Johannes Brahms Archive

Johannes Brahms actually had multiple careers in music: Early on he was a choir director; then he teamed up with violinist Joseph Joachim and they gave concerts throughout Europe. When Brahms began to give thought …

Johannes Brahms composed the Fourth Symphony during the summers of 1884–85 in Mürzzuschlag, Austria, his summer retreat in the mountains southwest of Vienna. In September 1885, Brahms wrote to Hans von Bülow, conductor of the …

The Brahms Concerto was first performed in Leipzig Germany on New Year’s Day 1879 by Joseph Joachim, who composed the cadenza that is still played by many violinists today. Never fond of waste, Brahms presents …

The German Requiem by Johannes Brahms was composed in memory of his mother. Brahms was tutored from an early age in Scripture, and he retained a love for Biblical language throughout his life. He began …

Johannes Brahms composed his A-major serenade in 1858–59, and he conducted the first performance on February 10, 1860 in Hamburg. The score calls for two flutes and piccolo, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two …