The Tanglewood concert. Brahms' beloved Piano Concerto No. 2, with Kurt Masur conducting the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, and Garrick Ohlsson the pianist. In today's Gazette (Page B5) I wrote that Ohlsson (click HERE) "sat down and did the job -- no frills, nothing funny, nothing amiss." I chose not to mention the few wrong notes, not wanting to skew the picture of this strong, insightful artist in the precious available space.

Ohllson rarely makes a note mistake, and when he does it doesn't happen on the repeat, but this Brahms monster is impossible to play without a missed note. Peter Serkin played it here last in 2006, almost perfectly, as did his father, Rudolf, in his time -- leaving out the left hand here and there. All the greats have had a go at it, including Brahms himself at the premiere, and maybe he had all the notes. (I bet not.)

Whoever plays it anywhere has big shoes to fill, and while there are some pieces in the pre-Brahms literature that suffer from the occasional clinker, this isn't one of them.

Ohlsson played the concerto very well and now you have the full picture.