Johannes Brahms enjoyed a bit of understatement every now and then, and whenever his second piano concerto was the object of discussion, he called it his “little” concerto – although it was more than clear that, with its four movements (including Scherzo), he was giving his contemporaries something truly symphonic to chew on. The press didn't hesitate long: soon it was being derisively called “piano symphony,” which, however, did nothing to prevent its popularity.