Brahms: 7 Fantasies, Op. 116, 4 Klavierstücke, Op. 119 & Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 2

Brahms’s Op. 119 Klavierstücke are fantastic pieces, little gnomic aphorisms packed with ideas while staying actually beautiful. The first one sets the paradigm, with a descending chain of notes that’s both a desolate melody and a framework on which the rest of the piece blossoms. Sure, it’s 19th century sad-boy music, sure Brahms’s music can be dense and unfriendly, but these pieces are can be visited from so many different angles that they’re worth the trouble.