of 1892. The set consists of seven pieces entitled Capriccio or Intermezzo, though Brahms originally considered using "Notturno" for No. 4 and "Intermezzo" for No. 7.
The pieces were published by N. Simrock in December 1892, and represent the end of Brahms's long break from composing piano pieces.
First performances were on:
18th January, 1893, in Vienna (Nos.1-3)
18th February, 1893, in Vienna (No.7)
15th March, 1893, in London (No.6)
The seven movements are:
1. Capriccio: Presto energico (energetically very fast) in 3/8, feeling like one-beat in a bar.
2. Intermezzo: Andante (slow) in 3/4.
3. Capriccio: Allegro passionato (passionately fast) in split common time (2/2).
4. Intermezzo: Adagio (very slow) in 3/4.
5. Intermezzo: Andante con grazia ed intimissimo sentimento (gracefully slow and sentimentally intimate) in 6/8.
6. Intermezzo: Andantino teneramente (fairly slow with tenderness) in 3/4.
7. Capriccio: Allegro agitato (fast, and wayward with tempo) in 2/4.
(In the first piece Brahms uses the full range of the piano, with strong off-beats
The second piece is full of yearning [un-requited love?]
The third has a recurring descending chord which suggests a very strong tension emanating from the composer. The middle section, in the soft, warm key of Eb major, has a deep passionate feel to it.
The fourth is very tender, with a questioning motif in the first part and a 'raise one's heart', and hopes, in the central section.
The fifth has a quizzical nature, as if Brahms is inwardly considering whether his admiration would ever be reciprocated.
The sixth is of a quiet, contemplative , reflective mood.
The seventh has great strength, ending with a powerful determination).
(Brahms threw away a great number of his compositions, as well as musical ideas which he considered not to be expressing what he wanted to say, musically. Therefore, it would be insensitive to play these pieces as if they were tossed out of his mind, rather than wrenched from his soul. To this end, I prefer to play these pieces in a deep and sombre way, giving weight to the creative process, as opposed to how a great many performers play them).
(I prefer to observe the composer's markings, particularly in the case of rests, which many pianists ignore, preferring to put the pedal down throughout, washing these rests away).
(Brahms is the one composer who seems to have eras of the public liking his compositions, or times when he is out of favour: this is one of those latter eras! It would be best to listen to the whole collection of these pieces to get a flavour of the man and his innermost thoughts, sometimes angry, frustrated, tender, loving or non=plussed!)
GlynGlynn, alias GB, realiser.
Please feel free to leave any comments, be they good, bad, or indifferent as to whether the piece, or the performance, moved you in any way whatsoever!
(Since music is an aural art, and not a visual one, it is best to listen to these pieces, and other artists performances, with eyes closed, so as to be able to listen intently as to how the music is portrayed).