Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 83 & 3 Intermezzi, Op.117

The opening horn solo steps straightforwardly; the plaintive answering wind chorale picks up. The forte piano scales, brilliant and peremptory, propel the theme into a precipitate but firmly grounded tutti, setting things in motion. But it's a feint: Piemontesi and Honeck bring out the composer's lyrical, autumnal side. It's the quieter passages that linger in the mind's ear. The violins shape the second group gracefully. As the exposition winds down, the strings establish a nice relaxation and hush, and the reeds and piano fall in line. (Piemontesi properly treats his solo part as obbligato.) The winds are searching in the development, the soloist projects the softer runs with bell-like tones, and the shift into the recap elides smoothly.

Piemontesi launches the Allegro appassionato ominously but not as a full-on outburst; the performance is tumultuous, not volcanic. The strings' hushed pianos and the soloist's delicate ones all produce clear, open textures. (Mild complaint: A perceived final ending in fact leads to another full go-round.) The Andante's vibrant yet restrained cello solo presages a series of prolonged ruminations, though they don't quite suspend time. And Piemontesi sparkles in the graceful, affirmative finale.

The Gewandhaus strings retain their traditional homogeneous blend and soft-edged attacks. The wind timbres are polished and uniform but slightly neutralized. The principal horn could use more velvet, but control is impeccable.

The Opus 117 Intermezzi bring a few surprises. The close of the B-flat minor is unexpectedly grim. The maggiore in the middle of the C-sharp minor is oddly ambivalent. Piemontesi sensitively and wistfully inflects the chorales, but the arpeggiated textures come off as monochromatic and thick.