Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Listen to the music of Brahms as you read about his life.

He studied the piano from the age of seven, gaining experience as an arranger for his father's light orchestra while becoming familiar the style associated with Hungarian folk music. In 1853, on a tour with the Hungarian violinist Reményi, he met Joseph Joachim and Liszt, and Schumann. After a time in Düsseldorf he settled in Hamburg in 1859 to direct a women's chorus. He finally won a position of influence in 1863-4, as director of the Vienna Singakademie, concentrating on historical and modern a cappella works. Besides giving concerts of his own music, he made tours throughout Europe and began teaching the piano. He settled permanently in Vienna in 1868.

Fundamentally reserved, logical and studious, Brahms was fond of taut forms in his music, though he used genre distinctions loosely. In the piano music, for example, the dividing lines between ballade and rhapsody, and capriccio and intermezzo, are vague, such terms refer more to expressive character than to musical form. 

Some of his most ingenious music, includes the Clarinet Quintet, the three string quartets, the C minor piano Quartet opus 60, the piano Quintet, and the Clarinet Trio opus 114 are noteworthy. His First Symphony too 15 years. Brahms's greatest vocal work, and a work central to his career, is the German Requiem (1868) combining mixed chorus, solo voices and full orchestra. 

Activities:

• Write a small paragraph about Brahms. Include where he was born, died, important events in his life, and the name of his best-known musical compositions.
• Why do you think Brahms became a musician? Explain your opinions.