Lesson 10: Johannes Brahms

Johannes Brahms

The importance of Brahms to the history of music can be seen as his inclusion in the 'Three B's' (Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms) by musical scholars. Perhaps best known today for his lullaby, Johannes Brahms also created chamber music, symphonic works, and piano pieces. Of all the composers in the late Romantic period, he is also the most 'Classical' in his music, reflecting many of the techniques of the Baroque and Classical periods.

Brahms was born in 1833 in Germany, the son of a musician. As a young man he played the piano in taverns and restaurants. He was eventually taken under the wing of several Romantic composers, including Robert Schumann and his wife, Clara. He composed music steadily, although it was not always received positively. He continued composing up until his death in 1897 at the age of sixty-three.

Musical scholars often regard Brahms as one of the last true Romantic composers. He often used conventional and classic form in his works, distasteful of many of the new forms and methods that developed during the Romantic period. His works often used rhythm and harmony in ways that inspired and influenced many other composers. Many of Brahms' pieces also show a religious influence in them. In almost every form of music that Brahms composed in, the works are now considered staples in the classical music standards. The works are often expressive and finely crafted. Brahms' famous lullaby is really a piece of music from a song he wrote called 'Good Evening and Good Night.'

Brahms: Hungarian Dance No 5

Brahms: Trio in A Minor, Op. 114

Tchaikovsky: Finale (Symphony No. 4)

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

One of the first individuals to incorporate Western classical music into Russian national music styles, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is known not only for his melodies but also for the nationalist sounds that he created in his music. Although some have criticized his music for being too sentimental and emotional, his melodies are easily remembered by those who hear them. His best-known works come from the operas and ballets that he composed.

Tchaikovsky was born in Russia in 1840. He pursued a career in music against his family's wishes, as they had groomed him for a career in civil service. Although he achieved a great deal of fame for his work, his personal life was a troubled one, with bouts of depression. He worked both as a composer, musical critic, and conductor. His infusion of Romantic emotion into the works he composed was new to Russian works and his fame gradually spread from Russia to Europe. He died in 1893 of cholera, although some have speculated that the real cause was suicide.

Some of Tchaikovsky's most well-known works include 1812 Overture, Romeo and Juliet, and three of the ballets he composed, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and The Sleeping Beauty. His work shows a strong influence of Western classical music. One of the characteristics of his work is the use of melody or harmony to create a sudden release of emotion. He used the melodies and harmonies to build the music into tension-filled peaks before creating these releases. The nationalist influence on his work can be seen through works like 1812 Overture, with its booming cannon sounds and other Russian aspects.

While the composers that we've discussed had a great impact on Western classical music during the Romantic period, they are by no means the only composers worth listening to. Some of the other composers that influenced the period include Giuseppe Verdi, Claude Debussy, Antonin Dvorak, Gustav Mahler, Edvard Grieg, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Maurice Ravel, and Robert Schumann, among others. To get a full sense of the Romantic period, you may wish to listen to some of the works from these composers as well as those that we've discussed.

In this unit, we examined the Romantic period of music history. In doing so, we learned more about the cultural and social factors that influenced music during this period of music. We discussed some of the characteristics of Romantic music and some of the forms that were popular during this time period. Finally, we examined some of the composers who created and influenced music during the Romantic period of music.

Think About

1. When did the Romantic period take place?  What social and cultural factors influenced the music?
2. What are the characteristics of the music of the Romantic period?
3. How does the music of the Romantic period differ from that of earlier period?
4. What are some forms of music that were popular during the Romantic period?
5. Who were some of the composers who influenced Romantic music?

Journal Activity: Answer these questions in your journal.