Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 Op. 15, 16 Waltzes Op. 39 Emmanuel Despax, Miho Kawashima, BBC Symphony Orchestra & Andrew Litton

• Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897): Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15:
• 1 Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15: I. Maestoso 24:27
• 2 Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15: Ii. Adagio 14:26
• 3 Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15: Iii. Rondo. Allegro non troppo 13:05
• 16 Waltzes, Op. 39:
• 4 Brahms: 16 Waltzes, Op. 39: No. 1 in B Major 00:49
• 5 Brahms: 16 Waltzes, Op. 39: No. 2 in E Major 01:15
• 6 Brahms: 16 Waltzes, Op. 39: No. 3 in G-sharp Minor 01:10
• 7 Brahms: 16 Waltzes, Op. 39: No. 4 in E Minor 01:08
• 8 Brahms: 16 Waltzes, Op. 39: No. 5 in E Major 01:29
• 9 Brahms: 16 Waltzes, Op. 39: No. 6 in C-sharp Major 00:56
• 10 Brahms: 16 Waltzes, Op. 39: No. 7 in C-sharp Minor 02:00
• 11 Brahms: 16 Waltzes, Op. 39: No. 8 in B-Flat Major 01:06
• 12 Brahms: 16 Waltzes, Op. 39: No. 9 in D Minor 01:14
• 13 Brahms: 16 Waltzes, Op. 39: No. 10 in G Major 00:32
• 14 Brahms: 16 Waltzes, Op. 39: No. 11 in B Minor 01:30
• 15 Brahms: 16 Waltzes, Op. 39: No. 12 in E Major 01:58
• 16 Brahms: 16 Waltzes, Op. 39: No. 13 in C Major 00:34
• 17 Brahms: 16 Waltzes, Op. 39: No. 14 in A Minor 01:16
• 18 Brahms: 16 Waltzes, Op. 39: No. 15 in A Major 01:41
• 19 Brahms: 16 Waltzes, Op. 39: No. 16 in D Minor 01:11
• Total Runtime 01:11:47

Info for Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 Op. 15, 16 Waltzes Op. 39

New concerto recording from acclaimed French pianist. Following the acclaimed Bach recording 'Spira, Spera' in early 2021, Emmanuel Despax releases a recording of his most treasured piano concerto alongside the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Andrew Litton. The concerto is paired with the 16 Waltzes (op.39) for piano four-hands, performed here with his wife and fellow pianist, Miho Kawashima.

"Recording Brahms's Piano Concerto No. 1 is a childhood dream of mine, and it was wonderful to play it with such outstanding musicians. I have grown up with it, obsessively listening to all the recordings I could find for months on end, and it is hard to describe what this piece represents to me ... I wanted to pair the concerto with the exquisite Sixteen Waltzes, Op. 39 for piano four hands, and show a more intimate side of Brahms. Each one is a different shade, a different mood, like daily entries in one's personal diary. It was very special for me to be joined by my wife Miho Kawashima to record these charming and delightful pieces." Emmanuel Despax

Emmanuel Despax, piano
Miho Kawashima, piano
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Litton, conductor

Emmanuel Despax
has gained worldwide recognition as a singular artist, whose interpretations bring a rare sincerity and imagination to the music.

A remarkable performer of romantic and post-romantic music, he has been invited to give recital performances in the UK (Wigmore Hall’s London Pianoforte Series, Cadogan Hall, Chipping Campden and Petworth Festivals, and the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham, where he was appointed artistic director in 2020 of a complete Beethoven piano sonata cycle); in France (Louvre Auditorium, Salle Cortot, Salle Gaveau, International Festival Les Nuits Pianistiques in Aix-en-Provence, L’été Musical au Poujoula, and Les Nuits du Château de la Moutte in Saint-Tropez); Benelux (Amsterdam, The Hague and the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels); Cyprus (Pharos Arts Foundation); Italy (Fazioli auditorium); South America; and in Spain (Sociedad Filarmónica de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Mallorca).

Past engagements include two tours of New Zealand, hailed by critics for his recitals in the prestigious Fazioli International Piano Series in Auckland and concerto performances with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. In the UK, Emmanuel Despax has also played with the City of Birmingham Symphony and BBC Symphony Orchestras, among others. He is also regularly broadcast on Medici TV, France Musique, BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM UK.

Despax’s critically acclaimed discography includes: The Romantic Piano Concerto, released in 2018 and recorded with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (Hyperion) with works by Hans Bronsart and Anton Urspruch, two students of Liszt, demonstrated 'a wide range of colours combined with an easy virtuosity' (Gramophone). The previous year, Despax’s recording of Chopin’s Preludes Op 28 made an impression for 'its poetic rendering of every detail, transmuting the Fazioli into a 1900s Pleyel, iridescent as needs be' (Diapason, 2017), and was chosen as Classic FM’s Album of the Week. His first CD for Signum Classics in 2013 was devoted to piano concertos by Saint-Saëns (Concerto No 2) and Stephen Goss, written for Emmanuel Despax, as well as Franck’s Variations symphoniques.

Recent and forthcoming releases for Signum Classics highlight the eclecticism of the French pianist’s repertoire—ranging from the digital exclusive The Sound of Music Fantasy (Despax’s own transcription based on themes from the famous musical) to his Summer 2021 release of a Brahms album including the Sixteen Waltzes Op 39 and Piano Concerto No 1 with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Andrew Litton.

Born in Paris and now based in London, Emmanuel Despax started playing the piano in Aix-en-Provence before joining the Yehudi Menuhin School, then the Royal College of Music in London, studying with Ruth Nye, pupil of Claudio Arrau. He won numerous awards during his studies (Chappell Medal, Tagore Gold Medal), and benefited from the advice of Nikolai Demidenko, Leon Fleisher, John Lill, Yehudi Menuhin, Dominique Merlet, Mstislav Rostropovich, Murray Perahia and András Schiff.

Booklet for Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 Op. 15, 16 Waltzes Op. 39