Johannes Brahms (1833-97)
The son of a musician from Hamburg, Germany. He studied piano and
composition and became a conductor of several groups, including an
orchestra and chorus supported by the Society for the Friends of
Music.
Brahms was a traditionalist composer and looked upon himself as a
preserver of the classical traditions. Brahms is the gaint among
composers of chamber music in the 19th century, the true successor
of Beethoven in this field as in the symphony. (Grout) The following is
a partial list of his chamber music:
- Piano Trio in B Op. 8
- 2 String Sextets: Op. 18 in B flat and Op. 36 in G
- 3 Piano Quartets: Op. 25 in g and Op. 26 in A and Op. 60 in c
- Piano Quintet in f, Op. 34a
- Trio Op. 40 for piano, violin and Waldhorn
- 2 Piano Trios: Op. 87 in C and Op. 101 in c
- String Quintet in G, Op. 111
- Clarinet Quintet in b, Op.115
Brahms composed four symphonies with much care and self-critical
deliberation not to fall below the level of Beethoven. His symphonies
are "classic" in the number of movements and the forms used in the
movements, but the symphonies are Romantic in harmony and orchestral
sound. The four symphonies are:
- Symphony No. 1 in C Minor (1876)
- Symphony No. 2 in D Major (1877)
- Symphony No. 3 in F Major (1883)
- Symphony No. 3 in E Minor (1885)
The other music of Brahms includes the German Requiem and over 200
songs, plus two piano concertos and a violin concerto.