Intermezzo in E major (Op. 116 No. 6)

Walkthrough

Brahms’ late piano pieces are among his most personal and intimate music. This bittersweet, nostalgic Intermezzo is from the set of Fantasies, Op. 116, completed in 1892. Within the progression of harmonies in the outer sections we discover interweaving melodic lines; imagine a dialogue between a violin and a viola and the different tone colours this implies. Even though the texture changes in the middle section and in the coda, this conversation continues throughout.

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Resources & links

  • Piano Exam Pieces 2021 & 2022, Grade 8 is available from the ABRSM online shop here.
  • Click here to view open domain editions for these works (external link).
  • Click here to listen to a recording of this work from the ABRSM exam pieces album on Spotify (external link).

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