Milestones of Musical Romanticism 5
M. Zachary Johnson
March 31, 2005
-Brahms's Chamber Music-
Johannes Brahms's special distinction in music history was that he was "a Romantic in expression but a Classicist in form and technique." He had both the passionate, uniquely individual voice of a Romantic, and the serious, disciplined, scholarly approach of a Classicist—-and his music is the fusion of those two things.
Notice that this is an integration of one element that is cerebral and one that is emotional, an integration of formal structure and mathematics with expression. It is an integration of head and heart—-of mind and body.
Brahms adopted the discipline and scholarly approach of a Classicist:
"He studied the music of the past incessantly, especially Bach and Beethoven but going as far back as Josquin; he also edited editions of composers from Couperin to Dvorak.... Among other efforts he spent years teaching himself Palestrina-style counterpoint, a labor that bears fruit on every page of his mature music. One way and another, he made himself a musical craftsman the equal of any who ever lived.... In Brahms the whole of the Western musical tradition from Palestrina to Schumann speaks in an individual and eloquent summation." (Swafford, *The Vintage Guide to Classical Music*)
Yet Brahms was decidedly a Romantic in the lyricism, the rich harmonies, the exquisite emotional tension, and in the drama and excitement of his music.
"It is possible to sing every Brahms movement from beginning to end as though it were a single, uninterrupted melody. Through all its polyphonic intricacies, the clear flow of invention always remains distinctly recognizable....
"All of Brahms's music is rhythmically exciting. Contrasting rhythmic patterns are set against one another; one instrument plays two even notes to the beat, while another plays three. The use of 'two against three,' as this rhythmic technique is called, is one of Brahms's trademarks. He also delights in all sorts of syncopations and in phrases of irregular length that push against the prevailing meter." (Kamien, *Music: An Appreciation*)
Much of Brahms's music has an emotional element of longing or yearning melancholy. He is incomparable in his ability to write sweet, tender, subtle music (think, for instance, of his famous lullaby). And there is a certain noble, proud quality that runs as an emotional undercurrent through all of his music. The general warmth and richness of his sound and the characteristic feeling of his music are exemplified particularly well in his three Violin Sonatas.
The First Sonata, the so-called "Rain Sonata," is based on and gets its nickname from Brahms's song *Regenlied* ('Rain Song'), which he had written several years earlier in 1873. The Second and Third Violin Sonatas were written as a contrasting pair. The Second is slightly shorter, in three movements, and generally on the sunnier side of the emotional spectrum. The Third is longer, in four movements, with a more grand, symphonic depth and seriousness.
An equally irresistible introduction to Brahms's emotional universe--the universe of a man with a profound love of life, and of women--can be found in his "Liebeslieder" (love-song) Waltzes. The Waltzes are for a quartet of solo voices (two men and two women) accompanied by two pianists at one piano. The use of a quartet of vocal soloists affords Brahms the opportunity to use the voices in a variety of combinations: there are solo songs, duets, trios, and full quartets. The use of the voices in combination also gives the music the fascinating contrapuntal aspect of the interaction and interweaving of the sounds of the voices, each of which retains its distinct character while being blended into a musical fabric.
The "Liebeslieder" Waltzes are light, melodic, charming popular songs written with unparalleled artistic skill to appeal to a wide audience. They cover the whole gamut of feelings about love from simple hope to haunting apprehension to happy adulation to storming outrage to brooding angst to giddiness and tenderness.
To purchase recommended recordings of Brahms's Violin Sonatas and "Liebeslieder" Waltzes, and to see other recommendations in the "Milestones of Musical Romanticism" series, visit:
http://www.tiadaily.com/php-bin/news/showArticle.php?id=995
Johannes Brahms's special distinction in music history was that he was "a Romantic in expression but a Classicist in form and technique." He had both the passionate, uniquely individual voice of a Romantic, and the serious, disciplined, scholarly approach of a Classicist—-and his music is the fusion of those two things.
Notice that this is an integration of one element that is cerebral and one that is emotional, an integration of formal structure and mathematics with expression. It is an integration of head and heart—-of mind and body.
Brahms adopted the discipline and scholarly approach of a Classicist:
"He studied the music of the past incessantly, especially Bach and Beethoven but going as far back as Josquin; he also edited editions of composers from Couperin to Dvorak.... Among other efforts he spent years teaching himself Palestrina-style counterpoint, a labor that bears fruit on every page of his mature music. One way and another, he made himself a musical craftsman the equal of any who ever lived.... In Brahms the whole of the Western musical tradition from Palestrina to Schumann speaks in an individual and eloquent summation." (Swafford, *The Vintage Guide to Classical Music*)
Yet Brahms was decidedly a Romantic in the lyricism, the rich harmonies, the exquisite emotional tension, and in the drama and excitement of his music.
"It is possible to sing every Brahms movement from beginning to end as though it were a single, uninterrupted melody. Through all its polyphonic intricacies, the clear flow of invention always remains distinctly recognizable....
"All of Brahms's music is rhythmically exciting. Contrasting rhythmic patterns are set against one another; one instrument plays two even notes to the beat, while another plays three. The use of 'two against three,' as this rhythmic technique is called, is one of Brahms's trademarks. He also delights in all sorts of syncopations and in phrases of irregular length that push against the prevailing meter." (Kamien, *Music: An Appreciation*)
Much of Brahms's music has an emotional element of longing or yearning melancholy. He is incomparable in his ability to write sweet, tender, subtle music (think, for instance, of his famous lullaby). And there is a certain noble, proud quality that runs as an emotional undercurrent through all of his music. The general warmth and richness of his sound and the characteristic feeling of his music are exemplified particularly well in his three Violin Sonatas.
The First Sonata, the so-called "Rain Sonata," is based on and gets its nickname from Brahms's song *Regenlied* ('Rain Song'), which he had written several years earlier in 1873. The Second and Third Violin Sonatas were written as a contrasting pair. The Second is slightly shorter, in three movements, and generally on the sunnier side of the emotional spectrum. The Third is longer, in four movements, with a more grand, symphonic depth and seriousness.
An equally irresistible introduction to Brahms's emotional universe--the universe of a man with a profound love of life, and of women--can be found in his "Liebeslieder" (love-song) Waltzes. The Waltzes are for a quartet of solo voices (two men and two women) accompanied by two pianists at one piano. The use of a quartet of vocal soloists affords Brahms the opportunity to use the voices in a variety of combinations: there are solo songs, duets, trios, and full quartets. The use of the voices in combination also gives the music the fascinating contrapuntal aspect of the interaction and interweaving of the sounds of the voices, each of which retains its distinct character while being blended into a musical fabric.
The "Liebeslieder" Waltzes are light, melodic, charming popular songs written with unparalleled artistic skill to appeal to a wide audience. They cover the whole gamut of feelings about love from simple hope to haunting apprehension to happy adulation to storming outrage to brooding angst to giddiness and tenderness.
To purchase recommended recordings of Brahms's Violin Sonatas and "Liebeslieder" Waltzes, and to see other recommendations in the "Milestones of Musical Romanticism" series, visit:
http://www.tiadaily.com/php-bin/news/showArticle.php?id=995