the brahms project

“Brahms, with a perfectionist’s fanatical zeal, wrote, rewrote, and ultimately destroyed more than 20 string quartets before publishing a pair of exceptionally exquisite pieces at the age of 40, breathing new life into the old bones of an exacting chamber music form.”
— Robert Greenberg, composer and educator

More than six years ago, we began performing the complete quartets, quintets and sextets of Johannes Brahms. In the intervening years, we have presented them in many different venues with different collaborators, and frequently, when practical, in chronological order. This has yielded surprising insights and some stunning perspectives. Imagine for example, hearing the G major Viola Quintet Op. 111 in the same program alongside the B minor Clarinet Quintet Op. 115.

In one of the most memorable such sequences, at our urging (abetting really) our first violinist Zak Grafilo was persuaded to transcribe several of Brahms’ gorgeous piano works for string quartet which we included in the programming, enabling us to maintain the chronological sequence, and to better balance the programs for both length and contrast. For example, in the combination listed above, the inclusion of the A Major Intermezzo Op. 118 #2 was a perfectly paced and particularly beautiful addition. (The newly recorded Intermezzo is included in our new release, Brahms' String Quartets, FCL 2022.)

With that release, you can now hear all of the component parts: Brahms' String Quartets (and the Intermezzo) are available on FCL 2022. Brahms' Clarinet Quintet (paired with Mozart's Clarinet Quintet), featuring clarinetist Eli Eban, is on FCL 2021. Brahms’ Piano Quintet (paired with Schumann’s Piano Quintet), featuring pianist Joyce Yang, is available on FCL 2014. The String Quintets and Sextets, featuring violist Toby Appel and cellist David Requiro, are offered as a 2-CD set on FCL 2012. The Clarinet Quintet can also be heard with Joan Enric Lluna on In Friendship (FCL 2007). And two of Brahms’ piano works, transcribed for string quartet by Zak (Ballade in D Major and the previous recording of Intermezzo), can be heard on With Strings Attached (FCL 2006).

All of these recordings have been made under optimal conditions, recorded at St. Stephens in Belvedere, CA.

Read more about this interesting journey — In the Works.

Brahms on Foghorn Classics:

Brahms String Quartets (with newly recorded Intermezzo)

Brahms & Mozart — Clarinet Quintets

Brahms & Schumann — Piano Quintets

Brahms String Quintets and Sextets

In Friendship

With Strings Attached

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Read about ASQ collaborations with:

William Kanengiser
Eli Eban
Kindra Scharich
Joyce Yang
Cindy Cox
David Requiro
Toby Appel
Joan Enric Lluna
SF Choral Artists
Stephen Malinowski

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All Foghorn Classics offerings have been immeasurably enriched by the annotations (liner notes) of Eric Bromberger and the photography of Rory Earnshaw.

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In addition, we have been privileged to work with these wonderfully creative producers and engineers:

Matt Carr
David Samuel
Judith Sherman
Jeanne Velonis
Robert Shumaker
James Frazier
Michelle Dulak-Thomson