# The essential Johannes Brahms?



## RonP (Aug 31, 2012)

I'll admit I've overlooked Brahms since I tend to shy away from Romantic-era composers in favor of Baroque and Classical period works, but I've seen the Double Concerto and Fourth Symphony performed live. I've come away with a new found respect for the man and am looking to expand my collection. Besides the two pieces mentioned earlier and the Hungarian Dances (also some of my favorites), please recommend some other essential Brahms works I should consider.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

The Clarinet Quintet, and the second Clarinet sonata.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

The Violin Concerto is a must. I prefer the Hahn/Marriner recording.

The Horn Trio and the Clarinet Quintet are essential chamber music.


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

Violin sonatas (all three).


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## OldListener (Jan 26, 2013)

Sym 1-3
Academic Festival Overture
Variations on a theme of Haydn
Tragic Overture
Serenade No. 1

Piano Concertos No. 1 and 2

Waltzes Op. 39


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

RonP said:


> I'll admit I've overlooked Brahms since I tend to shy away from Romantic-era composers in favor of Baroque and Classical period works, but I've seen the Double Concerto and Fourth Symphony performed live. I've come away with a new found respect for the man and am looking to expand my collection. Besides the two pieces mentioned earlier and the Hungarian Dances (also some of my favorites), please recommend some other essential Brahms works I should consider.


I assume you know Schubert's and Beethoven's work well. I would go there before Brahms.


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## RonP (Aug 31, 2012)

neoshredder said:


> I assume you know Schubert's and Beethoven's work well. I would go there before Brahms.


And why is that?


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

RonP said:


> And why is that?


Because he's not a Brahms fan.

Be sure to listen to all of the recommendations so far, and also the Intermezzos for piano!


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Piano works, op. 10, Op. 76 and Op. 116-119


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

For choral the German Requiem op 45 is essential, and there are also some nice motets for unaccompanied choir.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Brahms is one of those composers that kept a very consistent quality up in all of his works so whatever you decide to listen to is going to be pretty damn good. 

I also want to mention that most of his chamber music is top notch romantic chamber music.

2 String Sextets
2 String Quintets
3 String Quartets (some critics say the string quartets are among the weakest of his chamber music repertoire but I like them just as much as anything else)
3 Piano Trios
3 Piano Quartets
1 Piano Quintet
2 Cello Sonatas
2 Clarinet (or viola) sonatas
a Clarinet trio

and the clarinet quintet, horn trio and violin sonatas which have already been mentioned.


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## Bone (Jan 19, 2013)

German Requiem is a must. 4 Last Songs (love Hans Hotter), Symphony No. 3 (Szell or Walter) and No. 4 (only Kleiber), and Clarinet Quintet (tons, but Shifrin and Chamber Music Northwest is nice) are great. If you need a really cheery Brahms, try Symphony No. 2 (Sanderling and Dresden) - happy stuff!


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## Kevin Pearson (Aug 14, 2009)

I agree totally with the list that Violadude provided of his chamber pieces. His symphonies are not to missed in my opinion and his violin concerto is one of the best ever written. I also really appreciate his piano concertos. Brahms get the shaft by many classical music listeners but not by me. His music lives on for a reason.

Kevin


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

violadude said:


> I also want to mention that most of his chamber music is top notch romantic chamber music.


There seem to be some people who are not too fond of his orchestral and concerted music, but who couldn't live without his chamber music. Maybe others are the opposite!


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## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

_Brahms_ is essential.

But in all seriousness, definitely follow the lists above. There is almost nothing that Brahms wrote that wasn't wonderful. You could begin anywhere and you will discover unadulterated genius.

Personally, I'd begin with the chamber works. Piano Quintet would be the perfect entry in Brahms' impressive oeuvre.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

KenOC said:


> There seem to be some people who are not too fond of his orchestral and concerted music, but who couldn't live without his chamber music. Maybe others are the opposite!


Well, I love both!


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## Kevin Pearson (Aug 14, 2009)

violadude said:


> Well, I love both!


Me too!


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

RonP said:


> And why is that?


I also prefer Baroque and Classical and my bias is in favour of them. What other reason? They are closer to the Classical Era sound. Schubert and Beethoven were heavily influenced by Mozart for example. Brahms is more late Romantic similar to Dvorak.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

My favorites right now: 1st symphony(esp. 1st mvt., but others have great stuff too), 3rd symphony(overall), 1st String Sextet(this one is really really fine, I say, but really it is the tip of the iceberg with all his great chamber music, though a very good one to start with probably), Piano Sonata no. 3(op 5), Piano Pieces op 118. Piano pieces are great overall, but many of them are less universally appealing, more on the experimental side perhaps(isn't it similar with Beethoven?, except the sonatas are a much larger body of work, true), relative to some of his fine chamber music and symphonies. Clarinet quintet strikes me as incredible every time I hear it, but I have not closely followed the work yet.


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

I've been slowly chipping away the Brahms mystery. Sometimes, I prefer not to think too hard about what is going on. Brahms requires deep concentration. Schubert is more melodic imo similar to Mozart.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

As usual with TC no mention of his lieder---so important with this composer !


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## EricABQ (Jul 10, 2012)

If you have an MP3 player or an ipod, this set from Amazon contains a lot of complete works for a good price ($4.50.)

http://www.amazon.com/The-Most-Essential-Brahms-Masterpieces/dp/B0030GQC08/ref=sr_1_18?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1362230438&sr=1-18&keywords=rise+of+the+masters


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## Aecio (Jul 27, 2012)

Brahms appeal may be related to age. On my twenties I was very keen on Bach, Beethoven and generally everything with an orchestra. On my thirties I kind of re-discovered the french impressionists and I started to gravitate towards Chamber music. Brahms came later, around my forties. I think that´s in part because (as many people have already said) Brahms is a wonderful composer of chamber music but also because of his vision of the world. There is a kind of bittersweet wisdom on his music, in many of his works you hear the tension between a romantic longing for something better and the sadder acceptance of an available smaller happiness.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

The OP should be, and perhaps is, aware that Brahms' music is 'different' from other composers' music of the Romantic period. The 'emotional coverage' is wide ranging, but some of the paths available to get from the beginning of a musical 'idea' to its conclusion must have been marked "too well traveled". I've been listening to his music for over half a century now, and still am occasionally caught by turns out of the ruts onto side roads. I think that some of the resistance to his music is from folks who are annoyed by having to make those turns with him.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

neoshredder said:


> I also prefer Baroque and Classical and my bias is in favour of them. What other reason? They are closer to the Classical Era sound. Schubert and Beethoven were heavily influenced by Mozart for example. Brahms is more late Romantic similar to Dvorak.


Sure, but the OP came here looking SPECIFICALLY for Brahms music. Beethoven and Schubert, wonderful though they are, are not Brahms.

To the OP: The alto rhapsody is lovely, and the two piano concertos are wonderful.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

And might I add, yes some Brahms music can take work to peel away the layers. I found that a lot of his chamber music (other than the sonatas) required focused listening rather than throwing them on in the background. But it was very worthwhile. He is now my favorite composer


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Brahms is in my top 3 composers. Basically, his complete chamber music is essential, as are his four symphonies, violin concerto, two piano concertos, and certainly the German Requiem. Difficult to choose between the requiem and the clarinet quintet as my absolute favourite Brahms composition. Personally, I think his piano works and Lieder are good but not great.


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## pjang23 (Oct 8, 2009)

moody said:


> As usual with TC no mention of his lieder---so important with this composer !


Agreed. Don't forget to check out his relatively neglected vocal music.

Choral Music (after the Requiem):
Nänie, Op. 82
Schicksalslied, Op. 54
Gesang der Parzen, Op. 89
Geistliches Lied, Op. 30

Lieder:
Alto Rhapsody, Op. 53
Vier Ernste Gesänge, Op. 121
Zwei Gesänge for Alto, Viola and Piano, Op. 91
Wie Melodien zieht es mir, Op. 105 No. 1
Feldeinsamkeit, Op. 86
Liebestreu, Op. 3 No. 1
and of course... Wiegenlied, Op. 49 No. 4



Sonata said:


> Sure, but the OP came here looking SPECIFICALLY for Brahms music. Beethoven and Schubert, wonderful though they are, are not Brahms.


Yep, I don't get why someone would bother to say "listen to someone else" to someone clearly looking for Brahms and state their own personal tastes as justification. Ignore the haters. :tiphat:


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

neoshredder said:


> I also prefer Baroque and Classical and my bias is in favour of them. What other reason? They are closer to the Classical Era sound. Schubert and Beethoven were heavily influenced by Mozart for example. Brahms is more late Romantic similar to Dvorak.


I'm glad you noticed that last point !


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

His piano variations are all great stuff and of course you will easily recognise the "Paganini" Variations.


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

I am not a hater. I'm just explaining why Brahms is not the typical path for someone who prefers Baroque and Classical. Now if Romanticism is your favourite, than Brahms, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Wagner, Mahler, Sibelius, and Bruckner could be of interest. Nonetheless, I'll let the OP think about it. Maybe the OP likes Romanticism more than he realizes.


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## Ravndal (Jun 8, 2012)

Brahms is very romantic, and for some it can take a long time to get to know him and the music. But, there are exceptions. His Clarinet sonata no 2 is wonderful, and not difficult to fall in love with - even if you are not a big fan of chamber music. His intermezzos (op 117) contains some of the most beautiful melodies you can imagine. 

I would recommend those to start with.


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## JCarmel (Feb 3, 2013)

I deeply appreciate and enjoy most of what Brahms wrote including his Lieder but if I had to chose my most favourite works, they would be the Alto Rhapsody, the Second Piano Concerto, the Fourth Symphony, Intermezzi opus 117 & 118, the Piano Quintet and maybe above all, the Violin Concerto as played by Mullova/Abbado ('cos I play that a lot!)


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

"The essential Johannes Brahms" -- I am assured that the thread title is NOT an oxymoron. :devil:


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

KenOC said:


> "The essential Johannes Brahms" -- I am assured that the thread title is NOT an oxymoron. :devil:


Well shucks, I could have told you that. Can't _do_ the Romantic Era without Brahms, can't even _survey_ classical music without a strong dose of Brahms. Gotta be in there.


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## Perotin (May 29, 2012)

Brahms is an interesting composer. I cannot help admiring his melodic inventivness and sense of polyphony. But sadly, his orchestrations are terrible, they sound like an old, sratched gramophone record. It's a pity really.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Hilltroll72 said:


> Well shucks, I could have told you that. Can't _do_ the Romantic Era without Brahms, can't even _survey_ classical music without a strong dose of Brahms. Gotta be in there.


Did you possibly read my meanng backward?


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

KenOC said:


> Did you possibly read my meanng backward?


Probably not, since somewhere along you were 'assured'; probably not by _neoshredder_.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Hilltroll72 said:


> Probably not, since somewhere along you were 'assured'; probably not by _neoshredder_.


Actually I'm a sock puppet of neoshredder. But if you think Brahms is essential, then you believe the thread title *is* an oxymoron. Just sayin'...


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## vertigo (Jan 9, 2013)

KenOC said:


> Actually I'm a sock puppet of neoshredder. But if you think Brahms is essential, then you believe the thread title *is* an oxymoron. Just sayin'...


It would be a tautology, not an oxymoron.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

vertigo said:


> It would be a tautology, not an oxymoron.


Ah yes. I'm confused. Happens often these days...


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

KenOC said:


> Ah yes. I'm confused. Happens often these days...


Happens to the best of us; even moi.


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## waldvogel (Jul 10, 2011)

Going on to some of the less familiar works, I love his two serenades - symphonies that dare not say their names - written for small orchestra. The second serenade features a unique orchestration of no violins at all, giving it a feeling that is simultaneously dark and shimmering. Each of the serenades features a hornpipe-like movement, both of which are highly infectious earworms - be forwarned! 

The late Double Concerto op. 102 is also a wonderful work, which somehow balances the violin and cello parts. It's really the only great concerto for multiple instruments written in the almost 200 years betwen Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante K.364 and Shostakovich's Concerto for Piano and Trumpet. Yes, I'm omitting Beethoven's Triple Concerto...


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Huzzah for mentioning the Serenades, which seem seldom heard. Great stuff. Also the Double Concerto, which is probably the least popular of Brahms's concertos (who knows why?) As for omitting the Beethoven, well... OK.


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## RonP (Aug 31, 2012)

Thanks to all for responding so far. I'm finally catching up to this thread since I've been on the go all day and didn't want anyone to think that I did a fly-by posting (or as some would put it, trolling). I've read some great responses so far and realize that I need to do a bit more research. 

A little about my background - if it isn't obvious, I don;t have a very in-depth knowledge of the various styles of "classical" music. If I hear it on the radio, I buy it and might go see a live performance. So through years of listening, I just naturally gravitated towards the Classical and Baroque periods. However, I always remember hearing Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 5 on the radio and liking it. Then came the Academic Festival Overture and the interest in Brahms grew. 

My wife commented that the BSO was performing the Double Concerto a few months ago and so we bought tickets. We came away impressed and bought the CD. That kind of sparked the interest a bit more. We recently saw the NSO perform Symphony No. 4 and I realized that needed to develop more knowledge of Brahms' works.

I've managed to acquire Symphonies 1,3 and 4, the Double Concertos, the Violin Concerto, Piano Concerto No. 2, the Academic Festival Overture, a few of the Hungarian Dances and the Violin Sonatas. I'll look for his chamber works next.

To neoshredder, it may seem like a jump from classical to Brahms, but I never really set out to follow a sequence. I have an appreciation for Beethoven's work and will admit that I'm not at all versed on Schubert, so I will be adding his works to my research. And while I'm at it, I can see some more Mendelssohn being added since the wife likes some of his works.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Can't say I'm a fan of the symphonies. But I like the piano concertos and the violin concerto when Heifetz plays it - important not to drag it out else it becomes a bore. I have Lupu playing the piano music but I'm not into it much. The other work is the German Requiem. Really sublime.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Perotin said:


> Brahms is an interesting composer. I cannot help admiring his melodic inventivness and sense of polyphony. But sadly, his orchestrations are terrible, they sound like an old, sratched gramophone record. It's a pity really.


Good heavens ,what are you listening through?


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

!!


KenOC said:


> Ah yes. I'm confused. Happens often these days...


That's because you keep changing your blooming avatar!!


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## platno (Jun 9, 2013)

I would add this to "Brahms essential collection", Trio, op. 8/2


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


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## Geo Dude (May 22, 2013)

His chamber music often gets ignored, but most of it is essential. The violin sonatas, piano trios and quartets, string quintets all come to mind as being worth looking into, not factoring in his solo piano music.


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## Cheyenne (Aug 6, 2012)

I'm pretty sure every single thing he wrote has been recommended by now :lol:


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## Geo Dude (May 22, 2013)

Cheyenne said:


> I'm pretty sure every single thing he wrote has been recommended by now :lol:


With good reason!

That said, he has some pretty obscure a capella choral work out there that may not have been recommended. His organ works also may not have made the essential list. (I say 'may' because I haven't read through the whole thread.)


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