Search - Johannes Brahms, Gerhard Oppitz :: Brahms: Complete Piano Music [Box Set]

Wilhelm Kempff Would Be Proud

T. Beers | Arlington, Virginia United States | 07/18/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Among contemporary pianists who studied with the great German master Wilhelm Kempff, Gerhard Oppitz strikes me as the most Kempff-like. Very secure technically, Oppitz nevertheless is always keener to probe beneath the surface of the notes on the printed page than to play those notes as fast as possible. The end result never slights dramatic effect, but never mistakes dramatic effect as the most important element of a performance, particularly in music as elusive and multidimensional as the music of Brahms. Oppitz understands that Brahms's music is (structurally speaking) formed and 'carried' by the bass in a way that dictates that it be played as if the chords were unfolding .... the melodies shaped plastically and carried out from the inner notes of the chords, as it were .... but without sacrifice of rhythmic continuity. No small accomplishment, that! Julius Katchen takes a stricter approach that others admire more than I: an "all American" performance style that stresses quick tempos, rhythmic vigor and a bold projection of color and texture that neverthless seriously scants the subtleties of Brahms's musical language. For those who admire 'black and white' Brahms, Katchen remains a distinguished choice and his now 40+ year old analog recordings still sound impressive. But Oppitz offers a more thoughtful, three-dimensional Brahms that, to my ears, is just as exciting and even more appealing, plus he has been given truly first-rate digital recording."

Masterful, beautiful Brahms

R. Russell | FL, USA | 01/13/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's great to hear Oppitz perform all of Brahms' solo piano music. He has a deep, idiomatic understanding of the music and is wonderfully expressive. The packaging is nice and it's a treat to have all of this music in one set, especially at such a good price. Go for it!"

Magnificent Brahms

Roger Saxton | Las Cruces, New Mexico USA | 06/23/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I cannot imagine better performances of any of these pieces. The emotional impact of Oppitz's playing is overwhelming. He captures the

mood of each work perfectly. He plays with what can be best described as a flexible sound. At times it is pianoforte like, and at other times it rings out like a full orchestra. His use of the sustain pedal is very sparing; and when he does use it, it is with a subtlety that does not draw attention to itself. I will admit that this sound took awhile to get used to; but after listening to these discs a few times, it now seems

absolutely right for this music. One can hear each note clearly. There

is none of the muddiness that some performers bring to this music. These

performances would be worth having at any price; but at about $25.00 for

six discs and each disc having more than 70 minutes of music, this box set

is a steal! I cannot recommend it highly enough.



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