Biography of Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Late Brahms
With permission from the Brahms institute Lübeck
07.05.1833
Born in Hamburg, being second child of an empoverished double bass player
1840
First piano lessons from Otto Friedrich Willibald Cossen and later from Eduard Marxsen.
1852
Concerttour with the Hungarian violinist Remenyi, who made the contact to the violinist Joachim.
Acquaintance with the violinist Joachim makes him travel to Weimar. there he meets Liszt, who is quite impressed by his compositions. The acquaintance with Schumann in Düsseldorf was made by Joachim, too.
Schumann supported Brahms in publishing his works and housed him. It is said Brahms felt in love with Schumanns wife Clara.
1853
First compositions published.
By playing his works in their concerts, Clara Schumann and Joachim established Brahms
1857
Piano teacher and conductor of the court orchestra in Detmold.
1859
Head of the Hamburg women's choir
1863
Move to Vienna and head of Singverein and in the following year acquaintance of Wagner
02.02.1865
His mother dies
1867
Invitation by Mathilde Wesendonck, the muse of Richard Wagner
1872
Management of the concerts of the association of music friends in Vienna for three years
1877
Journey to Italy
1886
Honorary president of the Vienna Musicians Society
1888
Meets Tschaikowsky in Leipzig
1896
Death of Clara Schumann
He encouraged younger composers like Zemlinsky or Suk and founded the price for composition of the "Wiener Tonkünstlerverein"
03.04.1897
Brahms dies in Vienna of liver cancer
The followers of Brahms and those of Richard Wagner (Wagnerianer) became musical enemies. The differences are documented in countless writings.

Sheet music for flute:

12 Walzer op. 39 (Bearbeitung)
edition on amazonCD-Aufnahmen bei jpc.deMP3-Download bei amazon.de
(flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, double bass)
Simrock Original Edition
Rating: easy
Parts and score.
Transcription of the 16 waltzes for piano
3 Easy Quartets - Marienlieder op. 22 op. 22 (F-Dur) (Bearbeitung)
CD-Aufnahmen bei jpc.deMP3-Download bei amazon.de
(flute, oboe, clarinet in H flat, bassoon (cello))
Schott Verlag, Ed 10762
Rating: easy
  1. The Angels' Greeting
  2. The Hunter
  3. Mary's Wandering
Only score. The pieces are very short and easy, thus it is possible to play from the score.
Serenade No. 1 op. 11 (D-Dur)
CD-Aufnahmen bei jpc.deMP3-Download bei amazon.de
(flute, 2 clarinets, bassoon, horn, violin, viola, cello, double bass)
Edition Hieber, EG 85
Rating: mid-grade
  1. Allegro molto
  2. Scherzo - Allegro non troppo
  3. Adagio non troppo
  4. Menuetto 1 & 2
  5. Scherzo - Allegro
Pocket score hand written
Reconstruction of the original version for nonett. The parts are available for rent only.
Two Intermezzi op. 118, No. 1 & 2 (D-Dur) (Bearbeitung)
CD-Aufnahmen bei jpc.deMP3-Download bei amazon.de
(flute, piano)
International Music Company, 3332
Rating: easy
  1. opus 118, No. 2 (Andante teneramente)
  2. opus 118, No. 1 (Allegro non assai, ma molto appassionato)
Sounds a bit like folk brass music. Not so good composed.
Ungarischer Tanz Nr. 6 (D-Dur)
CD-Aufnahmen bei jpc.deMP3-Download bei amazon.de
(flute, clarinet, bassoon)
Edition Elscha, 6832
Rating: easy
  1. Andante maestoso - Tempo vivo
We didn´t like this adaptation. There is just too much missing if this music is reduced to a trio. Not for us, thanks.

CDs with/from Johannes Brahms

James Galway, London Symphony Orchestra, Klauspeter Seibel, Moray Welsh
Wings of Song (2004)
Deutsche Grammophon
  1. Maurice Ravel: Pavane pour une Infante défunte (06:11:00)
  2. Erik Satie: Gymnopédie No. 3 (02:47:00)
  3. Franz Schubert: Ave Maria (04:27:00)
  4. N. N.: The Dawning of the Day (04:35:00)
  5. Joaquín Rodrigo: En Aranuez con tu amor (07:29:00)
  6. Johann Christian Bach: Siciliano (02:53:00)
  7. Camille Saint-Saëns: Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix (06:16:00)
  8. Vincenzo Bellini: Casta diva (05:04:00)
  9. Gabriel Fauré: Pie Jesu (03:17:00)
  10. Jacques Offenbach: Barcarolle (02:43:00)
  11. Richard Wagner: Der Engel (02:47:00)
  12. Christoph Willibald Gluck: Che farò senza Euridice? (04:30:00)
  13. Antonin Dvořák: Lento (08:30:00)
  14. Johannes Brahms: Wiegenlied (02:20:00)
  15. Howard Shore: A Lord of the Rings Suite (06:45:00)
  16. John Denver: Annie"s Song (02:58:00)

Literature von/über Johannes Brahms

Last edit 16.12.2012