Johannes Brahms: Pianist, Conductor, Composer

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Johannes BrahmsPianist, Conductor, Composer

• Geoff Myers

Without craftsmanship, inspiration is a mere
reed shaken in the wind.
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Introduction

• Born May 7, 1833 (Hamburg, Germany)
• Lived in Vienna, Austria
• Died April 3, 1897 from cancer (Vienna, Austria)
• Composer during Romantic period
• Father Johann Jakob Brahms, musician
• Mother Christiane Nissen, seamstress

Images from http//www.naxos.com/composer_image.a
sp?composerid139
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Brief Biography

• 1840 begins studying piano
• 1846 begins studying theory composition
• 1848 first public performance as piano soloist
• 1853 tours with Reményi (Hungarian violinist)
• 1853 meets Robert Clara Schumann
• Becomes good friend of Robert, has romantic
  affair with Clara
• 1863-4 director of the Vienna Singakademie
• Tours in northern central Europe, teaches piano
• 1868 settles in Vienna permanently

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Brief Biography (cont.)

• 1869 performance of the German Requiem
• 1872-3 becomes conductor of Vienna
  Gesellschaftskonzerte
• 1873 performance Variations on the St. Antony
  Chorale
• 1876-1878 composes First Second Symphonies,
  Violin Concerto, Op. 69-72, and C Major Trio
• 1881 Hans von Bülow shows support, allows Brahms
  to conduct the Meiningen Court Orchestra
• 1890 retired from composing
• 1897 dies of liver cancer

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Orchestral Music

• First, Second, Third, Fourth Symphonies
• 2 Piano Concertos
• Violin Concerto
• Double Concerto(violin cello)
• Academic Festival Overture
• Tragic Overture

Variations on a Theme by Haydn Hungarian Dances
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Chamber Music

• 3 string quartets
• 2 string quintets
• 2 string sextets
• Clarinet Quintet
• Clarinet Trio
• Horn Trio
• Piano Quintet
• 3 piano Quartets
• 3 piano trios
• 3 piano violin sonatas
• 2 piano cello sonatas
• 2 piano clarinet sonatas
• Several piano solos
• 200 songs
• Chorale preludes for organ

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Piano Music

• 3 Piano Sonatas,Op. 1, 2 5
• Four Ballads, Op. 10
• Paganini Variations(piano solo), Op. 35
• Fantasias, Op. 116
• Variations on a Theme by Joseph Haydn(piano duet
  and for orchestra)

Variations on a Theme by Handel, Op. 24 (piano
solo)
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Vocal Choral Music

• Cradle Song (Wiegenlied, Brahms Lullaby)
• The Liebeslieder Waltzes, Op. 52
• Alto Rhapsody, Op. 53
• Song of Destiny (Schicksalslied), Op. 54
• Four Serious Songs,Op.121
• Vain Serenade(Vergebliches Ständchen)

A German Requiem (Ein deutsches Requiem), Op. 45
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Brahms Style

• Seriousness
• Later sadness
• Different from Wagner Liszt, etc.
• Mixed classicism with romanticism
• Inspired by earlier composers (inc. Renaissance,
  esp. Beethoven)
• Older forms of expression (e.g. variation)
• Perfection
• Concision strict
• Personal

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Significance

• Brought absolute music back
• Used old techniques in new, refreshing ways
• Technically brilliant

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Brahms Today

• Examples
• Hungarian Dances in Charlie Chaplin's The Great
  Dictator
• Brahms' Lullaby in cartoons, etc.
• Church music (choral organ)
• Star Trek, Peanuts cartoon, Merrie Melodies
  cartoon, Fawlty Towers TV show, Leonard and Larry
  comic strip, etc.