The Berlin Philharmonic Piano Quartet brings a rare complete performance of Brahms’ Piano Quartets to Shanghai on May 15 at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center. Formed by top musicians from the Berlin Philharmonic and award-winning soloists, the ensemble presents all three of Brahms’ piano quartets in one evening. The concert offers a deep dive into some of the most powerful works of Romantic chamber music.

About the Concert

The Berlin Philharmonic Piano Quartet will perform in Shanghai on May 15 at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center, presenting a rare complete program of Brahms’ three Piano Quartets in a single evening. The ensemble is formed by members of the Berlin Philharmonic and internationally awarded soloists, bringing together a high-level chamber music lineup rarely seen in one production.

The program focuses on Johannes Brahms’ three piano quartets, widely regarded as cornerstones of Romantic chamber music. These works combine symphonic scale with chamber intimacy, offering both emotional depth and structural complexity across the entire cycle.

Performers

The Berlin Philharmonic Piano Quartet consists of:

• Louis Esnault (violin) – Berlin Philharmonic violinist and youngest laureate of the Sarasate International Violin Competition
• Matthew Hunt (viola) – Winner of the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition and member of the Berlin Philharmonic’s chamber ensembles
• Knut Weber (cello) – Active chamber and solo cellist, performing with orchestras including the Vienna-Berlin Chamber Orchestra and Dallas Symphony Orchestra
• Markus Groh (piano) – First German pianist to win the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition

Program

• Johannes Brahms – Piano Quartet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 26
• Johannes Brahms – Piano Quartet No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 60
• Johannes Brahms – Piano Quartet No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 25

The program will be performed in full in one evening, with the three quartets presented in their entirety.

Why Go

This concert offers a chance to hear all three of Brahms’ piano quartets performed in a single sitting, something that is seldom presented in full on international stages. With musicians drawn from the Berlin Philharmonic and leading competition winners, the performance brings together a level of precision and interpretive authority that defines top-tier chamber music. For audiences in Shanghai, it is an opportunity to experience Brahms’ most dramatic and emotionally charged chamber works in their complete form, performed by an ensemble deeply rooted in the tradition of one of the world’s most respected orchestras.