Episoder
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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?
Works heard in this episode in order (all by Brahms):
- Hungarian Dances WoO 1 books 3-4, nos. 11-21
17. in F Sharp Minor (Andantino)
18. in D major (Molto Vivace)
19. in A Minor (Allegretto)
20. in D Minor (Poco Allegretto)
11. in D Minor (Poco Andante)
12. in D Minor (Presto)
13. in D Major (Andantino Grazioso)
14. in D Minor (Un Poco Andante)
15. in A Major (Allegretto Grazioso)
16. in G Minor (Con Moto)
21. in E Minor (Vivace)
Robert Gerle - Violin
Norman Shelter - Piano
- Piano Concerto no. 2 in B Flat Major, Op. 83
IV. Allegretto grazioso - Un poco più presto
- Symphony No. 3 in F major
III. Poco allegretto
- 6 Lieder and Romances, op. 93a
I. Der bucklichte Fiedler
II. Das Mädchen
III. O süsser Mai
IV. Fahr wohl!
V. Der Falke
VI. Beherzigung
Sung by Ensemberlino Vocale
https://musopen.org/music/6729-6-songs-and-romances-op-93a/
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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/
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Manglende episoder?
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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/
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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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It is summer 1876. Brahms is vacationing with his friend George Henschel on the Baltic island or Rügen and finishing work on his first symphony in C minor...
Works heard in this episode (all by Brahms):
Symphony no. 1 in C minor op. 68
Excerpts:
performed by Chang Ji, Mrs. the GCP
- mvt. 1 mm. 1-2, mm. 41, mm. 42-46
- mvt. 4 mm. 1-3, mm. 12-14
...by The GCP House Orchestra...
- mvt. 4 mm. 30-38, mm. 61-78
Complete performance by the "Musopen Symphony"
1. Un Poco Sostenuto - Allegro
2. Andante sostenuto
3. Un poco Allegretto e grazioso
4. Adagio. Più andante. Allegro non troppo, ma con brio
https://musopen.org/music/64-symphony-no-1-in-c-minor-op-68/
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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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I am pleased to be joined during this episode by Alan Walker, celebrated author of biographies of Franz Liszt, Frederick Chopin and others, and acclaimed concert pianist Daniel Vnukowski. We discuss Liszt, Chopin, and Schumann, taking a look at their lives and music from the perspectives of biographer and performer.
Vnukowski and Dr. Walker present "In the Footsteps of Chopin" on Wednesday June 23rd 7pm Eastern, a free virtual event a part of the Collingwood Music Festival's Summer Solstice Series. You can RSVP to using the link below. See you there!
https://collingwoodfestival.com/event/footsteps-of-chopin/
https://www.danperforms.com
Music heard in this episode, performed by Daniel Vnukowski:
Chopin "Raindrop" Prelude op. 28, no. 15
Chopin Sonata no. 3 in B minor op. 58, mvt. 4 finale
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Ep. 43 – It is Good Friday, April 10, 1868 in Bremen and Brahms has just finished giving the premiere of his German Requiem. It is a complete triumph but one not celebrated with wild applause, the work is too grave for that. Instead, attendees of the premiere listened with glad hearts and in reverence, awe really of the work’s creator. Thus, Johannes Brahms became an internationally recognized composer of considerable importance and some measure of celebrity.
Works heard in this episode (all by Brahms):
-Requiem
mvt. 4 "How Lovely is They Dwelling Place"
mvt. 5 "And Ye Now are Sorrowful"
-Wiegenlied op. 49 no. 4
-Botschaft op. 47 no. 1
-Hungarian dance 1-10
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Ep 42(b) - It is early 1865. Brahms's mother has just passed away. Filled with emotion he grudgingly moves from winter to spring, entering a long period of deep and private mourning during which he would retreat into himself for a time in order to gather his thoughts and energies, and orient them toward a grand act of artistic creation in which he would immortalize his beloved mother and through which his artist soul would be elevated and ennobled and made pure.
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Works heard in this episode (all by Brahms):
Horn Trio in E-flat mvt. 3 - Adagio Mesto
mvt. 1 - Andante
mvt. 2 - Scherzo (Allegro)
mvt. 4 - Allegro con brio
German Requiem pt. 1 "Blessed are they that Mourn" (In English translation!)
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Ep. 42(a) - It is late November 1862. We find Johannes Brahms in Vienna making a great success of himself for once but reeling from a devastating blow given him by the musical establishment of Hamburg. He will try to pick himself up and carry on with his work, compartmentalizing the tenderness he felt for one place from the bitterness for the other so that he might do so. And then further troubles to deal with: family strife and division that will make his life more difficult than ever; a loss that will wrench his heart and cause him the greatest pain, one for which tears aplenty would not be an adequate response but rather, music; tones and song in memoriam of a cherished loved one on a grand scale.
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https://musescore.org/en/3.6
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Works heard in this episode (all by Brahms):
1. String Sextet in G major op. 36 mvt. 1, Allegro non troppo
2. 9 Lieder and Songs op. 32 no. 9 "Wie bist du, meine Königin"
3-5. String Sextet in G major op. 36 mvts. 2-4, Scherzo, Poco Adagio, Poco Allegro
6, 7. Piano Quintet in f minor op. 34 mvts. 2, 3, Andante, un poco Adagio, Scherzo
8. "Horn" Trio in E-flat major op. 40 mvt. 3 (beginning), Adagio Mesto
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In Ep. 41 Johannes Brahms continues his toil, conducing the ladies' choir, playing concerts, and composing; working to build a life and career brick by brick with the sweat of his brow and the help of his friends. He hoped for a permanent position in Hamburg that would lead to a settled, traditional life and some financial security. Brahms's efforts were geared toward turning hope into reality, but it remained to be seen whether the music masters of Hamburg would smooth his way or block it. If Brahms found a professional and therefore personal dead end in Hamburg where else might he go? Could another city offer him the life he was seeking?
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Works heard in this episode, all by Brahms:
- Liebeslieder-Walzer, op. 52 nos. 1-18
Ensemberlino Vocale
https://musopen.org/music/6684-liebeslieder-waltzes-op-52/
Translations http://kellydeanhansen.com/opus52.html
- Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, Op. 24, var. 23-25 and Fugue. Pierre Feraux, piano
https://archive.org/details/onclassical-OC17V
- Piano Quartet no. 1 in G minor op. 25, mvt. 2 Intermezzo Allegro ma non tropo, mvt. 4 Rondo alla Zingarese. Chang Ji, violin
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In ep. 40 we find Johannes Brahms struggling to recover and learn from the defeat of his D minor Piano Concerto at Leipzig's Gewandhaus in January 1859. Despite nearing mastery in his craft and the untiring support of his friends he was yet unable to find a consistently appreciative audience. Success and failure, ridicule and praise, applause and hissing followed Brahms wherever he and his music went. By the Spring of 1860 his frustration and anger had grown so much that he lashed out at one of the greatest musical personalities of the age, Franz Liszt, in the most unlikely way and with pitiful results.
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Works heard in this episode, by Brahms unless otherwise noted:
1. Three Secular Songs for Choir, "Abendständchen" (Evening Serenade) Op. 42 no. 1. "...to let the light of his music shine through the darkness around him" from the intro. is my paraphrase of the last line of this song.
2. Three Secular Songs for Choir, "Darthulas Grabesgesang" (Darthulas Grave Song) op. 42 no. 3
3. Three Secular Songs for Choir, "Vineta" (Vineta) op. 42 no. 2
( 1-3 performed by Ensemberlino Vocale, https://musopen.org/music/2084-3-secular-songs-for-choir-op-42/ )
4. String Sextet in B-flat Major op. 18 mvt. 3 Scherzo
5. String Sextet in B-flat Major op. 18 mvt. 4 Rondo: Poco allegretto e grazioso
6, cont. 7, 8. Sonata in B Minor for Solo Piano, S. 178 by Franz Liszt
wonderfully played by Jean Dubé, piano https://musopen.org/music/43159-piano-sonata-in-b-minor-s-178/
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I'm pleased to welcome to the show Rebecca Smithorn, cover conductor and lecturer with the National Philharmonic. Rebecca is host of the NatPhil's YouTube series "Composers in Crisis" which takes a look at composers whose lives and art were transformed by times of global crisis. In our interview we talk about several composers in crisis: Beethoven, Ravel, Ruth Crawford-Seeger, John Corigliano, Undine Smith Moore, and a good ol' good one, Louis Armstrong, who Duke Ellington said was "Born poor, died rich, and never hurt anyone in between."
"Composers in Crisis"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3agUbwO72pA&list=PLtZH2-QfYm4ypSuSDPAyl13znMQZPv24S
https://rebeccasmithorn.com
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Works heard in this episode:
Ravel - "Le Tombeau de Couperin"
mvt. 1, Prelude, played by Janet Seitzer
https://musopen.org/music/4728-le-tombeau-de-couperin/
mvt. 6, Toccata
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In Ep. 38 we pick up with Johannes Brahms and Clara Schumann in the weeks following Robert Schumann's death in July 1856, trying to make sense of their relationship and love. They have a crucial, incredibly difficult decision to make and its consequences will color the rest of their lives. All the while, Brahms struggles to complete his first piano concerto in d minor.
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Works heard in this episode (all by Brahms):
1. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in D minor, op. 15, mvt. 1
2. Serenade no. 1 in D major, op. 11, mvt. 2 Scherzo - Allegro non troppo
3. Serenade no. 1 in D major, op. 11, mvt. 3 - Adagio non troppo
4. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in D minor, op. 15, mvt. 2
5. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in D minor, op. 15, mvt. 3
https://archive.org/details/BrahmsPianoConcertoNo.1-schnabel
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Stay healthy and well!
Ep. 37 – In late 1853, having impressed important musicians across Germany, especially Robert and Clara Schumann, Johannes Brahms planned for the publication of his first opuses. His star was rising in the musical world and he had much to be proud of, but a terrible tragedy loomed on the horizon which threatened to derail his career and set his life down yet another new though unexpected path.
Very special thank you to...
Michael Calabris!
https://www.soundcloud.com/michaelcalabris
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https://www.nkoda.com
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Works heard in this episode (all by Brahms unless otherwise noted):
Sonata in C major op. 1, mvt. 3 Scherzo
Scherzo op. 4 - Natsumi Kataoka
Sonata in C major op. 1, mvt. 4
Robert Schumann op. 6 mvts. 1-6
Clara Schumann, Scherzo op. 14 no. 2 - Luis Sarro
Robert Schumann, Carnaval op. 9 “Chiarina”
4 Ballads, op. 10 no. 1 “Edward”
"Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann" op. 9 var. 1-3
Clara Schumann "Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann" op. 20 var. 3
Robert Schumann op. 12 mvt. 1 Des Abends, 3. Warum?
Robert Schumann Piano Quintet in E-flat major, op. 44, mvt. 2
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Michael Calabris, “Meditation (According to Byzantine Modes)” for solo organ
musopen.org
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In this special episode "Antonio Stradivari, and the Violin Makers of Cremona" we explore the lives of Cremona's greatest violin makers. Cremona's violin making tradition began with Andrea Amati in the mid-16th century, and lasted until the death of Giuseppe Guarneri "del Gesù" some two hundred years later. In between these two men came many remarkable makers from the Amati and Guarneri families, but the greatest of them all was Antonio Stradivari who rose far above his rivals to become the most celebrated violin maker of all time.
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https://www.nkoda.com
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All music heard in this episode is by Antonio Vivaldi:
Concerto for 4 violins in B minor mvts. 1-4 (Modena Chamber Orchestra)
Concerto in F minor “Winter” for violin, strings, and continuo mvts. 1-3(MCO)
Concerto in D minor RV 565 (selections) (MCO)
Concerto for Two Violins in A minor, RV 522 mvts. 1-3
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Suggested reading and a few resources:
- "The Violin-Makers of the Guarneri Family" by W. Henry Hill, Arthur F. Hill, and Alfred Ebsworth Hill. Dover pub.
- "Antonio Stradivari, His Life & Work" by W. Henry Hill, Arthur F. Hill, and Alfred E. Hill. Dover pub.
- "Stradivari's Genius" by Toby Faber. Random House
- "The Violin, a Social History of the World's Most Versatile Instrument" by David Schoenbaum. W.W. Norton and Company
- https://www.roger-hargrave.de/Seiten/english/Bibliothek/Bibliothek.htm
- https://tarisio.com/cozio-archive/cozio-carteggio/the-young-stradivari/
- https://tarisio.com/cozio-archive/cozio-carteggio/guarneri-del-gesu-part-i-1698-1731/
- https://tarisio.com/cozio-archive/cozio-carteggio/andrea-amati-part-1/
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Ep. 35 - In April 1853, Johannes Brahms left Hamburg with the Hungarian violinist Eduard Reményi for a short concert tour of North German towns. After performing in small venues and for small crowds to great success, the duo decided to try their luck in Hanover. There they met one of the most important musicians of the day, who sent them visit another, and yet another...
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Music in this episode (all by Brahms unless otherwise noted):
1. Sonata in C major op. 1, mvt. 1, Allegro
2. Hungarian Dance no 5, Fritz Kreisler and Carl Lamson
3-5. "Eine Faust Symphonie" fragments of mvt. 1 - Faust, by Franz Liszt
6. Hungarian Dance no. 2, Andreas Pfaul, piano
7. Sonata in C major op. 1, mvt. 3 Scherzo (A section)
8. FAE Sonata, mvt. 3, Scherzo, Oliver Colbenston violin
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In Ep. 34 we see Johannes Brahms complete his adolescence and become a young adult. Along the way he is tested severely, leading a double life as a serious music student by day and dance hall pianist by night. Delicate and prone to migraines as a youth, this taxing work nearly ruined Johannes's physical and mental health. But as always, in times of great need a savior came his way and his health was repaired. With his strength renewed, Brahms was ready to confront the world as a professional musician and composer. It would not be easy for him at first...
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Music heard in this episode (all by Brahms):
Sixteen Waltzes of op. 39!
In order of appearance #’s 1, 2, 10, 6, 3, 11, 12, 4, 5, 15, 16
performed beautifully by Martha Goldstein.
https://musopen.org/music/2137-sixteen-waltzes-op-39/
Op. 1, Sonata for Solo Piano in C major, mvt. 1
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In Ep. 33, The Life of Johannes Brahms, pt. 1 "A Cup Half Full" we meet the great composer's father, Johann Jakob Brahms. Jakob was a versatile musician who could play several instruments. He wasn't the most talented of musicians, but he was determined to succeed. In 1826 he went to Hamburg and began working as a lowly beer-fiddler. After establishing himself, he took every job he could get and slowly made his way up the professional ladder...
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Music heard in this episode (all by Brahms unless otherwise noted):
1. Serenade in D major op. 11, mvt. 1
2. The Pinzauger Waltz
3. Serenade in D major op. 11, mvt. 4 - Minuet 1 &2
4. Serenade in D major op. 11, mvt. 5 - Scherzo
5. Serenade in D major op. 11, mvt. 6 - Rondo
https://musopen.org/music/6733-serenade-no-1-in-d-major-op-11/
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In this introduction to the life of Johannes Brahms we rhapsodize on key themes in the great composer's life, and begin to sketch his unique position in the history of music.
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Music heard in this episode (all by Brahms):
1. Intermezzo in B-flat minor, op. 117 no. 2
2. Serenade in D major op. 11, mvt. 1
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