Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Started by BachQ, April 07, 2007, 03:23:22 AM

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BachQ

Johannes Brahms (May 7, 1833 - Apr. 1897)

For me, Brahms is a "soul mate" composer.  Much (but not all) of his music touches me very deeply on every level: spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and even physically.  His greatest works not only withstand repeated listening, but they acquire a greater, deeper significance over time.  For links to Brahms Bios, Click Here

  For a GMG Brahms Bio Thread, Click Here

Currently, my dozen favorite works are, (roughly in order):

1.   Piano Concerto no. 1 in d minor (op 15)
2.   Symphony no. 4
3.   Piano Concerto no. 2 in b flat (op 73)
4.   Ein Deutsches Requiem
5.   Violin Concerto
6.   Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel (op 24)
7.   Symphony no. 3
8.   Symphony no. 1
9.   Paganini Variations
10.   Piano Quartet op. 25 (and as orch. by Schoenberg)
11.   Clarinet Quintet
12.   Symphony no. 2

The list of other masterpieces is considerable, including (this list is a work-in-progress):

     --     Double Concerto
     --     Symphony no. 2
     --     Haydn Variations
     --     Overtures (Tragic / Academic Festival)
     --     Late Piano Pieces
     --     Sonatas for Piano 1/2/3
     --     Variations (on original theme; on a theme by Schumann)
     --     Alto Rhapsody
     --     Triumphlied
     --     Lieder
     --     Sonatas for Violin
     --     Sonatas for Cello
     --     Sonata for Clarinet
     --     String Quartets
     --     Piano Quartets
     --     Piano Quintet
     --     Trios (horn trio)
     --     Motets
     --     Organ Works
     --     Serenades

Johannes Brahms Links

Grove Dictionary of Music

List of Works

johannesbrahms.org

American Brahms Society

Classical Music Archives

Classical.net

Brahms Museum

Links to Biographies of Brahms

Que

Quote from: D Minor on April 07, 2007, 03:23:22 AM
Brahms' Brewpub

For me, Brahms is a "soul mate" composer.  Much (but not all) of his music touches me very deeply on every level: spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and even physically.  His greatest works not only withstand repeated listening, but they acquire a greater, deeper significance over time. 

Same here D Minor.
As much as I adore Bach's music, Brahms is my soul mate.

BTW, I have Brahm's favourite pub in my avatar. ;D

Q

BachQ

#2
Quote from: Que on April 07, 2007, 03:29:37 AM

BTW, I have Brahm's favourite pub in my avatar. ;D

Q

Yes, the Red Hedgehog

BachQ

#3
Some of my favorite Brahms pictures:











  :D




lukeottevanger

#4
Well, you know, it is many years since I've gone on about Brahms on a board like this one. I've rarely talked about him for a long time - it's possible I talked myself out, in fact. To be honest, he is about the only composer I feel as passionately personal about as I do about Janacek. For me, though, the essence of Brahms is the other way around to D minor's - chamber/solo music first (and vocal/choral too), orchestral last: the concertos and symphonies may be his biggest statements, but they are outnumbered and out-Brahmsed by the chamber pieces, whose quality is utterly staggering, from smallest detail to largest effect, and whose every bar seems to contain something awesome, intimate, cathartic, ingenious. Then again, that has to be read against the fact that, temperamentally, I tend overwhelmingly towards chamber music rather orchestral - it's only my personal inclination.

So, though I adore the orchestral music and consider it the very pinnacle of the repertoire, the Brahms I couldn't be without comprises: the late piano music, the Schumann Variations( :o - how's that for an unexpected choice?), the sets of duo sonatas (listening to op 78 right now!), the various trios (op 8 - second version - Horn, and Clarinet especially), the quartets (SQ 1+2 above all), quintets (CQ and SQ 2 above all) and sextets, the sublime Nanie, Gesang der Parzen and, to be quirky but honest,  the Geistliches Lied

BachQ

Quote from: lukeottevanger on April 07, 2007, 03:47:13 AM
To be honest, he is about the only composer I feel as passionately personal about as I do about Janacek.

Luke, you've been harboring this secret for all of these years!  :D

lukeottevanger

No secret, but as I say, I splurged all my gushingest, purplest prose on Brahms on boards long gone, and felt the need for a little abstinence ;D However, I get the feeling that all the gush has been building up over the years and it won't take much to set it free. Yuck. :-X

lukeottevanger

For instance, Mr Menuhin has now got to the second half of the slow movement op 108 and I've going to  have to be very careful to contain myself when that gypsy double stopping flares up.... 8)

BachQ

Quote from: lukeottevanger on April 07, 2007, 04:02:20 AM
No secret, but as I say, I splurged all my gushingest, purplest prose on Brahms on boards long gone, and felt the need for a little abstinence ;D

:D

Perhaps Robert Schumann garners the prize for the purplest praise of Brahms, when Schumann wrote in  Neue Bahnen (New Paths) that Brahms was the musical Messiah the artistic world had been awaiting since Beethoven's death.  :D



hornteacher

One of my favorite Brahms pieces is the String Sextet in Bb Op. 18.  In my opinion it doesn't get nearly enough credit.  Its a beautiful work.  (Hey, it made a Vulcan cry on television so it's got to be pretty darn good).  ;D

BachQ

Quote from: hornteacher on April 07, 2007, 06:22:22 AM
One of my favorite Brahms pieces is the String Sextet in Bb Op. 18.  In my opinion it doesn't get nearly enough credit.  Its a beautiful work.  (Hey, it made a Vulcan cry on television so it's got to be pretty darn good).  ;D

Very true . . . . . it rarely gets mentioned . . . . .

Quote from: hornteacher on April 07, 2007, 06:22:22 AM
Its a beautiful work.  (Hey, it made a Vulcan cry on television so it's got to be pretty darn good).  ;D

I assume you're talking about Star Trek . . . . . . Movie or TV?

bhodges

I fell in love with Brahms' music at a very early age: we had Bruno Walter's recording of the Fourth Symphony at home (an old LP), and I played it to death.  The other three symphonies followed soon after, and I love all of them, but the Fourth still speaks to me the most deeply.

Around the same time (roughly age 16 or so) I heard a live performance of his Four Songs for Women's Chorus, Two Horns and Harp, Op. 17, and was transported.  I could go on and on, but I can't recall a single Brahms work -- orchestral, choral, chamber music, solo piano -- that I don't like.  High praise.

--Bruce

hornteacher

Quote from: D Minor on April 07, 2007, 07:06:32 AM
Very true . . . . . it rarely gets mentioned . . . . .

I assume you're talking about Star Trek . . . . . . Movie or TV?


Okay I'm going to fly my "geek flag" here but the Brahms Sextet was used in a Next Generation episode called "Sarek" in which the Vulcan cries at a ship concert.  There are two excerpts during the scene, one from the 1st mvt of Mozart's Dissonance SQ, and the other from the 2nd mvt of the Brahms.  Its a rather good scene and it actually has no dialogue for about two minutes while the music is playing.

hornteacher

Quote from: D Minor on April 07, 2007, 03:40:36 AM
Some of my favorite Brahms pictures:


May I compliment you on your excellent taste!  ;D 8) ;D

Maciek

Quote from: hornteacher on April 07, 2007, 08:21:57 AM
May I compliment you on your excellent taste!  ;D 8) ;D

And me too ;D:

Quote from: D Minor on April 07, 2007, 03:40:36 AM
Some of my favorite Brahms pictures:

  :D


(And the choice of the image source is interesting/telling as well ;))

BTW, how about the ones with Bernstein (especially no. 2)?

Anyway, I adore Brahms too!

Maciek

BachQ

Quote from: MrOsa on April 07, 2007, 10:25:55 AM
BTW, how about the ones with Bernstein (especially no. 2)?

Zimerman/Bernstein/VPO/DG is an outstanding Brahms PC #2.  It remains one of my favorite post-1980 recordings of the B Flat concerto.  And the video of this is to die for (I know it was available on VHS; not sure if it's on DVD).  Zimerman/Bernstein with the D Minor concerto is also excellent (also on video).

Que

#18
Any takers for the double concerto?  :)





Quote from: D Minor on April 07, 2007, 03:33:47 AM
Yes, the Hedge Hog (I believe?)

Yes, Brahms' favourite pub (more of an inn - "Gasthof") was called "Zum Rothen Igel" (In the Red Hedgehog). :)

Q

Maciek

Quote from: D Minor on April 07, 2007, 11:35:50 AM
Zimerman/Bernstein/VPO/DG is an outstanding Brahms PC #2.

You took the words out of my mouth. :D

Maciek