If Piano Concerto No. 1 is considered an early representative work, then Piano Concerto No. 2, born at the peak of Brahms's career, can certainly be called his magnum opus. Just as Beethoven's middle-period masterpieces are sometimes referred to as a "forest of masterpieces," Brahms too, during this period, had deeply entered his own forest.

During his time in Vienna, his mother passed away, and the subsequent publication of A German Requiem (1868), composed in response to her death, solidified Brahms's reputation as a composer. Then, in 1876, after nearly 20 years of composition, Symphony No. 1 was completed, and the following year, Symphony No. 2 was already premiered. Piano Concerto No. 2, written during this period when Brahms's symphonic works finally saw concrete realization, naturally deepened its symphonic aspects compared to its predecessor. Its performance time of 50 minutes was quite long for a concerto of that era. However, the work was highly acclaimed, and immediately after its premiere, it was repeatedly performed in various locations.

The three-movement concerto framework of "slow-fast-slow" established by Mozart is here readily abandoned, with a deeply emotional scherzo placed in the second movement as a structural characteristic. Furthermore, unlike concertos designed as showpieces for virtuosos (who fully display their skills with orchestral accompaniment), or like his own First Concerto which showcases various styles such as solo, chamber, and symphonic music, this work, while presenting a robust and independent solo part, is fundamentally based on a symphonic conception. In the third movement, the solo cello playing the theme is also noteworthy. Rather than a "piano versus orchestra" dynamic, it carries a stronger nuance of a "symphony with piano."