The stature of Johannes Brahms among classical composers is well illustrated by his inclusion among the "Three Bs" triumvirate of Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms. Of all the major composers of the late Romantic era, Brahms was the one most attached to the Classical ideal as manifested in the music of Haydn, Mozart, and especially Beethoven; indeed, Hans von Bülow once characterized Brahms' Symphony No. 1 (1855-1876) as "Beethoven's Tenth." As a Read more youth, Brahms was championed by Robert Schumann as music's greatest hope for the future; as a mature composer, Brahms became for conservative musical journalists the most potent symbol of musical tradition, a stalwart against the "degeneration" represented by the music of Wagner and his school. Brahms' symphonies, choral and vocal works, chamber music, and piano pieces are imbued with strong emotional feeling, yet take shape according to a thoroughly considered structural plan.

The son of a double bassist in the Hamburg Philharmonic Society, Brahms demonstrated great promise from the beginning. He began his musical career as a pianist, contributing to the family coffers as a teenager by playing in restaurants, taverns, and even brothels. Though by his early twenties he enjoyed associations with luminaries like violinists Eduard Reményi and Joseph Joachim, the friend and mentor who was most instrumental in advancing his career was Schumann, who all but adopted him and became his most ardent partisan, and their esteem was mutual. Following Schumann's death in 1856, Brahms became the closest confidant and lifelong friend of the composer's widow, pianist and composer Clara Wieck Schumann. After a life of spectacular musical triumphs and failed loves (the composer was involved in several romantic entanglements but never wed), Brahms died of liver cancer on April 3, 1897.

In every genre in which he composed, Brahms produced works that have become staples of the repertory. His most ambitious work, the German Requiem (1863-1867), is the composer's singular reinterpretation of an age-old form. The four symphonies -- lushly scored, grand in scope, and deeply expressive -- are cornerstones of the symphonic literature. Brahms' concertos are, similarly, in a monumental, quasi-symphonic vein: the two piano concertos (1856-1859 and 1881) and the Violin Concerto (1878) call for soloists with both considerable technical skill and stamina. His chamber music is among the most sophisticated and exquisitely crafted of the Romantic era; for but a single example, his works that incorporate the clarinet (e.g., the Trio in A minor, Op. 114 and the two Sonatas, Op. 120), an instrument largely overlooked by his contemporaries, remain unsurpassed. Though the piano sonata never held for Brahms the same appeal it had for Beethoven (Brahms wrote three to Beethoven's 32), he produced a voluminous body of music for the piano. He showed a particular affinity for variations -- notably, on themes of Schumann (1854), Handel (1861), and Paganini (1862-1863) -- and likewise produced a passel of national dances and character pieces such as ballades, intermezzi, and rhapsodies. Collectively, these constitute one of the essential bodies of work in the realm of nineteenth century keyboard music. Read less

Featured Johannes Brahms CDs & DVDs:

Brahms: Complete Works for Solo Piano / Douglas

Release Date: 01/19/2018 Label: Chandos
Catalog: CHAN 10951(6) Number of Discs: 6

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Brahms: Violin Sonatas / Little, Lane

Release Date: 03/16/2018 Label: Chandos
Catalog: 10977 Number of Discs: 1

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Brahms & Schumann: Chamber Music / Pressler, Pacifica Quartet

Release Date: 03/10/2017 Label: Cedille Records
Catalog: 170 Number of Discs: 1

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Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem / Hickox, London Symphony

Release Date: 08/04/2017 Label: Chandos
Catalog: 10945 Number of Discs: 1

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Brahms: String Quintets / West German Radio Symphony Chamber Players

Release Date: 04/28/2017 Label: Pentatone
Catalog: 5186663 Number of Discs: 1

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Work: Concerto for Piano no 2 in B flat major, Op. 83

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76.

Brahms & Saint-saens: Piano Concerto No. 2

Label: Helicon Catalog: 9644 Release Date: 06/14/2011 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Johannes Brahms, Camille Saint-Saëns, Robert Schumann, Frédéric Chopin ...
Performer: Yefim Bronfman
Conductor: Zubin Mehta

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Brahms: Piano Concerto No 2, Paganini Variatios / Berezovsky, Liss

Label: Mirare Catalog: 132 Release Date: 04/12/2011 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Johannes Brahms
Performer: Boris Berezovsky
Conductor: Dmitry Liss
Orchestra/Ensemble: Ural State Philharmonic Orchestra
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Icon - Claudio Arrau: Virtuoso Philosopher of the Piano

Label: Warner Classics Catalog: 18432 Release Date: 03/22/2011 Number of Discs: 13
Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Carl Maria von Weber, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky ...
Performer: Claudio Arrau
Conductor: Alceo Galliera, Carlo Maria Giulini
Orchestra/Ensemble: Philharmonia Orchestra
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Brahms: Piano Concerto No 2, Rhapsody, Capriccio; Chopin / Rubinstein, Dohnanyi

Label: Ica Classics Catalog: 5003 Release Date: 02/22/2011 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Johannes Brahms, Frédéric Chopin, Manuel de Falla
Performer: Artur Rubinstein
Conductor: Christoph von Dohnányi
Orchestra/Ensemble: Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra
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Garrick Ohlsson Plays Chopin, Brahms & Liszt

Label: Ica Classics Catalog: 5013 Release Date: 02/22/2011 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Johannes Brahms, Frédéric Chopin, Franz Liszt
Performer: Garrick Ohlsson
Conductor: James Loughran
Orchestra/Ensemble: BBC Symphony Orchestra

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81.

Brahms: Piano Concerto, Tragic Overture / Richter, Szeryng, Leinsdorf, Ormandy, Monteux

Label: Rca Catalog: 24693 Release Date: 02/17/2011 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Johannes Brahms
Performer: Henryk Szeryng, Sviatoslav Richter
Conductor: Pierre Monteux, Erich Leinsdorf, Eugene Ormandy
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra ...

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82.

Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2; Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 2 / Sanderling, Zak, Leningrad Philharmonic

Label: Praga Catalog: 350054 Release Date: 02/08/2011 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Johannes Brahms, Sergei Prokofiev
Performer: Yakov Zak
Conductor: Kurt Sanderling
Orchestra/Ensemble: Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, USSR Radio/TV Large Symphony Orchestra

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83.

Piano & Cello Masterpieces

Label: Zyx Records Catalog: 10105 Release Date: 11/19/2010 Number of Discs: 2
Composer: Johannes Brahms, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Performer: Vladimir Horowitz, Pablo Casals, Mieczyslaw Horszowski, Shura Cherkassky
Conductor: Arturo Toscanini, Leopold Ludwig, Richard Kraus

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84.

Brahms: Concertos, Symphonies / Haitink, Arrau, Szeryng, Starker [7-CD Collector's Edition]

Label: Decca Catalog: 001479902 Release Date: 10/19/2010 Number of Discs: 7
Composer: Johannes Brahms
Performer: Claudio Arrau, Henryk Szeryng, János Starker
Conductor: Bernard Haitink
Orchestra/Ensemble: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
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85.

Icon - Edwin Fischer

Label: Warner Classics Catalog: 29499 Release Date: 09/14/2010 Number of Discs: 12
Composer: Johannes Brahms, Franz Schubert, Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ...
Performer: Edwin Fischer, Ronald Smith, Denis Matthews, Raymond Clark ...
Conductor: Wilhelm Furtwängler, Edwin Fischer, Josef Krips, Lawrence Collingwood ...
Orchestra/Ensemble: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra ...
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Brahms: Piano Works / Wilhelm Backhaus

Label: Decca Catalog: 433895 Release Date: 08/12/2010 Number of Discs: 2
Composer: Johannes Brahms
Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus, Emanuel Brabec
Conductor: Karl Böhm
Orchestra/Ensemble: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
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Brahms: Symphony No 4, Piano Concerto No 2 / Fischer-Dieskau, Lifschitz

Label: Orfeo Catalog: 810102 Release Date: 07/27/2010 Number of Discs: 2
Composer: Johannes Brahms
Performer: Konstantin Lifschitz
Conductor: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Orchestra/Ensemble: Berlin Concert House Orchestra
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88.

Brahms: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2; Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3

Label: Archipel Catalog: 443 Release Date: 05/25/2010 Number of Discs: 2
Composer: Johannes Brahms, Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Claudio Arrau
Conductor: Paul Kletzki, Igor Markevitch, Carl Schuricht

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89.

Brahms: Piano Concerto No 2 / Achucarro, Davis

Label: Opus Arte Catalog: 1022 Release Date: 03/30/2010 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Isaac Albeniz, Frédéric Chopin, Alexander Scriabin, Johannes Brahms
Performer: Joaquín Achúcarro
Conductor: Sir Colin Davis
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra
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90.

Brahms: Piano Concerto no 2 / Achucarro, Davis [Blu-ray]

Label: Opus Arte Catalog: 7054 Release Date: 03/30/2010 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Isaac Albeniz, Alexander Scriabin, Frédéric Chopin, Johannes Brahms
Performer: Joaquín Achúcarro
Conductor: Sir Colin Davis
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra
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91.

Brahms, Mozart: Piano Concertos / Backhaus, Bohm

Label: Orfeo Catalog: 796091 Release Date: 11/24/2009 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johannes Brahms
Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus
Conductor: Karl Böhm
Orchestra/Ensemble: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

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92.

Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2; Beethoven: Symphony No. 1

Label: Archipel Catalog: 460 Release Date: 10/27/2009 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Johannes Brahms, Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus
Conductor: Carl Schuricht

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93.

Ultimate Brahms [5-CD Set]

Label: Decca Catalog: 001313402 Release Date: 08/25/2009 Number of Discs: 5
Composer: Johannes Brahms
Performer: Henryk Szeryng, János Starker, Claudio Arrau
Conductor: Bernard Haitink, Wolfgang Sawallisch
Orchestra/Ensemble: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Vienna Symphony Orchestra

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94.

Artur Rubinstein Plays Brahms And Schumann

Label: Arts Music Catalog: 43081 Release Date: 06/09/2009 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Johannes Brahms, Robert Schumann
Performer: Artur Rubinstein
Conductor: André Cluytens, Franco Caracciolo
Orchestra/Ensemble: Italian Radio Symphony Orchestra Turin, Italian Radio Symphony Orchestra Naples

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95.

Wilhelm Backhaus Plays Brahms & Schumann

Label: Hänssler Classic Catalog: 94203 Release Date: 06/09/2009 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms
Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus
Conductor: Karl Böhm

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96.

Legendary Russian Pianists

Label: Brilliant Classics Catalog: 9014 Release Date: 06/02/2009 Number of Discs: 25
Composer: Sergei Prokofiev, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Dmitri Kabalevsky, Franz Liszt ...
Performer: Rudolf Kerer, Konstantin Igumnov, Yakov Flier, Vladimir Horowitz ...
Conductor: Alexander Gauk, Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, David Oistrakh, Gennadi Rozhdestvensky ...
Orchestra/Ensemble: Orchestra, USSR Radio/TV Symphony Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra ...

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97.

Brahms: Piano Concerto No 2, Pieces For Piano Op. 119 / Lechner, Marturet, Berlin So

Label: Brilliant Classics Catalog: 93248 Release Date: 05/05/2009 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Johannes Brahms
Performer: Karin Lechner
Conductor: Eduardo Marturet
Orchestra/Ensemble: Berlin Symphony Orchestra

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98.

Heritage Masters - Brahms: Piano Concertos / Curzon

Label: Decca Catalog: 001268202 Release Date: 03/31/2009 Number of Discs: 2
Composer: Johannes Brahms
Performer: Clifford Curzon
Conductor: George Szell, Hans Knappertsbusch
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

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99.

Geza Anda Plays Chopin, Rachmaninov, Schumann, Brahms / Bour, Rosbaud, Et Al

Label: Hänssler Classic Catalog: 94208 Release Date: 03/10/2009 Number of Discs: 2
Composer: Frédéric Chopin, Sergei Rachmaninov, Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms
Performer: Géza Anda
Conductor: Ernest Bour, Hans Rosbaud
Orchestra/Ensemble: Baden-Baden Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra

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100.

Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2; Beethoven: Piano Sonata Op. 57 "appassionata"

Label: Archipel Catalog: 387 Release Date: 01/27/2009 Number of Discs: 1
Composer: Johannes Brahms, Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Emil Gilels
Conductor: Fritz Reiner

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