Johannes Brahms

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Born: 1833   Died: 1897   Country: Germany   Period: Romantic
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 Choral Works
Brahms: Complete Choral Works
Release Date: 01/27/2015   Label: Deutsche Grammophon  
Catalog: 002244602   Number of Discs: 7
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Brahms: Serenades For Orchestra / Dirk Joeres, Westdeutsche Sinfonia
Brahms: Serenades For Orchestra / Dirk Joeres, Westdeutsche Sinfonia
Release Date: 11/22/2010   Label: Musical Concepts  
Catalog: 1098   Number of Discs: 1
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Brahms: Symphony No 2... / Fischer, Budapest Festival
Brahms: Symphony No 2... / Fischer, Budapest Festival
Release Date: 01/13/2015   Label: Channel Classics  
Catalog: 33514   Number of Discs: 1
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Brahms, Mozart: Clarinet Quintets / Campbell, Bingham Quartet
Brahms, Mozart: Clarinet Quintets / Campbell, Bingham Quartet
Release Date: 01/17/2012   Label: Musical Concepts  
Catalog: 1161   Number of Discs: 1
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Mahler: Kindertotenlieder; Schumann: Frauenliebe und Leben; Brahms: Four Serious Songs / Ferrier
Mahler: Kindertotenlieder; Schumann: Frauenliebe und Leben; Brahms: Four Serious Songs / Ferrier
Release Date: 11/08/2011   Label: Musical Concepts  
Catalog: 1153   Number of Discs: 1
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Work: Concerto for Piano no 2 in B flat major, Op. 83

Browse 76-100 of 187 Available Recordings
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  • 76.
    Brahms, Mozart: Piano Concertos / Backhaus, Bohm
    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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  • 77.
    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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  • 78.
    Yo-Yo Ma - 30 Years Outside the Box
    Yo-Yo Ma - 30 Years Outside the Box
    Label: Sony   Catalog: 752307 Release Date: 10/27/2009   Number of Discs: 90
    Composer:  Sandeep Das,  Traditional,  Kayhan Kalhor,  Zhou Long  ... 
    Performer:  Joseph Gramley,  Kim Dong-Won,  Yo-Yo Ma,  Mark Suter  ... 
    Conductor:  Miguel Harth-Bedoya,  John T. Williams,  Ennio Morricone,  Isaac Stern  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Silk Road Ensemble,  Chicago Symphony Orchestra,  Qi Lin  ... 
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  • 79.
    Ultimate Brahms [5-CD Set]
    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:  Concertgebouw Orchestra,  Vienna Symphony Orchestra
    CD: $17.99
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  • 80.
    Brahms Complete Edition [46-CD Set]
    Brahms Complete Edition [46-CD Set]
    Label: Deutsche Grammophon   Catalog: 001302602 Release Date: 07/14/2009   Number of Discs: 46
    Composer:  Johannes Brahms,  Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer:  Edith Mathis,  Karl Engel,  Gernot Kahl,  Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau  ... 
    Conductor:  Günther Jena,  Claudio Abbado,  Herbert von Karajan,  Karl Böhm  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  North German Radio Chorus,  LaSalle String Quartet,  Amadeus String Quartet  ... 
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  • 81.
    Artur Rubinstein Plays Brahms And Schumann
    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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  • 82.
    Wilhelm Backhaus Plays Brahms & Schumann
    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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  • 83.
    Legendary Russian Pianists
    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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  • 84.
    Brahms: Piano Concerto No 2, Pieces For Piano Op. 119 / Lechner, Marturet, Berlin So
    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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  • 85.
    Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2
    Label: Brilliant Classics   Catalog: 93248 Release Date: 05/05/2009   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Johannes Brahms
    Performer:  Karin Lechner
    Conductor:  Eduardo Marturet
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  • 86.
    Heritage Masters - Brahms: Piano Concertos / Curzon
    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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  • 87.
    Geza Anda Plays Chopin, Rachmaninov, Schumann, Brahms / Bour, Rosbaud, Et Al
    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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  • 88.
    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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  • 89.
    Brahms: Piano Concertos No 1 & 2, Etc / Tirimo, Sanderling, Levi, Rattle, Et Al
    Brahms: Piano Concertos No 1 & 2, Etc / Tirimo, Sanderling, Levi, Rattle, Et Al
    Label: Emi Classics For Pleasure   Catalog: 28363 Release Date: 10/28/2008   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Johannes Brahms
    Performer:  Martino Tirimo
    Conductor:  Simon Rattle
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
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  • 90.
    Icon - Sviatoslav Richter - The Master Pianist
    Icon - Sviatoslav Richter - The Master Pianist
    Label: Warner Classics   Catalog: 17411 Release Date: 10/28/2008   Number of Discs: 14
    Composer:  Alban Berg,  Sergei Prokofiev,  Robert Schumann,  Edvard Grieg  ... 
    Performer:  Sviatoslav Richter,  Oleg Kagan,  David Oistrakh,  Mstislav Rostropovich  ... 
    Conductor:  Yuri Nikolaevsky,  Lorin Maazel,  Lovro von Matacic,  Carlos Kleiber  ... 
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Moscow Conservatory Symphony Orchestra members,  London Symphony Orchestra,  Monte Carlo Opera Orchestra  ... 
    CD: $95.99
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  • 91.
    Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2
    Label: Archipel   Catalog: 407 Release Date: 09/30/2008   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Johannes Brahms,  Claude Debussy
    Performer:  Sviatoslav Richter
    Conductor:  Sir John Barbirolli
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  • 92.
    Brahms: Piano Concerto No 2 / Ashkenazy, Mehta
    Brahms: Piano Concerto No 2 / Ashkenazy, Mehta
    Label: London/Decca Jubilee   Catalog: 417710 Release Date: 09/16/2008   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Johannes Brahms
    Performer:  Nelson Cooke,  Vladimir Ashkenazy
    Conductor:  Zubin Mehta
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  London Symphony Orchestra
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  • 93.
    Solomon - The Master Pianist
    Solomon - The Master Pianist
    Label: Emi Classics   Catalog: 6102 Release Date: 09/02/2008   Number of Discs: 7
    Composer:  Johann Sebastian Bach,  Franz Liszt,  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,  Sir Arthur Bliss  ... 
    Performer:  Solomon
    Conductor:  Walter Susskind,  Sir Adrian Boult,  Issay Dobrowen,  Herbert Menges
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Philharmonia Orchestra,  Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
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  • 94.
    Brahms: Piano Concertos No 1 & 2, Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Solo Piano Pieces
    Brahms: Piano Concertos No 1 & 2, Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Solo Piano Pieces
    Label: Telarc   Catalog: 80734 Release Date: 08/12/2008   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Johannes Brahms
    Performer:  Horacio Gutierrez
    Conductor:  André Previn
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
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  • 95.
    Greatest Works - Brahms / Masur, Neumann, Herbig, Et Al
    Greatest Works - Brahms / Masur, Neumann, Herbig, Et Al
    Label: Berlin Classics   Catalog: 184272 Release Date: 08/12/2008   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Johannes Brahms
    Performer:  Peter Rösel,  Jürnjakob Timm,  Cécile Ousset
    Conductor:  Kurt Masur,  Günther Herbig,  Václav Neumann
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra,  Berlin Symphony Orchestra
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  • 96.
    Van Cliburn In Moscow Vol 2 - Grieg, Brahms
    Van Cliburn In Moscow Vol 2 - Grieg, Brahms
    Label: Video Artists International   Catalog: 4453 Release Date: 07/15/2008   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Johannes Brahms,  Edvard Grieg
    Performer:  Van Cliburn
    Conductor:  Kiril Kondrashin
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra
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  • 97.
    Toscanini Conducts Brahms - Serenade No 1 & 2, Piano Concerto No 2, Etc
    Toscanini Conducts Brahms - Serenade No 1 & 2, Piano Concerto No 2, Etc
    Label: Guild   Catalog: 2337/38 Release Date: 06/17/2008   Number of Discs: 2
    Composer:  Johannes Brahms,  Franz Schubert
    Performer:  Robert Casadesus
    Conductor:  Arturo Toscanini
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  New York Philharmonic,  New York Ladies Choir
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  • 98.
    Brahms: Piano Concerto No 2, 5 Intermezzi / Van Cliburn
    Brahms: Piano Concerto No 2, 5 Intermezzi / Van Cliburn
    Label: Rca Victor Gold Seal   Catalog: 7942 Release Date: 06/12/2008   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Johannes Brahms
    Performer:  Van Cliburn
    Conductor:  Fritz Reiner
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Chicago Symphony Orchestra
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  • 99.
    Brahms - The Concerto Album / Arrau, Oistrakh, Fournier
    Brahms - The Concerto Album / Arrau, Oistrakh, Fournier
    Label: Emi Classics   Catalog: 09421 Release Date: 03/25/2008   Number of Discs: 3
    Composer:  Johannes Brahms
    Performer:  David Oistrakh,  Pierre Fournier,  Claudio Arrau
    Conductor:  Otto Klemperer,  Alceo Galliera,  Carlo Maria Giulini
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  French National Radio Orchestra,  Philharmonia Orchestra
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  • 100.
    Brahms: Piano Concerto No 2 / Ashkenazy, Haitink, Vienna Po
    Brahms: Piano Concerto No 2 / Ashkenazy, Haitink, Vienna Po
    Label: Decca   Catalog: 410199 Release Date: 01/07/2008   Number of Discs: 1
    Composer:  Johannes Brahms
    Performer:  Vladimir Ashkenazy
    Conductor:  Bernard Haitink
    Orchestra/Ensemble:  Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
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