Cellist Clancy Newman played the tricky Cello Sonata No. 2 Op. 99. In the opening seconds, the primary melody encompasses opposite extremes in the cello's range, and few performers are comfortable enough with it to account for why. Newman's exceptional technique seeks not to scintillate but integrate, spotlighting individual notes without having them step out of a meaningful legato line. Thus, he projected interpretive ideas even in Brahms' knottiest moments, making the opening passage a musical question and answer - and a matter of utmost importance. From there, no other performance of Op. 99 (and as a Brahms geek, I've heard plenty) so masterly told the story of this piece.