Written in Vienna in 1864, and perhaps an early tribute to the city he had made his home, Brahms’s Waltzes, Op. 39 were originally conceived as piano duets (available on Naxos 8.553139) and arranged for solo piano in 1867. These exquisite miniatures are characterised by a joyful abandon not usually associated with this composer. With their quasi-orchestral texture, the two Rhapsodies, Op. 79 alternate passages of passionate urgency and tender lyricism. Dedicated to ‘a beloved friend’ Clara Schumann, the Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel are a remarkable series of 25 variations varying in mood and texture, followed by a final fugue showing consummate mastery of the form.