Brahms' beaming, dots et al

[David Ward]

I would be interested in comments from members of this forum about Brahms' notation here in his F minor Sonata Opus 120 No 1 (viola version) bars 184–186. (The example is from the Henle edition.)

It seems clear and straightforward to me, but I expect one would not be encouraged to notate like this nowadays. Or might one get away with it?

[John Ruggero]

It's clear and straightforward to me also and I think it would be a notational crime of the first order to change it in any way. Brahms has a syncopated five beat hemiola going in imitation between the parts and to top it off makes the last three beats in the piano a quadruplet. It's actually a somewhat difficult spot to interpret. I've performed it many times, since my sister is a clarinetist and it's been my destiny to work with several clarinetists.