Steve Schwartz:

>It interests me that the sonatas Brahms wrote for his own instrument,
>the piano, should hold players and listeners less than his others.  The
>youth of the piano sonatas may have something to do with that.  I myself
>find them turgid, overstuffed, and surprisingly monochromatic, unlike
>his Rhapsodies and his late Intermezzi, for example.

An early experience of one of Brahms' piano sonatas struck me--rightly
or wrongly--as without clear structure or charm, in stark contrast with
his brilliant Handel Variations.  In consequence I have never bothered
to make closer acquaintance with the piano sonatas.  Can anyone suggest
any performances that might change my mind?

Jim Tobin