Oct 11, 2021
It is summer 1876. Brahms is vacationing with his friend George Henschel on the Baltic island or Rügen and finishing work on his first symphony in C minor...
Works heard in this episode (all by Brahms):
Symphony no. 1 in C minor op. 68
Excerpts:
performed by Chang Ji, Mrs. the GCP
- mvt. 1 mm. 1-2, mm. 41, mm. 42-46
-...
Aug 16, 2021
It is December 1871 and Johannes Brahms has finally established permanent residence in the music loving city of Vienna. Still, his thoughts remain in Hamburg for a time as his family slowly start to drift away from him...
He himself then drifted for a time, compositionally at least. He would begin his new position as...
Jun 22, 2021
I am pleased to be joined during this episode by Alan Walker, celebrated author of biographies of Franz Liszt, Frederick Chopin and others, and acclaimed concert pianist Daniel Vnukowski. We discuss Liszt, Chopin, and Schumann, taking a look at their lives and music from the perspectives of biographer...
Jun 7, 2021
Ep. 43 – It is Good Friday, April 10, 1868 in Bremen and Brahms has just finished giving the premiere of his German Requiem. It is a complete triumph but one not celebrated with wild applause, the work is too grave for that. Instead, attendees of the premiere listened with glad hearts and in reverence, awe really of...
Mar 22, 2021
Ep 42(b) - It is early 1865. Brahms's mother has just passed away. Filled with emotion he grudgingly moves from winter to spring, entering a long period of deep and private mourning during which he would retreat into himself for a time in order to gather his thoughts and energies, and orient them toward a grand act...