# Back into Brahms



## Avey (Mar 5, 2013)

As I metamorphose into another Brahms phase, I'd love to get a discussion going on *your favorite Brahms works* and even *your least favorite, or less favored of his works*. Also, any anecdotes/notes about *Johannes Brahms*, the "Third B" are welcome and very much encouraged.


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## ScipioAfricanus (Jan 7, 2010)

Currently his A major and C minor Piano Quartets are my favorite.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Absolute favourites are the clarinet quintet, Ein Deutsches Requiem and the violin concerto. In general his chamber music is of extremely high quality (I have problems getting into his 3 string quartets though). 

On the flip side, his songs impress me considerably less than the best in the genre (Schubert, Schumann, Wolf, Mahler, Strauss), and the same holds for his piano works (it should be said though that in general solo piano is not my thing),


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## Bone (Jan 19, 2013)

Favorite work: Brahms 3. In high school, I was a member of the state honors orchestra and we performed Academic Festival Overture. To familiarize myself with the piece, I bought a recording with 3 and the overture. Happened to be the Columbia/Walter recording - how lucky we that? Anyway, I was a fan from day one. Lately, 2 and 4 have risen in esteem for me since I discovered Kleiber a year ago and his marvelous interpretations.

Less favorited: hate to say it, but I'm just not a huge fan of the German Requiem. I do enjoy listening to parts of it and I certainly don't dislike the piece; but if I want vocal Brahms there are better choices among the lieder and certainly better instrumental works. Just my opinion, though, and I'm sure that once I hear "THE" great recording I'll be a convert (still hoping that'll happen soon with Mahler 5).


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

What I listen to most from Brahms is the German Requiem, Symphonies 1, 2, and 4, the Clarinet Quintet, Piano Trio No. 1, Sextet No. 1, and his motets. Those must be my favorites. But I'm getting into his violin concerto and 2nd piano concerto.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Favourite works: the chamber music & the piano concertos. The Double Concerto & the later piano works form a second tier. I more or less dislike the orchestral music & the violin concerto, including the symphonies, excepting the Haydn Variations & the Tragic Ouverture/Stokowski. The vocal works and the early piano works are so-and-so on my list.
Very simple ;-).


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Avey said:


> Also, any anecdotes/notes about *Johannes Brahms*, the "Third B" are welcome and very much encouraged.


You know the one about Brahms shooting cats with his crossbow, right?


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## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

My favourites are his 3rd and 4th symphonies. I really like his violin concerto as well.

I am not really a fan of the German requiem though.


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## ScipioAfricanus (Jan 7, 2010)

KenOC said:


> You know the one about Brahms shooting cats with his crossbow, right?


are you serious??????? that sounds like something Wagner would do.


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## ahammel (Oct 10, 2012)

Avey said:


> Also, any anecdotes/notes about *Johannes Brahms*, the "Third B" are welcome and very much encouraged.


He fell asleep during a private performance of Liszt's piano sonata by the composer.


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## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

Brahms was one of the first composers I loved when I started to listen to classical music, when was it, in 2010? His 1st symphony spoke to me immediately. I still think it's one of the best. The 1st movement is pretty much the best 1st movement this side of Mahler's 3rd. Also, I rate both of his piano concertos extremely highly. The piano quintet and the piano trios are also of the highest class possible. After those, I love next best the double concerto and the violin concerto, as well as the Deutsches Requiem, and the rest of the symphonies.

Like I wrote in some other thread, I love Brahms best when he's storming the heavens, raging against the gods, wrestling with his spiritual father Beethoven, and expressing his frustrations about Clara. I'm not too much drawn to the mellower, melodic, "autumnal" side of Brahms. This is most likely because I was a "young Werther" already when I was 7 and will probably remain when I'm 70. I like the personality of Brahms; seems he was the kind of guy who I like to have as closest friends. I also think that he's much bigger than the whole "Brahms faction" of music.


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## Ravndal (Jun 8, 2012)

His 3 & 4th symphony is great, his chamber music is also awesome. But it is the music for solo piano that is really outstanding, at least for me. I love all his work for piano, my favorites is:

Every single Interemezzo (Especially the Op. 117)
Variations upon a theme of Schumann

And his piano concertos is probably the best in their genre.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

ScipioAfricanus said:


> are you serious??????? that sounds like something Wagner would do.


I'm not making this up! It has been claimed that Brahms was a serial cat-killer. And yes, Wagner figures in.

Synopsis: Brahms began cat bagging after Antonin Dvorak gave him a "Bohemian sparrow slaying bow". He used to take aim from his apartment window in Vienna. Said Wagner: "After spearing the poor brutes, he reeled them in to his room after the manner of a trout-fisher. Then he eagerly listened to the expiring groans of his victims and carefully jotted down in his notebook their ante mortem remarks." He worked these sounds into his chamber music.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2001/apr/12/highereducation.arts


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## Ravndal (Jun 8, 2012)

It seems like it all was made up...


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Ravndal said:


> It seems like it all was made up...


Well, naturally the Guardian would say so. It's a known hotbed of rabid Brahmsites.


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## Ravndal (Jun 8, 2012)

Well, the arguments is compelling!

if they are true


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## KRoad (Jun 1, 2012)

Much of his choral music (accompanied and unaccompanied) is just superb! Recommended listening.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

On the very top tier for me are the clarinet quintet, the Requiem, the second piano concerto and the violin sonatas

Next up I also really like the string quintets, the first cello sonata, clarinet sonatas, the first two piano sonatas, piano concerto 1, and piano quartet 1.

And there is a whole slew of Brahms that I haven't listened to yet  I haven't even heard the symphonies or most of the solo piano music, or the violin and double concertos. This leaves me a lot left to look forward too!


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## ScipioAfricanus (Jan 7, 2010)

Brahms personal life is gross. From sleeping with prostitutes to hunting cats. SMH. But his music is so perfect.


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## Ravndal (Jun 8, 2012)

Sonata said:


> On the very top tier for me are the clarinet quintet, the Requiem, the second piano concerto and the violin sonatas
> 
> Next up I also really like the string quintets, the first cello sonata, clarinet sonatas, the first two piano sonatas, piano concerto 1, and piano quartet 1.
> 
> And there is a whole slew of Brahms that I haven't listened to yet  I haven't even heard the symphonies *or most of the solo piano music*, or the violin and double concertos. This leaves me a lot left to look forward too!


then it's about time, Sonata!

Check out the intermezzo @ 5.45, and that wonderful singing top voice. Such a nice melody


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## AndyS (Dec 2, 2011)

I haven't listened to an enormous amount of Brahms, but I love the 4th symphony

I'm also a huge fan of the four serious songs - especially when sung by a contralto instead of a baritone

However, my orchestra is rehearsing the 2nd just now for our next concert, and I'm not an enormous fan - reason being it's not a tremendously interesting piece for the trombone parts. I loathe the 2nd movement!


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## AndyS (Dec 2, 2011)

I also forgot to mention the Alto Rhapsody and the Deutsches Volkslieder


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## peeyaj (Nov 17, 2010)

Brahms sextets are really good.


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## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

Ravndal said:


> then it's about time, Sonata!
> 
> Check out the intermezzo @ 5.45, and that wonderful singing top voice. Such a nice melody


The Schumann Variations are a joy to play, even if I don't always play them so accurately.  Glad you enjoy them, my friend. Have you also heard the short Variations on a Hungarian Theme? Very charming.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I guess I'm a symphohaulic. I like the four symphonies the best. Also the sextets. (Well, almost every geeky science fiction fan loves the 1st sextet.)

I tend to enjoy the solo piano works the least. I think they are often too bottom heavy with thick sonorities below middle C. I can't seem to hear it well enough. The exceptions may be the Variations on themes by Handel and Haydn.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

I enjoy the majority of his chamber works, and works for solo piano, I love the Requiem, and I like the Violin Concerto, don't listen to the Piano Concertos or Symphonies much. I find his final movements I often don't enjoy as much as the other movements in his works. This is true in a lot of his chamber music and the VC.


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## Feathers (Feb 18, 2013)

My favourites are pretty typical. I love his symphonies 1 and 4, the German Requiem, and the piano concertos. I also enjoy his violin concerto, violin sonatas, piano quintet, and solo piano works. I can't get into the clarinet quintet for some reason. It's very high on the list in the Classical Music Project, so I'll probably listen to it a few more times to see if I can hear the good qualities other people find in it.


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## Bradius (Dec 11, 2012)

Requium!!! I like Levine's.


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## peeyaj (Nov 17, 2010)

Honestly, I didn't like Brahms music like I should have. I mean.. I like his music, but I think there is much much more to like.. But sometimes, his "*academic*ness" (if that word exist) just bores me..


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## Avey (Mar 5, 2013)

Weston said:


> I guess I'm a symphohaulic. I like the four symphonies the best. Also the sextets. (Well, almost every geeky science fiction fan loves the 1st sextet.)


I'm sorry, I totally missed this reference. I enjoy his sextets, but why is his first sextet connected to science fiction?


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## Ravndal (Jun 8, 2012)

Novelette said:


> The Schumann Variations are a joy to play, even if I don't always play them so accurately.  Glad you enjoy them, my friend. Have you also heard the short Variations on a Hungarian Theme? Very charming.


I have not, but thank you - I will


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## pjang23 (Oct 8, 2009)

Avey said:


> I'm sorry, I totally missed this reference. I enjoy his sextets, but why is his first sextet connected to science fiction?


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

The writers of Star Trek must have really enjoyed Brahms, he also is mentioned in the original series, where an immortal alien named Flint claimed to be Brahms, and Spock comments on the intellectual mastery of Brahms' music. :lol:

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Johannes_Brahms


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## mmsbls (Mar 6, 2011)

I adore Brahms's music. There's really nothing I don't like, and much of his work is a pure joy. My first love was the violin concerto (it is my favorite along with Tchaikovsky's). The symphonies are simply spectacular, and in general I love his orchestration. I also love the piano concertos especially the 2nd. I could go on and on, but since others have mentioned much of his work, I'll just select a few other pieces.

His two viola sonatas are lovely.
The Academic Festival overture and the Haydn Variations are wonderful works.
Both serenades are beautiful.
The piano quintet is one of all time favorites.
The first Piano Trio in B is gorgeous.
I also love his choral work (German Requiem and Nanie especially).


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## davinci (Oct 11, 2012)

My first exposure to Brahms was to buy a symphonic cycle and dive right in. It didn't work for me, some of the symphonies were more complex than I could handle, so I tried his string quartets and quintets and loved them. Next, his violin concerto, cello concerto and then back to the the symphonies taking them on one at a time. 
Now, I can't get enough Brahms. His Serenades are also quite nice. Oh, and you asked for a favorite; I would say the 2 string quintets.


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## SottoVoce (Jul 29, 2011)

It's not the conventional Brahms, but I've been obsessed with this for a while. It just seems like a side of Brahms that is not touched upon very much, except in parts of the German Requiem.

Other reccomendations would be Gould's recording of the Brahms Intermezzo, and the Piano Quintet. The Horn Trio is also a well-wrought work, and something I've been getting into only recently. The String Quartets are highly underrated masterpieces, if not for their boldness and vigor. They are a bit inaccessible though.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Avey said:


> As I metamorphose into another Brahms phase


You poor thing. Have you suffered cranial trauma?


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## platno (Jun 9, 2013)

May I to recommend this for listening


__
https://soundcloud.com/platno-produkcija%2Ftrio-attacca-brahms


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## DavidH (May 12, 2013)

Haven't seen the Gesang der Parzen (Song of the Fates) for choir & orchestra mentioned, but it's a big favorite of mine. It has some really great moments.

Another would be the first violin sonata.


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

> Synopsis: Brahms began cat bagging after Antonin Dvorak gave him a "Bohemian sparrow slaying bow". He used to take aim from his apartment window in Vienna. Said Wagner: "After spearing the poor brutes, he reeled them in to his room after the manner of a trout-fisher. Then he eagerly listened to the expiring groans of his victims and carefully jotted down in his notebook their ante mortem remarks." He worked these sounds into his chamber music.


So that's where he got those long, lyrical lines!

My favorite Brahms are recording/performer dependent. Right now are the Sonatas, Op. 120, nos. 1 & 2,* the viola versions, *with piano, (Oppens/Westphal: Bridge), and Lorraine Hunt Lieberson singing 8 songs, Op. 57. The Schoenberg transcription of the G minor piano quintet is a perrenial favorite. I like Martha Argerich on Brahms, too.


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## Celloman (Sep 30, 2006)

This is a hard one...but I suppose if I had to choose one, I'd have to go with that marvelous Double Concerto.


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