BRAHMS, Johannes
b Hamburg 7 May 1833
d Vienna, 3 April 1897, aged sixty-three

He studied piano and composition under local teachers. His father played horn and double-bass in local orchestras. A series of introductions culminated in his meeting the Schumann family, and his long friendship with them had an immense influence on him. Schumann was so impressed with Brahms' early compositions that he wrote a critical article about him, and this first brought Brahms to the notice of the world. He became popular as pianist and conductor, holding a position at the court of Detmold for four years. He lived for a year or two in Switzerland, then went to Vienna where he spent the remainder of his life. He died there of cancer of the liver, the same disease that killed his father. Though living in the days of the romantic composers, his own work was always in the classical mould.

1851 (18)

Scherzo in Eb minor for piano, Op 4

Six Songs for tenor or soprano, Op 7 (1871-3)

1852 (19)

Piano Sonata No 1 in C major, Op 1 (1852-3)

Piano Sonata No 2 in F sharp minor, Op 2

Six Songs for tenor or soprano, op 3 (1852 3)

Six Songs for tenor or soprano, Op 6 (1852-3)

1853 (20)

Piano Sonata No 3 in F minor, Op 7

Piano Trio No 1 in B major, Op 8 (1873-4)

1854 (21)

Variations on a Theme by Schumann for piano, Op 9

Four Ballades for piano, in Dm: D: B: Bm, Op 10

Piano Concerto No 1 in D minor, Op 15 (1854-8)

1855-68 (22-35)

Seven Songs, Op 48

1855 75 (22-42)

Piano Quartet No 3 in C minor, Op 60

1855-76 (22-43)

Symphony No 1 in C minor, Op 68

1856 (23)

'Lass dich nur nichts dauern', sacred song, Op 30

Variations on an original theme, for piano, Op 21/1

Variations on a Hungarian theme, for piano, Op 21/2

1857-8 (24)

Serenade for orchestra in D major, Op 11

1857-60 (24-7)

Serenade for orchestra in A major, Op 16

1857-68 (24-35)

Four Songs, Op 43

German Requiem, Op 45

1878 (25)

'Ave Maria', for women's chorus, orchestra and organ, Op 12

'Funeral Hymn', for mixed chorus and wind orchestra, Op 13

Eight Songs and Romances, Op 14

1858-9 (25-6)

Five Songs, Op 19

1858 60 (25-7)

Three Duets for soprano and alto, Op 20

1858-68 (25 35)

Five Songs, Op 47

1859 (26)

Marienlieder, for four-part mixed choir, Op 22

The 13th Psalm, for three-part women's chorus and organ, Op 77

1859-60 (26-7)

Three Quartets for solo voices with piano, Op 31

1859-61 (26-8)

Three Songs, Op 42

1859-63 (26 30)

Three Sacred Choruses, Op 37

Twelve Songs and Romances, Op 44

1859-73 (26-40)

String Quartet No 1 in C minor, Op 51

String Quartet No 2 in A minor

1860 (27)

Part-Songs for women's chorus, two horns and harp, Op 17

String Sextet No 1 in B flat major, op 18

Two Motets for five-part mixed choir a cappella, Op 29

1860-2 (27-9)

Four Duets for alto and baritone, op 28

1861 (28)

Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, for piano, Op 24

Piano Quartet No I in G minor, Op 25

Piano Quartet No 2 in A major, Op 26

1861-2 (28-9)

'Soldaten Lieder', five songs, Op 41

1861-8 (28 35)

Fifteen Romances from 'Magelone', Op 33

1862-3 (29)

Piano Studies (Variations on a Theme by Paganini)

Books I and 11,

Op 35

1862-5 (29-32)

Cello Sonata No 1 in Em, Op 38

1862-74 (29-41)

Three Quartets for solo voices, Op 63

1863 (30)

Song for alto, viola and piano, Op 91

1863-8 (30-5)

Rinaldo, cantata, Op 50

1863-77 (30-44)

Two Motets, Op 74

1863-90 (30 57)

Thirteen Canons, Op 113

1864 (31)

Fourteen German Folk Songs for four-part choir

Piano Quintet in F minor, Op 34

Four Songs, Op 46

1864-5 (31-2)

String Sextet No 2 in G major, Op 36

1864-8 (31-5)

Five Songs, Op 49

1865 (32)

Trio for piano, violin and horn, in Eb major, Op 40

1869 (36)

Liebslieder Wahers (words, Daumer), Op 52

p Piano Studies in five books, Books Ill

1870 (37)

Alto Rhapsody for alto, male chorus and orchestra, Op 53

1870-1 (37-8)

Triumphlied, for chorus and orchestra, Op 55

1871 (38)

Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny), Op 54

Eight Songs, Op 57

Eight Songs, Op 58

1871-3 (38-40)

Eight Songs, Op 59

1871-8 (38 45)

Eight Piano Pieces in two books: No 1, 2, 5 and 8 are Capriccios;

No 3, 4, 6 and 7 are Intermezzi, Op 76

1873 (40)

Variations on a Theme by Haydn;

St Anthony, for orchestra, Op 56a

1873-4 (40-1)

Nine Songs, Op 63

1874 (41)

Four Duets for soprano and alto, Op 61

Seven Songs, Op 62

1875 (42)

String Quartet No 3 in Bb major, Op 67

Fifteen Neues Liebeslieder for piano duet, Op 65

1875 7 (42-4)

Four Songs, Op 70

1876 (43)

Symphony No 1 (completed)

1876 7 (43-4)

Five Songs, Op 72

1877 (44)

Nine Songs, Op 69

Five Songs, Op 71

Symphony No 2 in D major, Op 73

1877-8 (44-5)

Four Ballads and Romances for two voices, Op 75

Six Songs, Op 86

1877-9 (44-6)

Six Songs, Op 85

1877-84 (44-51)

Four Vocal Quartets, Op 92

1878 (45)

Violin Concerto in D major, Op 77

1878-9 (45-6)

Violin Sonata No 1 in G major, Regen Sonate

1878 81 (45-48)

Piano Concerto No 2 in Bb major, Op 83

Five Songs and Romances for one or two voices, Op 84

1879 (46)

Two Rhapsodies for piano, No 1 in Bm: No 2 in Gm, Op 79

p Piano Studies in five books, Books III-V

1880 (47)

Academic Festival Overture, Op 80

1880-1 (48)

Tragic Overture, Op 81

1880-2 (49)

Piano Trio No 2 in C, Op 87

1882 (49)

Nanie, Op 82

String Quintet No 1 in F major, Op 88

'Gesang de Parzen', Op 89

1883 (50)

Symphony No 3 in E major, Op 90

1883-4 (50-1)

Six Songs and Romances, Op 93a

1884 (51)

'Tagelied (Dank der Damen)', Op 93b

Five Songs, Op 94

Seven Songs, Op 95

Four Songs, Op 96

Six Songs, Op 97

1884-5 (51-2)

Symphony No 4 in E minor, Op 98

1886 (53)

Cello Sonata No 2 in F major, Op 99

Violin Sonata No 2 in A major, Meistersinger, Op 100

Piano Trio, in c minor, Op 101

Five Songs, Op 105

Five Songs, Op 106

Five Songs, Op 107

1886-8 (53-5)

Violin Sonata No 3 in A minor, Thuiler-Sonate, Op 108

Deutsche Fest- und Gedenkspruche, Op 109

1887 (54)

Double Concerto for violin, cello and orchestra in A minor, Op 1()2

Zigeunerlieder, Op 103

1888 (55)

Five Songs, Op 104

1888 91 (55-8)

Six Vocal Quartets, Op 112

1889 (56)

Three Motets, Op 110

1890 (57)

String Quintet No 2 in G major, Op 111

1891 (58)

Trio for piano, violin and clarinet in A minor, Op 114

Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op 115

1892 (59)

Fantasien, for piano, in two books, Op 116

Three Intermezzi for piano, Op 1 I7

Six Piano Pieces (intermezzi, ballade, romance), Op 118

Four Piano Pieces (three intermezzi, one rhapsody), Op 119

1894 (61)

Sonata No 1 in F minor for piano and clarinet, or viola, Op 120

Sonata No 2 in Eb major for piano and clarinet, or viola, Op 120

1896 (63)

Four Serious Songs, Op 121