Incorporating Brahms

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Brahms, Tempo and the Gypsies

• Incorporating Brahms Hungarian Dances into
  Classroom Music

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What we know about Brahms

• German Composer
• One of the famous Three Bs
• Adored the musical genius of Bach, Mozart and
  Beethoven
• Wrote in Classical Style with Romantic Elements
• Was heavily influenced by the Hungarian Gypsy
  musicespecially after meeting violinists Remenyi
  and Joseph Joachim.
• Developed a deep friendship with Johann Strauss,
  Jr.
• Became very close with Robert and Clara Schumann.
• Was fond of folk musicespecially Gypsy-style and
  incorporated this into his writing.

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What you may NOT know about Brahms

• Brahms loved to walk and enjoyed spending time in
  the open air, where he said he could think more
  clearly. He was known to often bring penny candy
  with him to hand out to children on his walks.
• Brahms made musical history when in 1889, he made
  an experimental recording of his first Hungarian
  Dance, on the piano. Produced by a
  representative of American inventor Thomas
  Edison, this remains the earliest recording by a
  major composer. In this recording, the piano
  playing is not very clear, but Brahms voice in
  his greeting is quite audible!

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Hungarian Dance No. 1 in g minor

• Hungarian Dance no. 1 in g minor, originally
  written for piano, but orchestrated Dvorak, was
  first recorded by Brahms himself in 1889. It is
  written for 3 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2
  bassoons, 4 French horns, 2 trumpets, 3
  trombones, timpani, percussion (1), strings.

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Hungarian Dance No. 5 in g minor

• Hungarian Dance no. 5 in f sharp minor (g minor
  in orchestral form) is the most famous of all
  these dance melodies and was orchestrated by
  Parlow.
• It is based on a violin tune, with heavy brass
  in the background, percussion in the middle
  section and a finale back to the original violin
  theme.

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Hungarian Dance No. 6 in D major

• Hungarian Dance no. 6 in D flat major (D major
  for orchestra) has a very changeable character,
  between lyrical song-like passages and fast
  moving percussive sections.

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Hungarian Dance No. 16

• Hungarian Dance no. 16 in f minor is one of the
  only few of this set that is an original
  orchestration. Perhaps a little less known and
  performed than the others mentioned,Brahms
  himself changed this from a piano version to an
  orchestral piece! This piece has much contrast
  again between these slower melodies in the winds
  and strings and the bouncy dances that are faster
  and more lively.

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Teaching the Concept of Tempo through the Dances

• WHAT IS TEMPO?
• How can students understand how INTERESTING
  changes in Tempo are to Music?
• What would music be like without it?

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Questions to Get Those Musical Brains Thinking

• Does it change the mood of the music? Why or why
  not?
• Why would a composer change the tempo in the
  middle of a piece of music?
• Why would Brahms change the speed of the music,
  specifically?
• Do they think the music would sound better or
  worse without the tempo changes?

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Teaching Ideas

• Bean Bag Game
• Listen to any or all of the Hungarian Dances
  listed.
• Invite students to form a circle and pass a bean
  bag (or other soft item) around the circle to the
  beat of the music as you play the work. You may
  want to break students into small groups.
• OPTION (this might be fun without it!) Explain to
  them that there will be many changes and if the
  music stops, the person who has the ball in their
  hand, must hold it until the music continues.
• As they pass the object from hand to hand,
  students should respond to the tempo changes in
  the work.
• Invite them to show these other changes as well
  in the ways they choose to pass the
• object (the nature of the gestures they use).
  For example, dynamics, rhythm, etc.

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Teaching Ideas

• An Artists Perspective
• Next have the students listen to the work again.
  This time, have them write down a story or event
  that the music is portraying. What kind of mood
  does the music set and how does the speed of the
  music affect it?
• Use a listening grid.
• Invite students to work in small groups to share
  their ideas and develop movements that show the
  ways the music changes.
• Encourage students to perhaps use visual images
  before their dance, describing the scene before
  they perform, for example. Is there a chase
  involved? Is there a specific event that
  triggers certain emotions? Are there certain
  animals or characters involved?
• Focus on TEAMWORKnot individual dances and
  stories.
• After performances, have students share thoughts
  and inspiration?
• Would it have been easier if the music all stayed
  the same speed?
• Did it make the performances more interesting?

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Brahms Listening Grid
Hungarian Dance ______ Johannes Brahms
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Feel free to contact us at

• Kathleen Krull glazedkruller_at_yahoo.com
• Debbie Shearin Deborah_Shearin_at_abss.k12.nc.us