First things difficult: Murray Perahia, for me, misses of "Handel Variations." He puts it (theme) a party atmosphere in the village irrelevant. The variations are more or less successful but "we did not" For his Handel Variations, see without hesitation the magnificent disk Seta Tanyel published by Hyperion variations (with supplement, superb "Eroica Variations" by Beethoven ... Why this excellent pianist she is not better known in France?) . then it's improving a lot: excellent Rhapsodies op.79, close the best performers (eg Katchen.) But "Klavierstücke" op. 118 and 119 are valuable, to be counted among the very best versions (with, for me, Stephen Kovacevich). I admit I was taken aback by the comment of "Dream Fish": no, these pieces of Brahms older are NOT lyrical or heroic, For this, we must return to youth Brahms. Here we are with an aging composer, melancholy, who lives successive bereavements, and turns on his life anguished sadly. Deprivation and interiority are necessary for parts that Brahms described as "Berceusesde my pains." With Murray Perahia, we are ...
