The three Capriccios and four Intermezzos that make up Brahms' Fantasies (7), Op. 116, are a varied lot, with the former group livelier and often stormy in temperament and the latter generally serene and introspective. This Intermezzo in E major is perhaps the most intimate and subdued of the works in the set, its mood tentative and darkly ponderous in its opening material, but tender and lovely in the contrasting alternate theme.

Marked Adagio, this Intermezzo opens with a five-note motif that will permeate most of the piece with a sense of hesitation, even of obsession as it remains persistent in its constant recurrence. It alternates with a gentle theme played mostly in the upper register that imparts a sense of regret or of loss. Midway through another theme is presented, its beautiful music fluid and also quite intimate in its gentleness and warmth. This lovely oasis is short-lived, however, as the five-note, fate-like theme intrudes. But the lovely middle-section theme cannot be pushed aside for long and it soon makes a return, its touching music playing to the end, the five-note motif seemingly vanquished.

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This ruminative Intermezzo is an example of Brahms' "autumnal" style, at the same time being one of the composer's most radical experiments in upsetting our notions of meter. The piece's outer sections are in a sedate triple meter, built from two phrases of four measures each—materials for a potentially stodgy structure and rhythm. Yet there's also a song-like nature to this music, and its pauses naturally invite a degree of rubato, something that Brahms builds into the Intermezzo's central section. Here, the phrases take on highly irregular lengths, as if the pianist were improvising; it's an unlikely combination of extroversion and delicate fantasy. In mood, this is indeed an intermezzo between the more fiery first and third pieces of the composer's Op. 116 set.

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The Fantasies (7) in Brahms' Op. 116 set consist of four intermezzos and three capriccios (Nos. 1, 3, and 7), the former group rather serene if sometimes dark in character and the latter trio are stormy, troubled compositions that suggest an anxious, even angry frame of mind. That said, this Capriccio in G minor, for all the agitation and nervosity in its outer sections, features one of his most glorious and serene episodes as its central panel, serving as a kind of oasis in an unsettling emotional desert. This capriccio opens with an agitated downward swoop that struggles upward, forming a U-shaped contour that is then answered in kind in the middle register. Anxious Chopin-esque swirls of notes—sometimes rising, sometimes descending—alternate with it. The middle section features one of Brahms' most grandiose and confident creations, with a theme (Un poco meno allegro) that reaches into ecstatic realms of expression. The main material returns (Allegro passionato) to close out the piece, bringing along the same vehemence and agitation from its first appearance. This masterful capriccio typically has a duration of three minutes.

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The year 1892 was one of grieving for Brahms: his longtime friend Elizabeth von Herzogenberg died in January, and his sister Elise in June. The seven pieces in the Op. 116 were completed before those unsettling events impacted him, but one might assert that their often dark character may reflect the elderly Brahms' sense of his loved ones' ill health and imminent passing or even of his own mortality. Yet the feeling of serenity and ravishing beauty of the music in several of these works would argue against such speculation. This gorgeous Intermezzo in E major would certainly seem the product of a complacent and even happy Brahms.

Marked Andantino teneramente, it opens with a lovely theme played mostly in rich chords, the music imparting a sense of quietude and tranquility, but also attaining a glorious tone. The mood then seems to stir toward a more stormy character, but does not ultimately break the serene atmosphere. The ravishing beauty of the brighter but brief alternate theme, with its flowing lyrical sense and hints of yearning, also imparts a feeling of calm. The main theme returns and just when the music is fading slowly, the alternate melody appears briefly again, and then the work quietly closes. Most listeners should find this three-and-a-half minute gem a quite memorable piece.

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The three Capriccios and four Intermezzos that make up Brahms' Fantasies (7), Op. 116, are a varied lot, with the former group livelier and often stormy in temperament and the latter generally serene and introspective. This Intermezzo in E major is perhaps the most intimate and subdued of the works in the set, its mood tentative and darkly ponderous in its opening material, but tender and lovely in the contrasting alternate theme.

Marked Adagio, this Intermezzo opens with a five-note motif that will permeate most of the piece with a sense of hesitation, even of obsession as it remains persistent in its constant recurrence. It alternates with a gentle theme played mostly in the upper register that imparts a sense of regret or of loss. Midway through another theme is presented, its beautiful music fluid and also quite intimate in its gentleness and warmth. This lovely oasis is short-lived, however, as the five-note, fate-like theme intrudes. But the lovely middle-section theme cannot be pushed aside for long and it soon makes a return, its touching music playing to the end, the five-note motif seemingly vanquished.

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