Download Johannes Brahm`s

Johannes Brahms
By Mylee Davis
• May 7 1833- April 3
1897
• German Composer
• Romantic period
• Pianist and Conductor
• Parents
• Johann Jakob Brahms (1806–72)
• Johanna Henrika Christiane
Nissen (1789–1865)
• First music lessons were
given by his father.
• Played piano in a dance
hall to help support his
family at a very young age.
• Grew up in poverty
• Schumann, amazed by the 20-year-old's talent, published an
article entitled "Neue Bahnen" (New Paths) in the 28 October
1853 issue of the journal Neue Zeitschrift für Musik alerting the
public to the young man, who, he claimed, was "destined to give
ideal expression to the times.“
• He became very attached to Schumann's wife, the composer and
pianist Clara, fourteen years his senior, with whom he would carry
on a lifelong, emotionally passionate relationship.
• After Schumann's attempted suicide and subsequent confinement
in a mental sanatorium near Bonn in February 1854, Brahms was
the main intercessor between Clara and her husband, and found
himself virtually head of the household.
Brahms and Schumann
Influences
• When Brahms was 7
years old, he began
taking piano lessons
under Otto Friedrich
Willibald Cossel.
• He would continue his
studies under Eduard
Marxen, from whom he
received instruction on
theory and
composition.
• Brahms admired the
works of Schubert and
Beethoven.
• Composed for:
•
•
•
•
•
Piano
Chamber Ensembles
Voice
Chorus
Symphony Orchestra
• Premiered some of his
own pieces
Composer
The Three B’s
•
1854
Accepts position as Director of Court
Concerts and Choral Society for the Prince
of Lippe-Detmold. In February, Robert
Schumann has a breakdown, and Brahms
returns to Düsseldorf
• 1864 Resigns his post as Director of the
Singakademie and in mid-June returns to
Hamburg for a visit
• 1875 18 April: Resigns as conductor of the
Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde. In the
summer travels as previous summer, and
develops his friendship with poet Gottfried
Keller
• 1885 October in Meinigen for the
rehearsal of his Fourth Symphony.
Immediately after takes a tour through
Germany and the Netherlands
• 1889 Brahms appointed a "Freeman of
Hamburg". From this year onward, spends
his summers in Bad Ischl
• 1896 21 May: Clara Schumann dies in
Bonn. In September Brahms goes to
Karlsbad for treatment
Important Dates
• 4 Symphponies, variations,
overtures
• 4 concertos (2 piano, 1 violin,
1 double concerto)
• Chamber Music
• Including string quartets
and quintets
• Duo sonatas
• Piano music
• Including sonatas, character
pieces, dances, variations
• Choral music
• Lieder
Major Works
• Clara’s death greatly
affected Brahms, who was
already affected with
cancer.
• He died ten moths after.
• 1896- Her decline in
health gave rise to his
Four Serious Songs.
• http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=kMVYrIJQ86A
Clara Schumann
• Goal: To prove that new and important
things could still be said in the tradition of
the Classical masters.
• Written in 1833- Brahms was 50 years old
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERF45KiPOwI
Symphony No. 3 in F Major
• The Lullaby was first
sung by Brahms's
friend, Bertha Faber, as
http://www.youtube.com/wa
the piece had been
tch?v=t894eGoymio
written to celebrate the
birth of her son.
• The lullaby's melody is
one of the most famous
and recognizable in the
world, used by
countless parents to
sing their babies to
sleep.
Brahms Lullaby
• Brahms was a voracious reader; his collection of books
are now stored at the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in
Vienna.
• Brahms never married.
• He wrote his "Eleven Chorale Preludes" for the organ
while he was ill.
• He is buried at the Central Cemetery in Vienna, where he
was laid to rest next to Beethoven and Schubert.
Interesting Facts
• In 1890, the 57-year-old
Brahms resolved to give up
composing.
• He was unable to abide by
his decision, and in the years
before his death he produced
a number of acknowledged
masterpieces.
• While completing the
Op. 121 songs, Brahms
developed cancer (sources
differ on whether this was of
the liver or pancreas).
The Later Years
• http://zumrotenigel.wordpress.com/
• http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/public/;jsessionid=4F
FE7BC7B6C65833DD0387105F113DD6
• http://www.johannesbrahms.org/JBlist.htm
• http://www.geneva.edu/~dksmith/clara/schumann.html
• Forney , Kristine. The Enjoyment of Music. 11. New
York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2011. 247. Print.
Work Cited