The Great Composers Podcast - a classical music podcast

45 - Johannes Brahms, pt. 10 "From the Soul of the Purest Youth" a classical music podcast

The Great Composers Podcast - a classical music podcast

Show Notes

It is December 1871 and Johannes Brahms has finally established permanent residence in the music loving city of Vienna. Still, his thoughts remain in Hamburg for a time as his family slowly start to drift away from him... He himself then drifted for a time, compositionally at least. He would begin his new position as Artistic Director of the Gesellschaft der Musik Freunde in Fall 1872 which made him so busy he hardly had time to compose. Except during the summers, when he would disappear from their sight, as it were, and work on his music. And what incredible music it would be: two string quartets, the Haydn Variations, the third piano quartet, plenty of music for the voice, and very nearly a first symphony. Works heard in this episode (all by Brahms): - String Quartet in C minor op. 51, no. 1 1. Allegro 2. Romanze: Poco adagio 3. Allegretto molto moderato e comodo 4. Allegro - Variations on a Theme (Said to be) by Joseph Haydn, op. 56a Theme Var. 1-3 Var. 4-6 Var. 7, 8 Finale

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May 12, 2024

Brahms pt. 15b: we detail the course of the Brahms-Joachim relationship as they return to something like their former friendly relations and see how is other friendships and partnerships evolve, disolve, change and mature as we reach the year 1887. Works heard in this episode in order (all by Brahms): Tafellied op. 93b Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht op. 96 no. 1 Wir wandelten op. 96 no. 2 Nachtigall op. 97 no. 1 arr. for viola and piano by...me (viola) Symphony no. 4 in E minor, mvt. 1 Allegro non troppo Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major, op. 100, Allegro amabile Allegretto grazioso

Aug 12, 2023

Brahms pt. 15a: we return to the life narrative of our great composer, picking up where we left him in the summer of 1879 adding the finishing touches to his D major violin concerto which he had written for and with the advice of his great friend, Joseph Joachim. This was the high point of their friendship and musical partnership; but for how long would the happy feelings last, and if they didn't, how long would it take Brahms to reclaim them?

May 25, 2022

In Brahms pt. 14 our pause in the narrative continues as we study the greatest of all violin concertos, that by Johannes Brahms. We will analyze the relationship between Brahms and the work's first, possibly finest performer Joseph Joachim, putting the concerto in the context of his performing life and in relation to other works in the genre. We conclude with a discussion of cadenza's, but Joachim and others, which happily allows us to revisit Fritz Kreisler, seeing how his life intersects with Joachim's and Brahms's, and discuss another of my heroes: the violinist Jascha Heifetz. Works heard in this episode in order (all by Brahms): -Concerto in D major for Violin and Orchestra, op. 77 Unmarked recording from Musopen's "European Archive" (possibly Jacques Thibaud...) 1. Allegro non troppo 2. Adagio 3. Allegretto giocoso, ma non troppo vivace https://musopen.org/music/2130-violin-concerto-in-d-major-op-77/ -----------------

Feb 27, 2022

In Brahms pt. 13 we pause the narrative and retrace our steps to spend some more time with the Second Symphony. A brief discussion of the symphony and an analysis of its motives will be presented, including excerpts from it and a complete recording by the Musopen Symphony. Works heard in this episode in order (all by Brahms): -Symphony no. 2 in D major op. 73 Multiple excerpts recorded by Chang Ji, violin and Kevin Nordstrom, viola 1. Allegro non troppo 2. Adagio non troppo 3. Allegretto grazioso 4. Allegro con spirito Musopen Symphony https://musopen.org/music/65-symphony-no-2-in-d-major-op-73/ -----------------

Feb 6, 2022

Pt. 12: It is early November 1876 and Brahms is in the audience as the orchestra at Carlsruhe premieres his first symphony in C minor. The concert goes better than expected and riding high on his success, Brahms performs the symphony many more times elsewhere. Its positive reception gladdened his heart and he quickly produced another symphony to celebrate, then a series of other wonderful works including the first violin sonata in G major, and the monumental violin concerto for Joseph Joachim. Works heard in this episode in order (all by Brahms): -Symphony no. 2 in D major op. 73, mvt. 3 Allegretto grazioso -Capriccio in B minor op. 76, no. 2, Luis Sarro, piano, https://musopen.org/music/2037-8-piano-pieces-op-76/ -Sonata in G major, op. 78, mvts. 2, 3, Chang Ji (Mrs. the GCP), violin and Haeri Su, Piano -----------------

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