Exploring Brahms

September 20, 2008 at 3:57 AM

I was never much of a Brahms fan. Recently however, I've been exploring his works. I've had the opportunity to try out many of his Quartets, Quintets, Sextets, Op. 120 for viola and piano, and a symphony or two. So far I'm more partial to the Quintets and Sextets.

There is something about his compositions that are pleasant to the ear, but quite awkward to play. I haven't quite put my finger on it yet. Maybe because he wasn't a violist on the side. ;-)

From Ruth Kuefler
Posted on September 20, 2008 at 10:10 PM

I know what you mean. I was working on his G Major violin sonata for a long time last year. It's kind of awkward in your hands, especially at first. But it's so well written and has incredible depth. Brahms strikes me as the kind of composer who always wrote with the music foremost in his mind. Technique is just a means to a musical end, not vice versa.

From Tom Holzman
Posted on September 21, 2008 at 4:25 PM

I think Ruth has a good insight into Brahms. But, Mendy, perhaps your comment that he was not a violist also sheds important light on the issue of awkwardness. Brahms was a pianist, not a string player. When he wrote is great concerti, he let violinist Joseph Joachim have significant input so that they would be playable. He probably did not do that with the string parts of his chamber music. So, we are left with his concept of the music as written for instruments he did not know intimately.

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