The life of Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was born on May 7, 1833 in Hamburg, Germany to Johanna Henrika Christiane Nissen and Johann Jakob Brahms. He was the second of three children. As his father was a musician in the Hamburg Philharmonic Society, at age seven, young Brahms began playing piano.
Brahms was an accomplished musician by the time he was a teenager. He used his talents to perform at brothels, local inns, and along Hamburg’s docks. He used the money he earned to help his family, who was currently in a tight financial situation. Brahms was introduced to Robert Schumann, music critic and renowned German composer, in 1853. They quickly grew close together, and Schumann saw in young Brahms “a great hope for the future of music” (1). In a famous article in Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik, Schumman praised …show more content…
One of his well-known positions was when he was appointed director of a women’s choir in Hamburg in 1859. Around this time, he began writing his own music, such as “String Sextet in B-flat major” and “Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor”. In the 1860’s Brahms visited Vienna. There, he was made director of a choral group, the Singakademie, concentrating on modern and historical aceppella works. By the 1870’s, Brahms was principal director of the Society of Friends of Music. For three seasons he was director of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1868, he wrote “A German Requiem”, which is considered one of the most important choral music pieces written during the 19th century. His works include waltzes and “Hungarian Dances” for piano duets, two volumes of it. Brahms remained in Vienna for the rest of his life. More of his works during his last years were chamber music pieces, while joining with clarinetist Richard Muhlfeld for songs that included “Quintet for Clarinet and Strings” and “Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano”. His final piece, “Vier ernste Gesange”, was a revealing piece for
Johannes Brahms was born on May 7, 1833 in Hamburg, Germany to Johanna Henrika Christiane Nissen and Johann Jakob Brahms. He was the second of three children. As his father was a musician in the Hamburg Philharmonic Society, at age seven, young Brahms began playing piano.
Brahms was an accomplished musician by the time he was a teenager. He used his talents to perform at brothels, local inns, and along Hamburg’s docks. He used the money he earned to help his family, who was currently in a tight financial situation. Brahms was introduced to Robert Schumann, music critic and renowned German composer, in 1853. They quickly grew close together, and Schumann saw in young Brahms “a great hope for the future of music” (1). In a famous article in Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik, Schumman praised …show more content…
One of his well-known positions was when he was appointed director of a women’s choir in Hamburg in 1859. Around this time, he began writing his own music, such as “String Sextet in B-flat major” and “Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor”. In the 1860’s Brahms visited Vienna. There, he was made director of a choral group, the Singakademie, concentrating on modern and historical aceppella works. By the 1870’s, Brahms was principal director of the Society of Friends of Music. For three seasons he was director of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1868, he wrote “A German Requiem”, which is considered one of the most important choral music pieces written during the 19th century. His works include waltzes and “Hungarian Dances” for piano duets, two volumes of it. Brahms remained in Vienna for the rest of his life. More of his works during his last years were chamber music pieces, while joining with clarinetist Richard Muhlfeld for songs that included “Quintet for Clarinet and Strings” and “Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano”. His final piece, “Vier ernste Gesange”, was a revealing piece for