Brahms

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Everything.

Very helpful. 

[The new erato]

Well - Brahms was one of the most selfcritical composers ever, and in my experience, the one with the most even quality in his published works. Everything is of course not "necessary" (what is?) - but I very seldom encounter works I don't find worthwhile. As for where one should start, that depends on one's personal preferences. What about the two wonderful op 91 songs?

[zamyrabyrd]

Everything.

Well, maybe the first Piano Sonata is not the best example of his work, and SOME of the songs cross the line into sentimental. However, most everything else is GREAT.
High on my list are: Cello and Piano Sonatas played by Firkusny and Founier, The Requiem conducted by Bruno Walter with Irmgard Seefried, and the D minor Piano Concerto with Fleisher and Szell.

ZB

[lukeottevanger]

Well, maybe the first Piano Sonata is not the best example of his work

...nor is the second - it's perhaps slightly lesser than the first, in fact. Then there are a couple of very juvenile things which don't really count. But that's about it. After that, it's pretty faultless all the way.

That said, as well as the most obvious pieces - symphonies, concertos, Requiem, mid- and late piano music, Piano and Clarinet Quintets - I'd encourage people to explore:

- the choral/orchestral works outside the Requiem and the Alto Rhapsody where they will find plenty of pieces every bit as fine, potent and striking (Nanie, Schiksalslied, Gesang der Parzen, Begrabnisgesang, even the nowadays-little-played Triumphlied, which is as fine a piece of its type as one could imagine)

- all the chamber music - it is impossible to single out a work, even to find a single weak piece. My favourite, FWIW - the first piano trio, the horn trio, the clarinet trio, the first two piano quartets, the first two string quartets (gorgeously dense, not clogged as some would have it), the string quintets (especially the first) and the clarinet quintet. Though the Piano Quintet is an awesome work it isn't among my favourites; though the String Sextets are deeply charming, ditto. Of course the sonatas - cello, violin, clarinet - are unsurpassable. Grumiaux's disc of the Violin Sonatas is almost certainly my single most-played-disc of any composer.

- as suggested elsewhere, the Schumann Variations op 9 - early Brahms at his most Romantically subjective

- the Serenades - almost symphonies, how can they be passed up!

and so on and on

[Symphonien]

- the Serenades - almost symphonies, how can they be passed up!

I would second these Serenades without hesitation. They were actually the first Brahms works I was exposed to and I still never get tired of them. I recommend Mackerras's recording.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

- the choral/orchestral works outside the Requiem and the Alto Rhapsody where they will find plenty of pieces every bit as fine, potent and striking (Nanie, Schiksalslied, Gesang der Parzen, Begrabnisgesang, even the nowadays-little-played Triumphlied, which is as fine a piece of its type as one could imagine)

Yes, that's a great lineup of little known Brahms.

Rinaldo, too, is fascinating. Novel in its construction (choral work w/ one soloist - a tenor) yet lively and expertly arranged. Somehow this forty minute(!) work gets overlooked but taken on its own terms it repays time invested.

It's sunnier than usual for a lengthy Brahms piece, despite the subject matter. Although that could be the recording's doing.