# Which are the five greatest works by Johannes Brahms in your opinion?



## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

The works are ordered more or less chronologically. Define "greatest" as you wish. If you choose _Other(s)_, please tell us here in the comments section which work(s) you had in mind.

You may change your vote later.

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Top ten most voted works that belong to Johannes Brahms' five greatest according to the poll at the moment (in case of tie, later work gets priority in the ordering):

1. Symphony No. 4, Op. 98 (29 votes)
2. Clarinet Quintet, Op. 115 (26 votes)
3. Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 83 (23 votes)
4. Violin Concerto, Op. 77 (21 votes)
5. Symphony No. 3, Op. 90 (17 votes)
6. Symphony No. 1, Op. 68 (15 votes)
7. Ein deutsches Requiem, Op. 45 (15 votes)
8. Piano Quintet, Op. 34 (13 votes)
9. Symphony No. 2, Op. 73 (7 votes)
10. String Sextet No. 2, Op. 36 (6 votes)

Works cited in votes for _Other(s)_ so far: Hungarian Dances (1 vote), Piano Quartet No. 1 (1 vote), Piano Quartet No. 2 (1 vote), Piano Trio No. 3 (1 vote), String Quintet No. 1 (2 votes), String Sextet No. 1 (1 vote), Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel (1 vote).

Total votes at the moment: 46.

Last update: 09/08/2022.


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## mmsbls (Mar 6, 2011)

I'll go with:

Piano Quintet
Clarinet Quintet
Violin Concerto
Symphony 3
Symphony 4


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Nine would be easier (that's the number that score 6/6 on the Artrockometer). Five, hm. OK:

A German Requiem
Clarinet Quintet
Piano Quartet No. 3
Symphony No. 4
Violin Concerto


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

Because Brahms destroyed so much early music just about everything of his is mature and advanced ... making decisions about his "greatest" music being more subjective than with most famous composers. I think there are two Brahmses: the public and the private, the extrovert and introvert. I've always thought of his *Alto Rhapsody *and clarinet music as among his best "private" and introverted works. I also enjoyed them the most though I like the Fourth Symphony. I've sung the German Requiem and would not consider it a great work compared to others of its type.


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## janwillemvanaalst (5 mo ago)

I think you forgot the Alt Rhapsody, op.53, which is surely one of his best-appreciated works... although nothing beats his German Requiem, which "conquered the symphony"...


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

These five give me the greatest satisfaction (in no specific order)....

Piano Trio no. 1 (revised, 1889)
Piano Quartet no. 2
String Quintet no. 1
Clarinet Quintet
Symphony no. 3


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## Andante Largo (Apr 23, 2020)

Clarinet Quintet
Piano Concerto No. 2
Symphony No. 2
Symphony No. 3
Violin Concerto


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

Today I chose:

A German Requiem
Clarinet Quintet
Piano Concerto no. 2
String Quintet no. 2
Other(s)-- Piano Trio no. 3

The first three items are always on my list. Beyond that, there are several chamber works that could go in my Top Five.


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

I chose:

Piano Quartet no. 3 in C minor
Symphonies 2 and 4
Violin Sonata no. 1
Piano Trio no. 1

Had there been the 1st String Quintet as an option, either the Violin Sonata or Piano Trio would be changed to that.

Brahms´ music means the most to me when he is less academic, more a melodist and a profound artist, cabable of creating extremely delicate and fine musical moments in the midst of the monumental material.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Violin Sonata no. 1
Piano Concerto no. 2
Clarinet Quintet
Two Clarinet Sonatas
Other - Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel (my favorite Brahms work)


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## Botschaft (Aug 4, 2017)

String Sextet No. 2
A German Requiem
Piano Quartet No. 3
Symphony No. 4
Clarinet Quintet


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

My favorite composer. Updated:

Symphony No. 3
Double Concerto
Clarinet Quintet
Piano Concerto No. 2
Symphony No. 1
Symphony No. 4
Piano Quartet No. 2
Cello Sonata No. 1


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

1. Hungarian Dances (preferably orchestrated)
2. Symphony No. 2
3. Clarinet Quintet
4. Symphony No. 1
5. Cello Sonatas 1 & 2


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## TwoFlutesOneTrumpet (Aug 31, 2011)

Very difficult ... might come up with a slightly different top 5 on a different day

Symphony 1
Symphony 3
Symphony 4
Piano Concerto 2
Clarinet Quintet

Top 5 is not enough. I need to also include at least Symphony 2, Piano Concerto 1, Piano Quintet, the Violin Concerto and Cello Sonata 1.


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## Josquin13 (Nov 7, 2017)

While I voted or the German Requiem, Violin Concerto, & Symphony No. 4 (as well as the Quintet No. 2, Op. 111, and the Op. 119 piano pieces), these days I mostly listen to Brahms' chamber music and solo piano works. One of my favorite chamber works by him is the Violin Sonata No. 2, though I like No. 1 (& 3) very much, too. The middle Andante movement in No. 2 is very beautiful & therefore, I was surprised not to see it on your list of choices,


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## Yabetz (Sep 6, 2021)

The four symphonies and the Haydn variations.


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## Wigmar (8 mo ago)

Xisten267 said:


> The works are ordered more or less chronologically. Define "greatest" as you wish. If you choose _Other(s)_, please tell us here in the comments section which work(s) you had in mind.
> 
> You may change your vote later.


Some of the finest Brahms I find in his chamber music and solo works, as e. g. 
trio for piano & strings no 1 op 8
sonata for cello & piano no 1 op 38
string quartets nos 1-2 op 51
quintet for clarinet & strings op 115
piano works op 117-19
And not to forget
violin concerto op 77
piano concerto no 2 op 83
symphony no 4 op 98

🎼


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

Voted. I spent more time picking out my favorites, as you can see above. Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I remember 15 years ago my friend and I would war back-and-forth, with him giving me a Beethoven CD and I would retort "yeah, but try this" with a Brahms, and we'd do this for months. Now I know why in the midst of exploring much other music years later, I'd always return back to the great sound of Brahms every now and then. Anyway, that list is the best I can do for now, I'll keep updating it occasionally.


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## SoloYH (8 mo ago)

The concerto. Especially performed by zimmerman. GODly performance.


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## MusicInTheAir (Apr 21, 2007)

I chose the Violin concerto, Symphony #4, German Requiem, Horn Trio and Clarinet Quintet. Having said that, why isn't the First Piano Concerto not included as a choice? And for that matter, where is the Second Cello Sonata and Third Violin Sonata?


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

MusicInTheAir said:


> I chose the Violin concerto, Symphony #4, German Requiem, Horn Trio and Clarinet Quintet. Having said that, why isn't the First Piano Concerto not included as a choice? And for that matter, where is the Second Cello Sonata and Third Violin Sonata?


Because polls have a maximum number of options, and Brahms has more than 24 great works. The genres of piano concerto, cello sonata, and violin sonata* are represented by one work each, and I think the ones in the poll are each the ones most loved by the TC community (or deemed to be "greatest").

*Also piano quartet, piano trio, string sextet, and string quintet


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

This is understandable but the selection is still a bit weird, as e.g. the 1st piano concerto is probably still more popular than the Double concerto or the Haydn variations etc.
The symphonies are not represented by the most popular (probably because it is hard to determine which one might be the least popular), and the late piano pieces could well have been represented by only one opus instead of all four, while leaving out ALL the remaining piano music that includes the longest pieces like the f minor sonata or Paganini and Handel variations. String quartets are not represented at all etc.

I don't think Brahms is a great candidate for such a poll. There are not enough "dominating" works or periods, the status is more evenly distributed (with the exception of a lot of the vocal music that is not well known and underappreciated, except maybe among singers).

Nevertheless, I am surprised how well the German Requiem is doing; I had the distinct impression that this was a piece many people love to hate.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

symphony 4
violin cto
variations and fugue on theme of handel
piano quintet
clarinet quintet


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## StDior (May 28, 2015)

Op.18 String Sextet No.1
Op.36 String Sextet No.2
Op.88 String Quintet No.1
Op.115 Clarinet Quintet 
Op,118 Six Pieces for Piano

HM: 
Op.15 Piano Concerto No.1


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

MusicInTheAir said:


> I chose the Violin concerto, Symphony #4, German Requiem, Horn Trio and Clarinet Quintet. Having said that, why isn't the First Piano Concerto not included as a choice? And for that matter, where is the Second Cello Sonata and Third Violin Sonata?


It's as member ORigel said in post #21: they weren't included as direct choices because there's a limit of 25 options per TC poll, and Brahms has more than 24 masterpieces. But note that all Brahms' works are present in the poll, because I included the option _Other(s)_, that the members can use if they want to select a work that I've not directly included in the list.


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

Kreisler jr said:


> This is understandable but the selection is still a bit weird, as e.g. the 1st piano concerto is probably still more popular than the Double concerto or the Haydn variations etc.
> The symphonies are not represented by the most popular (probably because it is hard to determine which one might be the least popular), and the late piano pieces could well have been represented by only one opus instead of all four, while leaving out ALL the remaining piano music that includes the longest pieces like the f minor sonata or Paganini and Handel variations. String quartets are not represented at all etc.
> 
> I don't think Brahms is a great candidate for such a poll. There are not enough "dominating" works or periods, the status is more evenly distributed (with the exception of a lot of the vocal music that is not well known and underappreciated, except maybe among singers).
> ...


Maybe Xisten267 loves the late piano pieces too much to leave an opus out (if I was doing the poll, I would have included the Handel variations and one opus of late piano works). 

The Double Concerto and Haydn Variations are different genres. Still, the First Piano Concerto is the most glaring omission from the poll (since most people prefer the orchestral works to the chamber works). 

The string quartets are Brahms' least-liked chamber music. Similarly, Xisten267 leaves out the serenades and even the overtures.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

ORigel said:


> Maybe Xisten267 loves the late piano pieces too much to leave an opus out (if I was doing the poll, I would have included the Handel variations and one opus of late piano works).
> 
> The Double Concerto and Haydn Variations are different genres. Still, the First Piano Concerto is the most glaring omission from the poll (since most people prefer the orchestral works to the chamber works).
> 
> The string quartets are Brahms' least-liked chamber music. Similarly, Xisten267 leaves out the serenades and even the overtures.


Yes, I have my own personal criteria to try to select the most representative works of a composer in polls like this. But it doesn't seem to me that my selection was so bad: the only work that is not directly in the list and that so far was cited more than once in the top 5 of members who marked the option _Other(s)_ is the String Quintet No. 1, and it has 2 votes.


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

Xisten267 said:


> Yes, I have my own personal criteria to try to select the most representative works of a composer in polls like this. But it doesn't seem to me that my selection was so bad: the only work that is not directly in the list and that so far was cited more than once in the top 5 of members who marked the option _Other(s)_ is the String Quintet No. 1, and it has 2 votes.


It is a very good selection.


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

SoloYH said:


> The concerto. Especially performed by zimmerman. GODly performance.


The 4th movement is literally the most earwormy thing I've ever heard in Classical!


Edit: ^ Two members above appear like they're playing a serious match of Tic tac toe...

So far no one's gotten 3. I'm on to you guys.


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

Yeah, PC1 should be on the list.

My favorites:

1. Violin Concerto
2. Piano Concerto No. 1
3. Symphony No. 3
4. Ein Deutsches Requiem
5. Symphony No. 4
6. Piano Concerto No. 2
7. Clarinet Quintet
8. Intermezzi, Op. 117
9. Piano Trio No. 1
10. Symphony No. 1


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Ethereality said:


> Edit: ^ Two members above appear like they're playing a serious match of Tic tac toe...
> 
> So far no one's gotten 3. I'm on to you guys.


I wonder who these members are. I've only made three posts as answers to three different members (including this one to you) since the beginning of this thread so far.


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## Floeddie (8 mo ago)

Well, I cast my votes, but I am no expert. I do appreciate this exercise, however! You folks are giving me guidance for the future, so thank you all for your thoughts.


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

TwoFlutesOneTrumpet said:


> *Very difficult ... might come up with a slightly different top 5 on a different day*
> 
> Symphony 1
> Symphony 3
> ...


I agree with your comments. The five I chose in post #6 were....

Piano Trio no. 1 (revised, 1889)
Piano Quartet no. 2
String Quintet no. 1
Clarinet Quintet
Symphony no. 3 

Xisten's request aside,I just as well could have included the Violin Concerto and the Piano Concerto no.1.


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## Bruckner Anton II (6 mo ago)

Clarinet Quintet (basically everything he wrote for the clarinet deserve a place)
Symphony #4 (for me #3 is equally great)
Violin Concerto (his two piano concertos are great work, but this violin concerto is my favorite)
Deutsches Requiem
Piano Quartet #1 (a great early piece which is not listed as an option)


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## wormcycle (Oct 14, 2020)

Schicksalslied  (Song of Destiny), 
Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 8 (both versions are great),
String Sextet No. 2, Op. 36
String Quintet No. 2 "Prater", Op. 111
Piano Quartet No. 3, Op. 60


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

I decided to make the Richard Wagner poll in the opera subforum. Anyone here that wants to participate can access this link.

This poll belongs to a series about the "greatest" works of several famous composers. There have been polls for Ludwig van Beethoven (link here), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (link here) and Johann Sebastian Bach (link here) already.


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