Brahms and Arensky

Quintessential Russian and Viennese styles abound in this pairing of composers deeply embedded in their singular cultures. The Slavic melancholy of Arensky gives way to the exuberant flair of Brahms as we juxtapose works in both popular and formal idioms: Arensky’s miniatures for children and Brahms’s Hungarian Dances show the composers at their crowd-pleasing best, while their two piano trios reveal the depth and mastery that earned each legendary status and lasting appeal.