Johannes Brahms, 1833-1897

Piano Trio No. 1 in B major, Op. 8, 1854, revised 1890

In 1854, laboring under the “curse” of Schumann’s glowing predictions for Germany’s new rising star, a young twenty-one year old Brahms decided to publish his first chamber composition, the Piano Trio in B major, Op. 8. This was no small undertaking: Brahms was a fierce self-critic and is known to have consigned several early chamber works to the fire. Thirty-five years later, in 1890, with all but a few final works ahead, the mature, master Brahms returned to the same trio compelled to revise. With his characteristic humor, Brahms claimed, “I didn’t provide it with a new wig, just combed and arranged its hair a little”. His changes were in fact substantial: « more »