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Cheri Wegwitz
Prof Jewkes
Music 1010
12/07/2012
Born May 7, 1833
Died April 3, 1897
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Brahms-Johannes-2.htm
Germany
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ9RoSAL8Fw
c_dEawIpc0zxRxeVBh8oU-TcBEDM26oQ6gNOA8JUtw
Johann Jakob and Christina Nissen Brahms
http://www.roadtogermany.com/info/hamburg.html
Young Johannes
Eduard Marksen
Eduard Remenyi &
Johannes Brahms
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Johannes_Brahms_1853.jpg
http://kehilalinks.jewishgen.org/miskolc/remenyi.html
Ludwig von Beethoven
http://www.csudh.edu/oliver/beetport/beetport.htm
Johann Sebastian Bach
http://www.last.fm/music/Johann+Sebastian+Bach/+images/70999994
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In 1850, as mentioned earlier, Brahms met Hungarian violinist Eduard Remenyi who introduced him to
gypsy dance songs
which influenced some of his later compositions.
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In 1853, Brahms met Robert & Clara Schumann who helped him with his career.
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In 1854, Brahms composed his first famous piece, Piano Trio #1
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In 1856, Robert Schumann died. Brahms ended up composing A Funeral March in his honor.
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In 1857, Brahms worked with singer Julius Stockhausen on two concerts. It was here in which Brahms was
established
as an important song composer.
In 1858, Brahms Piano Concerto in D minor was performed with Joachim conducting. It was well received in
Hamburg,
Germany. Brahms was appointed as conductor of a ladies choir in Hamburg.
In 1863, Brahms gave a concert in Vmet Richard Wagner, a German composer, conductor, and theater
director. Due to
this concert that Richard Wagner invited him to become the conductor of Singakademie in Vienna.
In 1864, Brahms was able to dedicate the majority of his time towards composing due to his wonderful
repuation.
In 1865, Brahms mother died. He started to write a German Requiem in her memory.
In 1880, Brahms not only received a doctorate but also achieved worldwide acceptance.
On April 3, 1897 Johannes Brahms died.
Johanna Henrika Christiane Nissen
1789-1865
https://geniusmothers.com/genius-mothers-of/famous-artists-writers-musicians/Johanna-Henrika-Christiane-Nissen/
University Lutheran Church in Wisconsin
http://www.indiana.edu/~ulu/
http://petermenkin.blogspot.com/2011/02/lutheran-bible-found-in-wisconsin.html
A German Requiem was written for worship
and much of the text was taken from the Bible.
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Contains Seven
Movements
Consists of a Chorus,
Solo Voices and a
Complete Orchestra
Orchestra consists of
piccolos, flutes, oboes,
clarinets, bassoons,
contrabassoon, horns,
trumpets, trombones,
tuba, timpani, strings,
harps, and an organ.
arthursclipart.org
Good Friday, April 10, 1868
en.wikipedia.org
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i. Starts with “Blessed are” from the Beattitudes
ii. A re-worked version of his funeral march piece.
iii. Solo singing, “Lord, teach me.”
iv. Focuses on the lovely dwellings of the Lord.
v. This piece was specifically written for his
mother and features a soloist and chorus singing
different texts.
vi. Focuses on the resurrection of the dead and
gives hope.
vii. Ends how it began. “Blessed are” from
Beattitudes.
Bracknell Choral Society
bracknellchoral.org.uk
A German Requiem
Click here to listen to A
German Requiem
0:00
0:11
0:20
0:38
Introduction. Bassoon starts. B flat minor
Woodwinds enter
Drums enter
All other instruments enter and have begun melody one which
descends through two octaves in the violins. There is a slow tempo in
triple time which in this minor harmony has an ominous feel like a funeral
march.
0:53
Tones change. Melody becomes more upbeat. Goes to major.
1:22
Song goes back to bassoon playing only.
1:29
The choir joins as well as all instruments. There is a slow pace. The
choir starts by singing “For all flesh it is as grass.(in reference to 1 Peter 1:24)
1:43
Sopranos finally joins in. Upbeat arpeggios are heard
2:02
There is a slight pause , where the focus is one the choir. This is in G
flat major. The choir sings, “and all the glory of man”
2:10
The tone changes again giving a feeling of hope. The orchestra does
an interlude and we can hear the timpani strong here as other instruments
are reaching a climax.
The importance here is the introduction of the major and
minor melodies. The major melody is a feeling of hope while the minor melody
which is an ominous funeral march.
•2:30
•2:35
•2:40
•
•3:20
•
•3:50
•
•4:25
There is a crescendo and a pause
There is another pause and then it’s the bassoon only again.
All instruments, including timpani start playing again. Voices
sing softly but are homophonic with the sopranos an octave higher.
Choir becomes forte. However sopranos are absent with violins
playing in their place.
Chords change suddenly to a bright melody. However, you can
still hear the ominous funeral march in the background.
There is another slight pause as well as melody change. Choir
has a counterpoint. Sopranos begin singing, then altos and
basses join together and last, the tenors enter. Volume
but we’re back to the ominous feeling
The importance in this area is the recurrenceof the ominous feelings
throughout these pieces.
Another important part is where the sopranos are surprisingly
absent with the violins in their place.
•4:30 In this part of the song, there is a focus on the text. The instruments
• are playing piano.
•4:45 Focus returns to the instruments. There is a focus on the flute which
• is playing an upbeat, happy melody.
•4:55 Focus here is on the choir. The choir divides into 2 parts (polyphonic)
• and is in major form.
•5:20 Instruments return and this is reminiscent of the first sentence. Focus
• here is on the flute and harp that are playing lightly and gracefully.
•5:50 Bassoon only again playing in minor mode. This begins again like the
• beginning, exactly. From now, to 8:15, you’ll see that this is exactly like how
• this song begins. B flat minor
The importance of this section is after the extended upbeat melody, we have a
return back to how the beginning of the song is. We’ve gone a full circle.
•6:00
•6:35
•
•6:45
•7:03
•
•7:10
•
•7:40
•
•7:48
•8:12
•8:15
•8:45
•9:00
•
•9:22
All other instruments enter and have begun melody one which
descends through two octaves in the violins. There is a slow tempo in
triple time which in this minor harmony has an ominous feel like a funeral march.
Instruments change from the main ominous melody to the second
melody which is upbeat.
Music becomes forte
This changes to bassoon only again and goes back to its slower
beat.
All instruments as well as choir returns. The choir is singing piano
but the instruments are forte.
You can hear the contrast of the bassoon playing the ominous melody
and the others playing the happy upbeat melody and feel the struggle.
Here the focus is on the choir which is singing the happy upbeat melody.
There is a slight pause
Woodwinds and flutes start playing and begin a crescendo
Woodwinds and flutes are playing forte and bassoons and drums are
•back but playing the ominous melody.
Choir begins singing with orchestra and all are playing/singing the
ominous melody.
There is a dimuendo here
The importance of this section is the focus on the dynamics of the orchestra as well as the struggle between
the two melodies. However, the happy melody seems to be overcoming. There is a big crescendo and then
dimuendo that are important as well.
•9:37
Flute and violins introduce the happy upbeat melody using syncopation
•and the bassoons have stopped playing. There is a timpani roll. The second verse
•of the text begins here with the choir singing, “Be patient, therefore, brethren.”
•10:00 Bassoons return performing a countermelody.
•10:06 All instruments besides the bassoon drop off
•10:10 The choir returns to singing and all instruments begin playing forte.
•is on the violins playing fortissimo in triplet rhythm. Trumpets and horns play the
• original melody.
•10:35 The music is happy, joyful, upbeat and bouncy in duple meter. The music is
• in major mode. Here the choir sings the last line of the 2nd verse. “But the word
•of the Lord endureth forever. On the last word, there is a huge loud drop and there
• is a timpani roll.
•10:50 Focus is on the choir who are singing the joyful melody. They started the
• 3rd verse, “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return”
•11:00 Bassoons come in playing the joyful melody forte. This begins transitioning
• to the slower and solemn melody. Dimuendo. The chorus has another counterpoint.
•11:20 This quickly returned back to the upbeat melody.
This part is important to the song. It’s leading to the climax and where the climax is resolved. First, we have the
syncopation and timpani roll. The rhythm changes here in a triplet rhythm. At the 10:35 mark, song goes back to
duple meter but right into major mode with a drop off into a timpani roll. At 10:50, the focus is on the choir
singing joyfully. When bassoons enter, they begin playing the joyful melody in forte. However, then it transitions
to the slower solemn melody with a counterpoint and then quickly returns to the upbeat melody. This mark is
important because the joyful melody is dominant in this whole section.
11:32
11:44
12:04
12:08
12:15
12:29
12:45
13:15
There is a slight pause and song returns back to playing minor and
the ominous, slower melody. Strings start the return, followed by the bassoons.
There is a drop in volume so we can hear the voices showing repetition. The
opening march is repeated as the melody enters. The instruments begin
imitating each other with counterpoint.
This returns to forte and the fast and happy melody is back
Another break and returns to bassoons only again.
The choir returns but is singing the slowly and ominously. We can hear
horns in syncopation.
Another break, or slight pause and then the music begins building with a
crescendo.
Forte again with the choir singing intermittently in a great back and forth
with the instruments. The voices have broken into parts between the sopranos
and all others. The timpani is playing in a two note pattern.
There is rejoicing. Here there is a great balance between the choir and
instruments.
There is a huge chord here which marks the climax. The choir suddenly
drops down. We can then hear the flutes and clarinets playing in soft
syncopation.
The importance of this part is the great .rejoicing at 12:45 and then the climax chord at 13:15.
13:30
A slight pause and then immediately begins playing the minor melody
13:44
The choir stops singing and we hear just the bassoons playing slowly again.
This returns to sounding like the beginning again with the main melody playing.
13:48
Other instruments join in playing piano while the bassoon plays forte.
13:55
The choir returns and we have a slow but powerful crescendo.
14:25
The choir returns to praising and the crescendo is still building. The choir is
singing “they shall obtain joy and gladness”
14:35
We’re at the height of the fortissimo. All instruments are playing as well as
choir is singing, “and sorrow and sighing shall flee away”
14:42
We have a quick dimuendo.
14:51
We have the last slight pause and are left with only the instruments as the
choir drops off here. Brass and timpani have also dropped out. The other instruments
build slightly in a small crescendo with all instruments joining in for one last final
chord and a timpani roll and then ends.
The movement ends.
The thing to watch for is after the return to sounding like the beginning he choir returns and there is an
amazing crescendo that’s singing about gladness and when singing sorrow and sighing, there’s a dimuendo
marking word painting followed by a pause while many instruments drop out and others have a small
crescendo until all instruments join in for one last chord and then ends in a timpani roll.
English Text:
--For all flesh is as grass,
and all the glory of man
as the flower of grass.
The grass withereth,
and the flower falleth away.
--1 Peter 1:24
--Be patient, therefore, brethren,
unto the coming of the Lord.
Behold, the husbandman waiteth
for the precious fruit of the earth,
and hath long patience for it, until he receive
the early and latter rain.
--James 5:7
--But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.
--1 Peter 1:25
--And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
and come to Zion with songs
and everlasting joy upon their heads:
they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
--Isaiah 35:10
http://www.mcs.csueastbay.edu/~malek/Musician/Brahms.html
http://www.notablebiographies.com/Be-Br/Brahms-Johannes.html#b
http://www.biography.com/people/johannes-brahms-9223886
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_German_Requiem_%28Brahms%29
http://www.brightcecilia.com/features/brahms-german-requiem.html
http://www.osmun.com/reference/brahms/Chapter%202.html