Johannes Brahms: The Classical Romantic

During his lifetime, Brahms’ fame and influence were so extensive that he is at times grouped with Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven as one of the Three Bs.  Although Brahms was a rather conservative and academic composer, his music was of superb quality and intense emotional depth.

When compared to other composers, Brahms was somewhat of a late starter and a slow worker.  Even though he had done a bit of composing in his teens, it wasn’t until 1853, when he went on a concert tour as accompanist to the Hungarian violinist Eduard Reményi, that he decided to take up composition seriously.  While on tour, he met Franz Liszt, and conductor-violinist Joseph Joachim, who recommended that he introduce himself to Robert Schumann, a meeting that would changed Brahms’ life.

Schumann was instantly impressed with Brahm’s talent and encouraged him to pursue a career in composition.  Apparently Clara, Schumann’s wife, made a deep impression on him.  Brahms dropped everything to help Clara and her children when Robert was admitted to an asylym a few months after their initial meeting.  He was clearly in love with her and she, on the other hand, was dependent on him.  They lived apart even after Robert died, though they remained in touch for the rest of their lives.

For Brahms, Schumann’s assessment certainly meant getting a decent job, not freelancing like Liszt and Chopin.  Unfortunately, he ended up teaching and conducting minor ensembles; it wasn’t until 1859 when he performed his very own first piano concerto that ultimately captured public attention.  Being of a classical mindset, he was attracted to bright lights of Vienna, and had a brief stint as director of Singakademie there.  From about 1864, he dedicated himself full time to composition, concentrating exclusively on his next major work, the German Requiem, a masterpiece that was to seal his reputation.

The success of his German Requiem and the Variations on the St. Anthony Chorale in the 1870s inspired him to complete the symphony that he had been working on since 1855.   The symphony was finished in 1876 and was heralded as a worthy successor to Beethoven’s symphonies, driving Brahms to a positive production of composition over the next decade or so.  He wrote three more symphones, a second piano concerto, a violin concerto and a fair number of songs and chamber pieces.  In his mid-fifties, Brahms chose to retire, which, at least for him, meant continuing to write small scale pieces, producing many wonderful gems until shortly before his death.

Other major works in Brahms’ career include the wonderfully inventive Variations on a Theme by Haydn and a great deal of chamber music, notably the three string quartets and the clarinet quintet, and songs, including the deeply poignant Vier ernste Gesänge.

More classical music treats:

• Johann Sebastian Bach: The Well-tempered Musician
• Ludwig Van Beethoven: The Extraordinary Genius
• Hector Berlioz: Truly Fantastique
• Johannes Brahms: The Classical Romantic
• Frederic Chopin: The Poet of the Piano
• George Frideric Handel: The Harmonious Tunesmith
• Franz Joseph Haydn: Father of The Symphony
• Felix Mendelssohn: The Midsummer Night’s Dreamer
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The Wunderkind
• Franz Schubert: The Great Lieder
• Antonio Vivaldi: The Red Priest