What work/piece is Brahms best known for, and what instrument(s)? A symphony? Concerto? In particular. Thanks. Tough question and unfocused, I know. Another way of putting it is this way: I am going to delve into Brahms' music a bit. Where should I go first? What are his "standard" works? Thanks in advance.
The most well-known pieces would probably be the Requiem, 1st and 4th symphonies and two piano concerti. But due to his constant inspiration and skill, literaly all of his works are towering greats. The chamber music in particular is so uniformly brilliant that it's hard for a single one to gain notice over all the others.
This budget set (http://www.amazon.com/Brahms-Complete-Quartets-Quintets-Sextets/dp/B00008RWRG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1200754014&sr=1-2) would be an excellent introduction to his chamber music, if you were willing to buy so many discs in one box.
I thoughy his Wiegenlied was his only hit?
I would start with whatever genre you most like. Brahms was one of the few supremely accomplished musicians who composed superb pieces across the board. If you like concertos, I'd suggest either his d minor piano concerto or his violin concerto. If you like grand choral music, then go with his German Requiem. If you're into smaller scale vocal music, then go for his Liebeslieder Walzer. For chamber music, I'd suggest his piano quintet--or if you like even more intimate music, start with any of the violin sonatas.
Pretty much anywhere you choose to dive in, you will find great music. To me, Brahms was an oddity among late Romantics--his music is expansive but not excessive. He edited and revised with a classical rigor, and did not publish pieces that did not meet his own very high standards.
Have at it, and have fun!
Quote from: longears on January 19, 2008, 05:59:33 AM
To me, Brahms was an oddity among late Romantics--his music is expansive but not excessive.
Simply great writing on your part here David. Perfectly put.
Quote from: Bogey on January 19, 2008, 06:04:06 AM
Simply great writing on your part here David. Perfectly put.
I guess that means you agree, eh, Bill? Thanks for the compliment. No doubt we'll see one or two who disagree and think there's nothing excessive about certain of his contemporaries and demand to be shown exactly which bars are excessive and should be cut, etc.
op 15
op 24
op 83
Quote from: longears on January 19, 2008, 06:11:50 AM
I guess that means you agree, eh, Bill? Thanks for the compliment. No doubt we'll see one or two who disagree and think there's nothing excessive about certain of his contemporaries and demand to be shown exactly which bars are excessive and should be cut, etc.
Another reason that I see where you are coming from here David is that I keep waiting for my Brahms cd collection to explode and begin to overflow. However, what I have so far (which is not much in number) is what I consider a very
fine "concentrate" "critical mass" of music from this composer and I can see volume (unless one has many multiple recordings) not being a factor anytime soon.
Quote from: Bogey on January 19, 2008, 06:28:51 AM
"concentrate" of music
sorta like a "critical mass" of music ......
Any particular orchestras or performers stand out re Brahms? (I notice that certain orchestras are sometimes more strongly recommended than others when it comes to certain composers.)
Quote from: Dm on January 19, 2008, 06:30:00 AM
sorta like a "critical mass" of music ......
Even better.
My Brahms recommendations:
Clarinet Quintet
Second String Sextet
Symphonies (all of them)
Alto Rhapsody
German Requiem
Second Piano Concerto
Double Concerto
et cetera...
The Violin Concerto is a must. It ranks with the Beethoven and Mendelssohn as one of the best ever written.
Also the Four Symphonies, the Two Piano Concertos, Clarinet Quintet, German Requiem, and String Sextet #2.
For shorter, lighter works there is the Horn Trio, Academic Festival Overture, and Hungarian Dances.
Most of the standard recommendations have been covered already.
I'll just mention that for me, Brahms is second to none as a composer of chamber music. If you have any love of chamber music at all, almost everything Brahms did in that genre is essential.
Quote from: dave b on January 19, 2008, 06:32:13 AM
Any particular orchestras or performers stand out re Brahms? (I notice that certain orchestras are sometimes more strongly recommended than others when it comes to certain composers.)
Check this thread:
Brahms Symphony Cycles. (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,2787.0.html)
Q
Brahms was so self-critical and picky a composer, in terms of what he decided to publish of his works, that all of his works are excellent.
Start anywhere you like, really. :)
I'll throw in one that hasn't yet been mentioned - his 3 Piano Quartets, especially Op. 25 and Op. 60 "Werther"
Quote from: ChamberNut on January 19, 2008, 08:36:02 AM
Brahms was so self-critical and picky a composer, in terms of what he decided to publish of his works, that all of his works are excellent.
Start anywhere you like, really. :)
I'll throw in one that hasn't yet been mentioned - his 3 Piano Quartets, especially Op. 25 and Op. 60 "Werther"
Yes, you're right! The piano quartets... In spite of his extreme self-criticism, Brahms has still left us so much that you (i.e. I) can easily 'forget' some of his (master)pieces...
Johan
Piano Concertos are key. I'd say his Cello Sonatas and then his Symphonies next.
For me :
Requiem
PC 2
Piano Quintet
Cello sonata 1
Everything.
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?
Quote from: rappy on January 26, 2008, 12:51:16 PM
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
Quote from: zamyrabyrd on January 29, 2008, 12:23:40 AM
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
Quote from: lukeottevanger on January 29, 2008, 12:59:44 AM
- 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.
Quote from: lukeottevanger on January 29, 2008, 12:59:44 AM
- 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.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41K3S7Y2HML._SS500_.jpg)