Brahms - love him or hate him

[Contratrombone64]

I always find it amusing when music critics (Washington Post) spout forth their views... would love to see this woman's compositions and compare them to Brahms. She does, however, makes some interesting points.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/21/AR2008012102394.html

 

[NEB]

I happen to like Brahms' music very much. The symphonies are beautifully crafted with not a superfluous note to be found. The piano music is divine. I don't know much of his organ music (if any).

Incidentally IMO the closing few Bars of the second symphony send shivers down the spine...

 

[Contratrombone64]

NEB - for me shivers happen in the tumultuous climax of the Third Symphony's development section ... when the first and second fiddles are scurrying around with frantic quavers (1/4 notes) and f minor is the firm foundation.

 

[Corno Dolce]

I can't understand why the reviewer hates Brahms music. Methinks she had a brainfart.

 

[Contratrombone64]

Sweet Corn ... Brahms didn't add anything new to western music. Unlike Beethoven, Bach, Debussy, etc. But his voice is just so pleasing and original to be a joy forever.

 

[Corno Dolce]

Hi CT64,

Thanx for your sharing about Brahms. I am of the same impression about Brahms.

Cheers,

CD

 

[ses]

Well nice reading. I still love Brahms, and have some ideas why some don't. He was a perfectionist, and the players can't make a show for themselfes. They just have to play the notes if they can read (understand) them.
Brahms was not looking back in his composition, he just used old form to write modern (in his days) music.
His 3 and 4 symphony is masterpieces with ”modern” difficult rythms, his last opus (for organ) is absolut looking forward.
But I like the reading anyway, there are many fine points and some irritating repeats of older Noel Coward fools.


Klemperer is dark in Brahms, Walter is the light and human, Furtwangler takes the 3. from the ground like a jumbojet, what a travel. Brahms needs knowing musicians.


The most of Brahms is vocal music, and in a good performance of his not vocal music you can sing along.

 

[NEB]

Like I said, Brahms is always beautifully crafted. Not even a rest out of place. I read somewhere that he really had to labour over his work rather than the perhaps 'easier flow' that others may have had (or in Mozart's case 'gush!') But the evidence of such dilligence is so obvious in the perfection of his writing. (IMO)

Goodness knows what that reviewer is thinking?

 

[chromaticism]

He may have his share of critics but Brahms certainly made amazing compositions in accordance to his preference of classicism.

To add to that effect, his approaches towards composition, if you use them as guidelines, certainly won't given you any unrealistic hopes or aspirations (he once said the most difficult thing to compose is a long adagio, which I find true) but would definitely bring out your own voice.

I also find him to be quite honest as his music is probably an honest statement about himself (he also said that usually the best ideas flow from the hand or mind without any particular effort eventually becoming ideas that endure in compositions), which could be why even though he labored (many songs written but few will be usable) he had his most spectacular works live on.

 

[Daniel Palmer]

I haven't heard or played that much by Brahms, though I've recently played some of the Eleven Chorale Preludes for organ, and found them to be very fine indeed.

Daniel

 

[methodistgirl]

I like some of his music like the famous lullbye. sorry I can't spell.
judy tooley

 

[Contratrombone64]

Yeah - Judy, that Lullaby is wonderful, so soothing and so restful. Mind you, I can't imagine trying to get a baby to sleep with Ride of the Valkyries ...

 

[marval]

HaHa Ryde of the Valkyries, I don't think so. Or 1812 snore snore cymbals cry cry(poor baby). I do like Brahms, I love his violin concerto, and I remember singing his lullaby at school, don't know who was more tired after that us or the teacher.

But he is definately on my listen to list.


Margaret

 

[Soubasse]

Just a quick observation:

the beautiful 4th Symphony and
the sublime Chorale Preludes for organ

I would be far more than content to be able to churn out material like that!

 

[methodistgirl]

On the game called Bookworm is the music from Brahms.
judy tooley

 

[acciaccatura]

What is not to like? Most of Brahms' output is of the highest standard, even though he could be labeled a 'conservative'. But his works, arguably unlike another conservative composer such as Rachmaninov, are mostly of a caliber that makes them stand out as reference - all of his four symphonies and German Requiem, most of his chamber music and piano music and concertos are masterworks. Brahms also excelled as lied composer with a surprisingly large output that is not as well known.

Brahms is difficult to work with for musicians because of technical demands, but rewarding. His music really sounds big, spacious and serious - even in his lighter music such as the liebeslieder-waltzes or hungarian dances. All I can say is listen for yourself - you almost cannot go wrong, regardless of where you begin.

 

[Dcomposing]

Thank you for sharing the Post on Brahms. In my eyes, having fallen in love with Brahms at the tender and oh so impressionable age of 13 under the spell of his piano Intermezzo op 118, no. 2 in AM, he is forever in my heart. I can only dream of achieving in melody and complete emotional composition what he has so eloquently offered. My first love.

 

[draug]

I won't say that I am a Brahms lover, for this sounds a touch kinky....however, as I remarked in a previous post, his symphonies are comfort food for me.
Most of my love of classical music stems from childhood memories of my parents' radio and vinyl choices. Whilst I drudged away hopelessly at the piano before abandoning it, almost completely, in my early 20's, my listening was passionately omnivorous. Brahms was a staple in my musical diet.
One lousy marriage and some hugely life-changing events later....I had moved abroad and began to replace all my old 'taped from the radio' and vinyl music with CDs and had the money to buy an excellent stereo. Brahms was a revelation. I agree that not one note is superfluous. Despite his 'Grand Old Man' appearance and grumpy reputation, if one reads about him, his comments are always light and full of humour. For example, referring to the second movement of the PC no. 2 as 'a little wisp of a scherzo!'
Recently, I have begun to delve into his choral music and find this to be perhaps the most extraordinary element of his oevre.
Anyway, definitely not hate!

 

[Art Rock]

He is in my top 5 composers, courtecy especially of his symphonies, his amazing chamber music (apart from the string quartets) and his vocal output (especially the Deutsches Requiem).

 

[the maestro]

For me, Brahms symphonies ar the greatest ever written. They are even better than Beethoven's.