Johannes brahms (1May 7, 833-1April 3, 897), born in Hamburg, is a German romantic composer.

1848, first solo concert. 1853, composer robert schumann wrote an article entitled "New Road", which foresaw Brahms' musical achievements. In the same year, Schumann introduced Brahms to his music publisher, and his first works were printed and published. 1860, published a declaration against the "New German School" headed by Franz Liszt. From 65438 to 0862, he lived in Vienna most of the time, and Vienna became Brahms' second hometown. In the same year, he was elected head of the choir of Vienna Vocal Music Institute. 1868, German requiem premiered in Bremen. 187 1 accepted the invitation of the artistic director of Vienna Music Lovers Association, and played an important role in promoting German classical music during his tenure. 1876, he completed and premiered Symphony No.1 in C minor. 1877, the second symphony in d major premiered in Vienna. 1879, breslau University awarded Brahms the title of honorary doctor. 1883, Symphony No.3 in F major premiered in Vienna. 1885, Symphony No.4 in E minor premiered in Meningen. 1896, he wrote four serious songs. 1March 897 13, the last public appearance; On April 3, Brahms died.

In the history of German music, johannes brahms is often compared with johann sebastian bach and Ludwig van Beethoven, that is, according to the initials of Bach, Beethoven and Brahms, they are always called "3B". In addition, Brahms is also a German composer with a wide range of creative fields and profound inheritance of classical traditions after Beethoven.

Chinese name: johannes brahms.

Johannes Brahms

Nationality: Germany

Place of birth: Hamburg

Date of birth:1May 7, 833

Date of death:1April 3, 897

Occupation: composer

Main achievements: It is called "3B" in German music history together with Bach and Beethoven.

Representative works: Symphony No.1 in C minor, Symphony No.2 in D major, Symphony No.3 in F major and Symphony No.4 in E minor.

Early experience

1833 on may 7th, johannes brahms was in the gene region of Hamburg. His father is a bass cellist in Hamburg Theatre, but he attaches importance to children's music education because of financial difficulties. From 65438 to 0840, he studied piano performance under Otto Friedrich Willebal Kausel, and Kausel became Brahms' first piano teacher.

1843 participated in the Hamburg premiere as a piano player for the first time; In the same year, he was asked to travel to the United States and was stopped by Kausel; In the same year, he began to study piano and composition with Edward Banjarmasin. Under his guidance, Brahms first came into contact with the works of German classical composers.

From 1846 to 1847, he made money playing in the ballroom of Bodorf, a suburb of Hamburg. In March 1848, 1 1, I heard joseph joachim play Beethoven's violin concerto for the first time at a philharmonic concert in Hamburg. On September 2 1 day, I held my first solo concert, and performed the works of Bach, Barkson and Goetz on the stage.

1849, G W Max worked as a music arranger in August Crantz Music Publishing House in Hamburg. 1850 In March, I sent the first batch of music manuscripts to robert schumann and clara schumann who were having a concert in Hamburg. 185 1 year, I got to know the Hungarian violinist Edward Reimenyi, and learned about gypsy music (that is, Hungarian folk music in people's minds at this time) through Reimenyi.

Character experience

New road

1853, they toured with Lymenyi and met the violinist joseph joachim in Hanover. Joachim introduced Schumann and Liszt to appreciate Brahms' works. In June, I met Franz Liszt in Weimar; On September 30th, I visited robert schumann and clara schumann in Dü sseldorf and became friends from then on. 10 year 10 On 28th October, Schumann published an article entitled "New Road" in New Music Magazine, which predicted Brahms' future musical achievements. On Schumann's recommendation, Breitkopf-Hertel Music Publishing House in Leipzig published Brahms' first works, namely piano sonatas (Op. 1 and Op.2) and some songs.

At the beginning of March 1854, Schumann attempted suicide and Brahms rushed to Dü sseldorf. In August, I went to Mainz with Julius Otto Green, and then I went to Heidelberg and wandered in the Neckar Valley. I returned to Hamburg, visited clara schumann when passing through Dü sseldorf, and visited joseph joachim when passing through Hanover.

1In May, 855, he attended the 33rd Lower Rhine Music Festival held in Dü sseldorf, and met the Austrian music aesthete and music critic Edward Hanslick. In July, clara schumann and I traveled to the Rhine. From 10 to February, 165438+ held concerts in Danzig, Berlin, Bremen and Hamburg.

1856 65438+1From October to February, concerts were held in Leipzig, Kiel, Hamburg and Altona, and concerts were held with Joachim in Gottingen; In April, I visited Schumann in Ndaniger, a suburb of Bonn. In May, he attended the 34th Lower Rhine Music Festival in Dü sseldorf. On July 29, robert schumann died; In August, I traveled to the Rhine with clara schumann and his children until the Swiss Fairwater Steed Lake; From September to 65438+February, stay in Hamburg and Dü sseldorf.

/kloc-in the summer of 0/857, clara schumann and his children and I came to the Rhine from Dü sseldorf. From September to 65438+February, I worked as a piano, chamber music and chorus conductor in Detmold Palace, and gained the initial experience of chorus conductor. From June 1858 to June 10, he took over the post of President of Detmold Court again.

1859 65438+1On October 22nd, the premiere of Piano Concerto No.1 was held in Hanover. On June 27th, 65438 10, the premiere of Piano Concerto No.1 in Leipzig Concert Hall failed. In June, he began to conduct the Hamburg Women's Choir; From October, 65438 to February, 65438, he took over the post of President of Detmold Court for the third time.

mature

1March 860, drafted a declaration against the "New German School" headed by Liszt, which was signed by Brahms and attended by Joachim, Grimm and Schultz. From May to June, clara schumann and I went to Mount Alta and Mount Afrey, and then went directly to Lake Rachel. 186 1 May, ending the work of Hamburg Women's Choir; On July 65438+3, 2003, he moved to Ham, a suburb of Hamburg, and composed variations on the theme of Handel.

1862, he came to Vienna for the first time. Since then, Brahms has lived in Vienna for most of his life, and this hometown of music has become his second hometown. 165438+1On October 29th, I gave my first concert in Vienna. 1In May of 863, he returned to Hamburg and lived in his former residence in Nass Street, Blanken, where he wrote rinaldo (OP.50). In the same year, he was elected head of the choir of Vienna Vocal Music Institute.

1In April 864, he resigned as the head of the choir of Vienna Vocal Music Institute; In June, his parents divorced and Brahms went to Hamburg. 1February 2, 865, when his mother died, Brahms went to Hamburg to attend the funeral. At the end of April, the housing in Vienna was returned; 1 In May, I went to Lichenthal near baden-baden and met the painter Fellbach. 165438+1October 8th, he left Lichenthal and toured Basel, Zurich and Venter Tours in the same month, during which he met Mathilde Wesendonk. In the same year, he created works such as Trio of Horn in E-flat Major and German Requiem.

1In March of 866, when her father remarried, Brahms spontaneously established a good relationship with her stepmother and took care of her from then on. On April 1868 and 10, the German Requiem (without the fifth paragraph) premiered in Bremen Cathedral and was a success. In May, he wrote the fifth paragraph of German Requiem.

On February 1869 and 18, arl reinecke hosted the complete premiere of seven passages of German Requiem in Leipzig Concert Hall, but Brahms did not attend. From 65438 to 0870, I watched Richard Wagner's operas Valkyria and Gold on the Rhine in Munich.

Peak of creativity

187 1 year, inspired by the victory of the Franco-Prussian War, he wrote Song of Victory (Op.55), which was staged in Bremen and Karlsruhe respectively in April and June of the same year. On June 165438+1October16, the Vienna Music Lovers Association offered him the position of artistic director, and Brahms agreed to take up his post on February 65438 of the same year. During this period, he played an important role in promoting German classical music. On February 27th, 65438, he bought a house in Kars Street, Vienna.

1February 872, my father died in Hamburg, and Brahms stayed there until1February 6; In July, he began to establish friendship with the conductor Hans von Biao Luo in baden-baden; On September 10, I returned to Vienna; 165438+1October 10 As the artistic director of the Vienna Music Lovers Association, he gave his first concert in Vienna, including works by Handel, Mozart and Schubert.

1873 In early May, I met the German writer Paul John Ludwig von Hesse in Munich. From May of 14, I spent my summers in Tuchin, during which I went to Munich several times to meet Hesse and others. Besides, during the holiday in Tuchin, I finished Variations on Haydn (Op.56).

1June, 874, Brahms Week was held in Leipzig. Brahms attended three concerts, during which he met the German composer Henrich von Herzog belk and his wife Elizabeth von Herzog belk, and their friendship began.

On April 3rd 1875, the Vienna Music Lovers Association terminated its contract; On April 18, he conducted the concert of the Association for the last time and became a freelance artist. In May, he performed in concerts in Karlsruhe, Mannheim and Dü sseldorf.

1876 completed symphony No.1 in c minor (Op.68), and on June 4th of the same year,165438+1October 4th, it was performed by Otto de soff and premiered in Karlsruhe. 10, Brahms conducted his first symphony in Mannheim, Munich and Vienna.

1On June 9th, 877, he arrived in Polchach on the shores of Lake Volta and began to compose Symphony No.2 in D major (Op.73). In mid-September, he finished his second symphony in Tengger singer, Hita. On February 30th, 65438, Brahms' Second Symphony premiered at the New Year Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by hans richter.

1878+ 10, Brahms conducted his second symphony in Leipzig and his first symphony in Hamburg, Bremen and Utrecht. On May 6th, he arrived in Polchach, where he spent the second summer, and created violin concerto in D major and other works. At the end of September, he attended the Hamburg Music Festival, conducted his second symphony, and then returned to Vienna. Brahms began to grow a beard to change his self-image

1 879 65438+1October1day, the violin concerto in d major was premiered in Leipzig Concert Hall, with Joachim as a violin solo; In March, breslau University awarded Brahms the title of honorary doctor; On May 23rd, I spent my third and last summer in Polchach, during which I finished the first part of Sonata No.1 for Violin and Piano in G Major (Op.78) and two piano rhapsodies (Op.79).

1June, 880, I spent my first summer in Isher. During this period, he began to create works such as Overture to University Festivals (Op.80) and Overture to Tragedy (Op.8 1). On February 26th, 65438, hans richter held the premiere of Tragedy Overture.

188 1 year 65438+1October 4th, Brahms made the premiere of "overture to the Academy Festival" in Bresciau. 165438+1October 9th, the premiere of Piano Concerto No.2 in B major was held in Budapest, in which Brahms personally played the piano solo, and the conductor Hans von Poirot made it possible for him to meet audiences in many German cities through his band in Meningen.

1883 composed Symphony No.3 in F Major (Op.90), which was premiered by conductor hans richter in February of the same year.

1In May, 884, schrack was promoted to escape the summer in Steyammerz, during which he began to compose the fourth symphony (Op.98). 1885, he spent the second summer in Murz to promote schrack, and completed the creation of the Fourth Symphony, which premiered in Meningen on 10/25. 1886 arrived in Hofstadten, near Thun, on May 27th, during which he completed the Second Sonata for Cello and Piano in F Major (Op.99) and other works. In the same year, he was elected honorary chairman by the Vienna Musicians Association.

1887 65438+1October18, violin and cello concerto in a minor premiered in cologne, with Brahms conducting himself and Joachim and others participating in the performance. 1888, I met composers Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Edvard Grieg at the New Year Concert held in Leipzig. On May 23rd, 1889, he became an honorary citizen of Hamburg; In June, he was awarded the Royal Leopard Cross by the Austrian King.

old age

1890 arrived in isher on may 6, and completed the second string quintet in g major (op.11). In May, Letter to Sim Locke was regarded as Brahms' Will of Isel, as well as a trio for piano, clarinet and cello in A minor (op. 1 14) and a quintet for clarinet and string in B minor (op. 1 14). 36636.666666666667

1May, 894 17, I spent my summer in Ischer, during which I wrote two sonatas for clarinet and two sonatas for clarinet and piano (Op. 120). 1October 3rd, 1895, 10, I was a guest at Clara Schumann's house in Frankfurt, and that was the last time they got together.

1May 896, completed four serious songs (op.121); On May 20, clara schumann died; On May 24th, Brahms hurried to attend clara schumann's funeral, and arrived in Bonn too late. On September 3, arrived in Carlsbad for rest; 65438+1return to Vienna on October 2.

1On March 7th, 897, hans richter conducted the Fourth Symphony, and Brahms attended. On March 3rd, 2003, when Johann Strauss II's opera Goddess of Reason premiered, Brahms appeared in public for the last time. On April 3rd, Brahms died and was buried in Vienna Central Cemetery.

Personal life

love

1858, I met Agate von Sebolt in G? ttingen, and they got engaged. However, Brahms escaped the marriage and they broke up in the spring of 1859.

Brahms never married, and he had a relationship with Clara Schumann that transcended friendship for 43 years. It is said that he wrote many love letters to Clara, but he didn't send any, only the manuscript of music was sent to Clara.

friendship

185 1 year, Brahms and the violinist Joachim met and became friends of mutual respect. As a sign of friendship, Brahms dedicated his violin concerto in D major and violin and cello concerto in A minor to Joachim. Both premieres were performed by Joachim himself and conducted by Brahms.

Main work

Orchestral works

chamber music

Piano ensemble

A duet without the piano.

Piano works

Piano solo

VDVOEM NA LDINE

Organ works

Vocal music works

Mixed chorus

female chorus

male chorus

separate

duet

Sources of the above major works

Creative characteristics

Overall characteristics

Engineering overview

Brahms is a prolific composer, and his works include almost all genres of instrumental music and vocal music except opera, drama music and title symphony. Austrian historian Mandicevski and his disciple Hans Gaal edited and published 26 volumes of his complete works in Leipzig, from 1926 to 1927, including 4 symphonies, 2 overtures, 2 piano concertos and orchestra serenades, 1 violin concertos and/kloc-0. String quartets, piano duets, quartets and violin sonatas; String sextet, quintet, cello sonata, clarinet sonata; Piano quintet, clarinet quintet, piano violin and horn trio, piano clarinet and cello trio. Piano music includes 3 sonatas, 2 rhapsodies, 3 interludes, 16 waltzes, 5 1 etudes, 4 Hungarian dances and variations, composed by robert schumann, george frideric handel, joseph haydn, nicolo Paganini and Hungary. More than 300 songs, including Magroni and Four Serious Songs; There are more than 20 solo and chorus songs written in Slavic poetry.

Classical tradition

As the successor of Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert and robert schumann, Brahms has always adhered to the German-Austrian classical music tradition, combined the passion of romantic music with the rigorous classical formal structure, maintained his own artistic ideal pursuit, and his musical conception was broad and thorough, and his formation techniques were concise and exquisite. He follows the principles and forms of classical sonatas, and has obvious connection and distinct tendency with composers in the classical period in structure and content. In addition, he opposes external splendor and pursues deep and implicit emotional expression, which is unconventional, novel and unique in melody, harmony and texture. For example, the melody is unexpectedly broad, the harmony is dominated by natural phonology, the homonym is free to change, and the texture is rich in polyphonic thinking; Following the harmony of natural sound system but breaking through the boundaries of big and small sounds, the band is rich in colors, the piano texture is complex and changeable, and the rhythm is dynamic, which enriches and develops the tradition of classical music.

Folk style

The image composition and tone foundation of Brahms' works are rooted in German folk music. As early as his youth, he began to collect, record and adapt folk songs. In his own creation, he often quotes the simple, true and warm tones of German folk songs and consciously uses the characteristics of folk music. In Vienna, where many nationalities live together, he also pays great attention to absorbing the essence of folk songs and dance music from Austria, Czech Republic and especially Hungary. Some folk music sketches he adapted, such as Hungarian dance music, are popular and cordial. He pays equal attention to both classical music tradition and folk music, and has deep feelings for folk music.

symphony

Brahms's symphonies are only four, but each capital is a concise work carefully conceived. Brahms began to conceive and compose symphonies as early as 65438+1950s, but his admiration for Beethoven turned into an invisible pressure, which made him not believe that he had the ability to control symphony creation, and fixed his original idea as "Piano Concerto No.1" ... The first symphony was brewed for 20 years, and was called "Beethoven's Tenth Symphony" by people at that time because of its similar style and techniques. With heroic momentum, the traditional four-movement structure, the use of baroque counterpoint and classical motivation development techniques, the arrangement of musical structure and tonality of each movement, especially the untitled pure instrumental symphony type, it shows the close connection between Brahms symphony and classical tradition. But after all, it belongs to the new era after Beethoven for more than half a century, showing Brahms' unique complex and dignified texture, passionate and romantic melody and rich and heavy overall style.

Brahms made his own innovation on the basic framework of traditional symphony. His theme melody is diverse, full of romantic characteristics, and a large number of complete melodies similar to beautiful songs are magnificent and outstanding in personality. Taking the first symphony as an example, the main theme of the fourth movement is a big and complete German college student song, and its adoption adds a hint of "title" to Brahms' pure instrumental symphony. The oboe melody in the second movement is beautiful and affectionate, and it is more elegant when reproduced with the timbre of violin solo. The clarinet singing melody in the third movement is also smooth and warm. Even though the main melody of the first movement is passionate and ups and downs, it also dominates the whole movement with its own integrity and strong characteristics.

Brahms also changed the details of the symphony structure. The first movement of the first symphony is very heavy, but it is closely connected with the later movements, and naturally tends to the climax of the last movement. The structure of the first and last movements is huge, adopting the traditional sonata form, and using the development method of motivation or theme change, but it is different from the theme contrast emphasized by classical symphonies, and closer to the theme variation or deformation style of Liszt and Wagner at the same time; The expansion section has also been subtly changed. The theme of Brahms' songs is not as easy to be divided and unfolded as motivation, so the unfolding part is concise without dramatic conflict, and even often omitted. For example, the climax of the last movement (and the whole symphony) was not formed until the reappearance part; But in the first and second movements, the length and function of the introduction are very prominent. The introduction of the first movement uses polyphonic thinking, and several melody lines overlap and interweave into a heavy and tense voice, which leads to the main theme with intense passion and full impact. There are many factors in the overture of the last movement, and the long melody of the tweeter temperament indicates the breadth and depth of the main theme; The temperament of the third movement is completely different from Beethoven's scherzo movement. It is not a simple imitation of minuets or other Viennese pop dances, but a personalized fusion and creation of Brahms. The other three symphonies have their own unique ways of dealing with them. The second symphony is similar to the lyrical style of Brahms' chamber music works. The first movement of "The Third Symphony" directly entered the main theme, showing its romantic characteristics with the mixture of major and minor chords. The third movement of the Fourth Symphony is also suitable for sonata form with the preface omitted, while the last movement is a variation form that Brahms likes to use. The old Pasacaglia structure is adopted, and the theme of Bach Chorus (No.150) is repeated 30 times as a fixed bass. This symphony, written in 19 in the 1980s, uses "outdated" forms and techniques.

chamber music

Chamber music occupies a large proportion in Brahms' works, and his symphonies and other large-scale works are also bred from these early and middle chamber music. In addition to the traditional string quartet, he often tries to make various ensemble combinations with piano and other instruments, and he also plays the piano himself. For example, sonatas for piano and violin, cello and viola, and many chamber music works for clarinet. Brahms only composed three string quartets (Op.5 1 and Op.67), which were also brewed for a long time and revised repeatedly. The first movement in C minor has the same weight as the symphony, the passionate theme has the tension and impact of motivation, the second movement is romantic and lyrical, and the third movement lacks the tension of Beethoven's scherzo and tends to be peaceful and elegant. The second A minor is softer and more relaxed, and the theme of the first movement implies the motivation of "F-A-F", which is Brahms' motto (the first movement of the third symphony), which means "FreiaberFroh". The theme of the third song is rich and varied, and joy, jumping and affection coexist. The final movement adopts the singing theme and eight variations, which shows Brahms' own style, although it does not have the momentum and depth of Beethoven Quartet.

Piano quintet in F minor is Brahms' 65438+60' s works. The polyphonic thinking and superb counterpoint skills in the first movement, the extension, evolution and development of theme motivation in each paragraph, the sudden generate and rapid release of passion, the changeable rhythm and the conflict between parts are the tension, persistence and internal motivation of Brahms music. The kindness and gentleness of slow motion are obviously connected with Schubert's style; The third movement is similar to Beethoven's scherzo style, full of exciting spirit; After meditation was introduced into the fourth movement, it returned to the style of the first movement, forming a structure that echoed back and forth. Clarinet and string quintet in B minor are important works in his later period. A typical feature of Brahms is lyricism, with some melancholy colors. The theme motivation looms, running through four movements, and the second movement is sad.

Piano works

Brahms' preferred variation form is embodied in piano works. He has written variations on Schumann, Handel, Paganini and other themes (including variations on one piano, two pianos or four-handed piano). Two love waltzes (Op.52a, 1874, Op.65a, 1877) and 2 1 Hungarian dance music written for piano four hands are very popular. The former was originally written for male and female voices and piano accompaniment (four hands playing), and the latter Brahms layer put 6547 of them.

Brahms's piano music style is loud and heavy, with the idea and momentum of symphonic music. The extensive use of double intervals (3, 6 and 8 degrees), complex melody lines, complex decorative sounds and a large number of staggered rhythms make his piano skills quite difficult. On the one hand, this rhythm comes from Schumann, on the other hand, it also comes from the Viennese waltz that Brahms is familiar with.

Vocal music works

Brahms's vocal works are numerous and varied, including more than 200 solo songs, a large number of religious and non-religious chorus and duets with and without accompaniment, as well as many duets (doubles and quartets) and vocal divertimento. In his life, he also arranged and adapted several volumes of folk songs, including those of Germany, Austria and Slavic nationalities, and the folk songs of Hungarian Gypsies received special attention from Brahms. In these adaptations, Brahms rearranged the lyrics of friendly and natural folk songs, while others just arranged simple and clear harmony accompaniment for folk songs. Brahms' own songs are often as simple and moving as folk songs, making it difficult to tell which are folk songs and which are Brahms' own creations. Blacksmith, mother, I have a wish. Sudden serenades, lullabies, on the way to visit my lover, ah, beautiful girls, huts in the willows and so on are also Brahms' excellent songs.

There are also a large number of art songs which are delicate descriptions of complex emotions or psychological feelings. Brahms adopted classical or poet's poems at that time, and his choice was not as strict as Schumann's. If only I knew how to look back, the tranquility in the forest, my love is youth and so on are all excellent works. The last vocal suite "Four Serious Songs" is taken from the theme of death in the Bible, but like the German requiem, it is full of thinking about life and sublimated into affirmation of love.

Personality assessment

There is a young man here who deeply touched all of us with his wonderful music. I believe this man will cause great shock in the music industry. (Commented by composer robert schumann)

There is a man here who seems to be sent from heaven. This man has an interesting, young face and looks radiant when he plays ball. His beautiful hands can easily handle those extremely difficult chapters (all his works are difficult), and now he has dedicated some amazing music. People are really excited when they see the man sitting next to the piano. (Commented by pianist clara schumann)

Brahms did not compose Beethoven's X symphony, nor did he compose the end of the ninth symphony. Although he has the potential to do this, the first three moves become more exciting. But through the in-depth study of him, I seem to see the ancient Mount Olympus where Bach, Handel, Mozart, Haydn and others gathered, which makes me feel physically and mentally satisfied. (Commentary by Hans von Poirot, conductor)

With the growth of age, his works become more and more concise, dignified and compact, which makes people feel more and more simple. It is in him that people can see that he has experienced a development and exploration that is not only versatile, but also simple. Like his great predecessors, Brahms has the ability to write such songs: these songs show his characteristics to the smallest details, but they sound like folk songs. Or on the other hand, he wrote an out-and-out folk song, but it was written by Brahms. (Commented by conductor William Ford Vingler)

Brahms is neither Schumann nor Beethoven's imitator, but he is also a master of musical classics. And his conservatism is justified, because he did not blindly accept the traditional heritage, but absorbed it through further deliberation, without ignoring the substantive things. (Commented by scholar Dahlhaus)

The influence of later generations

Brahms memorial hall

Brahms Memorial Hall is located in Peter Street, Hamburg, not far from the composer's birthplace. Managed by Brahms Institution, founded in 1969. There is a big room upstairs and downstairs in the memorial hall, which displays all kinds of photos, portraits and manuscripts, most of which are reproductions. The originals are kept in Brahms Institute in Lubeck or Vienna Music Lovers Association. In the memorial, you can see Bob.