Comments on: apologies to brahms… http://operafreak.wordpress.com/2008/06/10/apologies-to-brahms/ Sam's thoughts and rants on his new(ish) life in London... Mon, 09 Mar 2009 05:29:06 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Nick http://operafreak.wordpress.com/2008/06/10/apologies-to-brahms/#comment-36 Nick Mon, 09 Mar 2009 05:29:06 +0000 http://operafreak.wordpress.com/?p=39#comment-36 Brahms wrote 200 vocal works. His symphonies are beautiful and full of passion - not in the sense of the later Russian big five or even Liszt, but by his standards, they were very passionate. I'm sure you researched Brahms before you wrote this stuff...A lot of the reason why his music isn't more "romantic" is because he was consciously trying not to do that - he wanted to keep things more structured and classical, unlike his counterpart Liszt, who I suggest you check out. I think you should explore what you said about an artists' having an effect on his work. See Beethoven's third creative period after he had completely gone deaf, something which probably inspired him to write such dark music. Brahms wrote 200 vocal works.

His symphonies are beautiful and full of passion – not in the sense of the later Russian big five or even Liszt, but by his standards, they were very passionate.

I’m sure you researched Brahms before you wrote this stuff…A lot of the reason why his music isn’t more “romantic” is because he was consciously trying not to do that – he wanted to keep things more structured and classical, unlike his counterpart Liszt, who I suggest you check out.

I think you should explore what you said about an artists’ having an effect on his work. See Beethoven’s third creative period after he had completely gone deaf, something which probably inspired him to write such dark music.

]]> By: TP http://operafreak.wordpress.com/2008/06/10/apologies-to-brahms/#comment-35 TP Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:52:48 +0000 http://operafreak.wordpress.com/?p=39#comment-35 Asking what Brahms's first piano concerto is "about" does indeed miss the point. No one is going to tell you what you missed. If you only like music that "speaks" in the most blatant fashion (if not with words, then preferably with helpful titles, whether supplied by the composer or by a publisher, to get you on the right track) then so be it. If you want to reach the end of a piece and "know" (your word) unequivocally what the piece was about, then so be it. For many people, the range of interpretation afforded by great music (to listeners as well as performers) - its emotional complexity, subtlety, ambiguity - is part of its enduring appeal. I'm guessing you don't like Schubert's instrumental music either. If you reach the end of, say, Schubert's B flat Piano Sonata (D960) and "know" what it was about then I suggest your understanding of the music is severely under-nourished. The problem here does not lie with the composer. Asking what Brahms’s first piano concerto is “about” does indeed miss the point. No one is going to tell you what you missed. If you only like music that “speaks” in the most blatant fashion (if not with words, then preferably with helpful titles, whether supplied by the composer or by a publisher, to get you on the right track) then so be it. If you want to reach the end of a piece and “know” (your word) unequivocally what the piece was about, then so be it. For many people, the range of interpretation afforded by great music (to listeners as well as performers) – its emotional complexity, subtlety, ambiguity – is part of its enduring appeal. I’m guessing you don’t like Schubert’s instrumental music either. If you reach the end of, say, Schubert’s B flat Piano Sonata (D960) and “know” what it was about then I suggest your understanding of the music is severely under-nourished. The problem here does not lie with the composer.

]]> By: J. Jensen http://operafreak.wordpress.com/2008/06/10/apologies-to-brahms/#comment-34 J. Jensen Sat, 03 Jan 2009 00:55:21 +0000 http://operafreak.wordpress.com/?p=39#comment-34 When you look at a painting by a great artist in a museum, do you know what the painting is about? It may be a picture so you have some "entertainment" while you're trying to understand but do you always understand? I don't think so. Yet, something tells you that it's great. Music doesn't HAVE to be about anything to be great. BUT: you're in luck because Brahms was one of the most illustrative composers ever. Brahms practically wrote his autobiography through his music. For instance, the 1st Piano Concerto was begun during his horrendous experience of watching his mentor, Schumann, fall into suicidal insanity and die in an asylum. Very likely, the first d-minor chord is exactly that shock. Brahms' ability to communicate this through melody, harmony, and rhythm is his obvious genius. Listen to that again. When you look at a painting by a great artist in a museum, do you know what the painting is about? It may be a picture so you have some “entertainment” while you’re trying to understand but do you always understand? I don’t think so. Yet, something tells you that it’s great. Music doesn’t HAVE to be about anything to be great. BUT: you’re in luck because Brahms was one of the most illustrative composers ever. Brahms practically wrote his autobiography through his music. For instance, the 1st Piano Concerto was begun during his horrendous experience of watching his mentor, Schumann, fall into suicidal insanity and die in an asylum. Very likely, the first d-minor chord is exactly that shock. Brahms’ ability to communicate this through melody, harmony, and rhythm is his obvious genius. Listen to that again.

]]> By: E. Michael Martin http://operafreak.wordpress.com/2008/06/10/apologies-to-brahms/#comment-33 E. Michael Martin Sat, 27 Dec 2008 19:19:46 +0000 http://operafreak.wordpress.com/?p=39#comment-33 I also don't much care for much of Brahms' music. His style is the epitome of Lyric German Romanticism (I am, of course, not including Wagner because he is a class of his own, or Strauss, because he is a post-romantic in my mind). I simply don't care for that kind of music. The quality of his writing is very high, but it still comes down to taste, in the end. I also don’t much care for much of Brahms’ music. His style is the epitome of Lyric German Romanticism (I am, of course, not including Wagner because he is a class of his own, or Strauss, because he is a post-romantic in my mind). I simply don’t care for that kind of music. The quality of his writing is very high, but it still comes down to taste, in the end.

]]> By: brentusfirmus http://operafreak.wordpress.com/2008/06/10/apologies-to-brahms/#comment-7 brentusfirmus Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:42:29 +0000 http://operafreak.wordpress.com/?p=39#comment-7 Ummm... are you aware that Brahms wrote 600 Lieder? Ummm… are you aware that Brahms wrote 600 Lieder?

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