Introduction
“Without craftsmanship, inspiration is a mere reed shaken in the wind.”
– Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was born on May 7, 1833 in Hamburg, Germany and died on April 3, 1897 in Vienna, Austria from liver cancer. His father was Johann Jakob Brahms, a musician; and his mother was Christiane Nissen, a seamstress.
Brahms was a pianist, conductor, and composer throughout his life. He composed much orchestral, vocal and choral, chamber, and piano music during the Romantic period of classical music.
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Brief Biography
1840: begins studying piano (7 years)
1846: begins studying theory & composition
1848: first public performance as piano soloist (15 years)
1853: tours with Reményi (Hungarian violinist)
1853: meets Joseph Joachim and Franz Liszt
1853: meets Robert & Clara Schumann Becomes good friend of Robert, has romantic affair with Clara
1863-4: director of the Berlin Singakademie
Tours in northern & central Europe, teaches piano
1868: settles in Vienna permanently
1869: performance of the German Requiem
1872-3: becomes conductor of Vienna Gesellschaftskonzerte
1873: performance of the St. Antony Chorale
1876-1878: composes First & Second Symphonies, Violin Concerto, Op. 69-72, and C Major Trio
1881: Hans von Bülow shows support, allows Brahms to conduct the Meiningen Court Orchestra
1890: retired from composing (57 years)
1897: dies of liver cancer (64 years)