In this Brahms cello solo, the ear expects one chord and Brahms writes another, a harmonic surprise that's easy to play past without deciding what it means. Camden Shaw shows how to choose the character of that unexpected chord, and why the return to the opening key should feel like an exhale rather than an accent.
Shaw demonstrates the importance of legato and continuous vibrato playing to make a long Brahms line. Shaw also explains how to interpret the "slur with dots" marking that is so crucial to this excerpt.
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