“Nada in Hamburg with Johannes Brahms,” released on May 7, 2016, Brahms’ 183rd Birthday, includes Variations on a Hungarian Theme (Op. 21 No. 2), Chaconne for the violin arranged for left hand alone after J.S. Bach (Étude No. 5), Sonata Op. 1 No. 1 in C Major, and Étude for Piano for the left hand after Franz Schubert (Étude No. 6).
Of the five works on the album, three are from the Organ Chorales, Op. 122. These pieces represent the first recording of these chorales on piano, in Brahms’ exact organ writing.
The New CD “Nada in Hamburg with Johannes Brahms” has been heard all over the world…
From the President of MEIIEnterprises…
“I am very happy to report that in the last week, on only one out of 24 digital partners, Spotify, tracks from Nada’s album were streamed almost 300 times! The official release date for the album in terms of digital distribution was May 7, Brahms’ birthday. In effect, in little over a week, tracks from Nada’s latest album have been heard several hundred times… Further evidence of early success is that of MEII Enterprises top 10 tracks in the last week, nine of them were from Nada’s Brahms album, and she is receiving international digital distribution to boot!”
REVIEWS
“Yes, there are lots of Brahms discs out there but they are not all of the same caliber or quality – neither by way of musicianship or interpretive artistry. I find Nada’s approach to Brahms to have a unique combination of both Romantic and Classical sensibility, which is the perfect approach for Brahms, but which is not always, or even often, found among other recordings. Also, its not often that you hear the Chaconne/Left Hand, or the Schubert inspired Etude for Left Hand on a Brahms program – so I also think there is a uniqueness and innovation to the approach of repertoire. Additionally, the recording quality gives the piano/performance an immediate feel – it is not a big, bombastic piano sound, but a balanced sound yet with a great dynamic range that I find draws the listener in – and most importantly is Nada’s interpretation – I find that she reveals the depth of poetry in Brahms’ music, and even makes it her own, in a uniquely insightful way – she brings out nuances & subtleties that are not always encountered in this music, and all of that is due to her artistry.” – Phoenix Classical (April 2016)
“What I find particularly persuasive and spellbinding, really, about Nada’s performance is the crystalline purity of her tone and transparency of her voicing. There’s such clarity to her playing and in the recording of her Yamaha piano, captured by engineer Adam Copelin in Louisville’s TNT Studios, that one has the feeling of being a page-turned sitting right by Nada’s side.
This is a gorgeous Brahms piano program from beginning to end, one that largely avoids duplicating many of the composer’s more familiar works encountered on so many discs, and one that showcases the talent of a heretofore probably unfamiliar pianist to most readers in the exceptional playing and artistry of Nada .” – Fanfare Magazine (November 2016 )
“This disc is described as “Chapter One” of, presumably, a traversal of Brahms’s complete piano music. Nada’s playing is quite something, and lovers of Brahms should be eager to hear a pianist with a special affinity for the full range of his piano music.” – Fanfare Magazine (December 2016)
“. . . there is no doubting Nada’s resonance with Brahms’ writing: she explores the quicksilver Variations on a Hungarian Theme with aplomb, and finds dignity in the Bach/Brahms Chaconne, the Baroque gestures beautifully melding with the more Romantic pedalling.” – Colin Clarke, International Piano, UK, November-December 2016
“This all-Brahms recital by a Lebanese master reveals an artist with a real affinity for the composer’s style.” – Gary Lemco, Audiophile Audition (August 14, 2016)
Read Review
“Before playing Nada in Hamburg – Johannes Brahms (MEII Enterprises 261 43930)…” – WholeNote review, December 2016, Toronto, Canada
Quotes
“Nada plays Brahms with elegance! …Intensive Musicality and Harmony. Superb technique, clarity and sensibility.” – Composer/Director Marwan Rahbani (Rahbani Productions, Dubai, UAE)
“The cosmopolitan pianist, Nada gives thoughtful, sensitive performances to lessor known Brahms compositions. Especially moving are the surprising three chorales, originally written for organ, which are a fresh revelation to unsuspecting ears.” – Composer Michael Torke, USA
“The Brahms CD from pianist Nada is sublime! An understanding coming straight from the heart. A fabulous technique at the service of the deepest human expression! A great musician! A great CD!” – Composer Bechara El Khoury (France)
