At the beginning of 1854, after his soaring fortunes at age 21, Johannes Brahms set out to write his Trio in B major for Piano, Violin and Cello. The trio was originally issued in November 1854 after the young Brahms experienced a series of emotional highs and a personal tragedy.
Thirty five years later Brahms wrote to Clara Schumann on September 3, 1889, “With what childish amusement I whiled away the beautiful summer days you will never guess. I have rewritten my B major Trio…. It will not be as wild as before – but will it be better?”
Brahms’ publisher, Simrock, issued the revised score in February 1891, but Brahms did not formally withdraw the original, allowing both versions to exist, thereby providing a rare glimpse into the compositional workshop of one of the most secretive of all the great composers.
Here is the Brahms Piano trio #1:
