<P> The work reflects Brahms's effort to combine the piano with the orchestra as equal partners in a symphonic - scale structure, in emulation of the classical concertos of Mozart and Beethoven . It thus differs from earlier Romantic concertos, where the orchestra effectively accompanied the pianist . Even for the young Brahms, the concerto - as - showpiece had little appeal . Instead, he enlisted both orchestra and soloist in the service of the musical ideas; technically difficult passages in the concerto are never gratuitous, but extend and develop the thematic material . Such an approach is thoroughly in keeping with Brahms's artistic temperament, but also reflects the concerto's symphonic origins and ambitions . His effort drew on both chamber music techniques and the pre-classical Baroque concerto grosso, an approach that later was fully realized in Brahms's Piano Concerto No. 2 . This first concerto also demonstrates Brahms's particular interest in scoring for the timpani and the horn, both of whose parts are difficult and prominent . </P> <P> Although composed in Brahms's youth, this concerto is a mature work that points forward to his later concertos and his Symphony No. 1 . Most notable are its scale and grandeur, as well as the thrilling technical difficulties it presents . As time passed, the work grew in popularity until it was recognized as a masterpiece . Brahms biographer Styra Avins calls it a "great" piece . Alfred Brendel considers it among the "purest Brahms", stating that to "...particularly the D - Minor Concerto, goes my love ." </P> <Ul> <Li> Sándor Falvai with the Hungarian State Orchestra and Antal Jancsovics (1978) </Li> <Li> Wilhelm Backhaus with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Sir Adrian Boult (November 28, 1932). </Li> <Li> Vladimir Horowitz with Arturo Toscanini and the New York Philharmonic - Symphony (March 17, 1935). </Li> <Li> Artur Schnabel with George Szell and the London Philharmonic Orchestra </Li> <Li> Arthur Rubinstein with Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1954) </Li> <Li> Leon Fleisher with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra (1958) </Li> <Li> Julius Katchen with Pierre Monteux conducting the London Symphony Orchestra (recorded Walthamstow Assembly Hall, 24--25 March 1959; issued on Decca LXT5546 / SXL2172) </Li> <Li> Glenn Gould with Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic (from a concert of April 6, 1962, famous for Bernstein's introductory remarks to the audience in which he said he was not in agreement with Gould's "remarkably broad tempi and...frequent departures from Brahms' dynamic indications"). </Li> <Li> Van Cliburn with Erich Leinsdorf and the Boston Symphony Orchestra (1964) </Li> <Li> Arthur Rubinstein with Bernard Haitink and the Concertgebouw Orchestra (1973, video) </Li> <Li> Arthur Rubinstein with Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (1976) </Li> <Li> Claudio Arrau with Bernard Haitink and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra </Li> <Li> Vladimir Ashkenazy with Bernard Haitink and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (1983) </Li> <Li> Clifford Curzon with George Szell and the London Symphony Orchestra (1962) </Li> <Li> Emil Gilels with Eugen Jochum and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra </Li> <Li> Bruno Leonardo Gelber with Franz - Paul Decker and the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, winner of the Grand Prix Du Disque </Li> <Li> Horacio Gutierrez with André Previn and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra </Li> <Li> Radu Lupu with Edo de Waart and the London Symphony Orchestra </Li> <Li> Krystian Zimerman with Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra </Li> <Li> Krystian Zimerman with Leonard Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1985, Deutsche Grammophon) </Li> <Li> Stephen Kovacevich with Sir Colin Davis and the London Symphony Orchestra </Li> <Li> Hélène Grimaud with Michael Gielen and the Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra (SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden - Baden und Freiburg) (April 17, 2005) </Li> <Li> Maurizio Pollini with Claudio Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (1977, Deutsche Grammophon) </Li> <Li> Maurizio Pollini with Christian Thielemann and the Staatskapelle Dresden (October 14, 2011, Deutsche Grammophon) </Li> <Li> Emanuel Ax with James Levine and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra </Li> <Li> Hélène Grimaud with Andris Nelsons and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (2013, Deutsche Grammophon) </Li> <Li> Daniel Barenboim with Gustavo Dudamel and the Staatskapelle Berlin (2015, Deutsche Grammophon) </Li> <Li> Alexis Weissenberg (1973) with Carlo Maria Giulini and the London Symphony Orchestra EMI Electrola </Li> </Ul> <Li> Sándor Falvai with the Hungarian State Orchestra and Antal Jancsovics (1978) </Li>

Piano concerto no. 1 in d minor op. 15