Brahms and Schubring: Musical Criticism and Politics at Mid-Century

WALTER FRISCH

In 1861-62 there appeared in the Neue Zeit- merits. Comprising the first substantial critical schrift ffir Musik, 's leading music account of Brahms'smusic, it is especially valu- journal since the demise of the Allgemeine able for having appearedso early in the compos- Musikalische Zeitung in 1848, a lengthy survey er's career,on the verge of his thirtieth year and of four composers representative of the "Schu- the period Tovey called his "first maturity."' mann school." The most space by far-thirty- Schubring makes a fine witness to the early eight columns, extending over five issues in the Brahms because, unlike Tovey and the rest of spring of 1862-was given to a close examina- us, he had no knowledge of the composer's later tion of the all the published music of Johannes development. And although basically sympa- Brahms, then comprising eighteen opuses. The thetic, he pulls no punches. Much of the music author, who signed himself with the cipher comes in for strong-and impressively percep- "DAS," was Adolf Schubring, a friend and ad- tive-criticism. mirer of Brahms, and by profession a judge in Interesting in its own right, Schubring's ar- the town of Dessau. ticle also opens a broader perspective on the Although mentioned in passing by Brahms highly "politicized" German musical scene at biographers, Schubring's remarkable Brahms essay has never received the close attention it

ISee Donald Tovey, "Brahms's Chamber Music," in Tovey, Essays and Lectures on Music (London, 1949), p. 243. To- vey's ideas have recently been taken up and developed by 19th-Century Music VII/3 (3 April 1984). O by the Regents James Webster in "Schubert's Sonata Form and Brahms's of the University of California. First Maturity (II)," this journal 3 (1979), 52-71.

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This content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Wed, 29 Jul 2015 17:24:35 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 19TH in which the to Schumann that CENTURY mid-century, Rezeptionsge- gratitude we accepted that [Schu- MUSIC schichte of the young Brahms plays an impor- bring's] article; our action was principally an ac- of its to be tant role. It is in this wider (and often amusing) knowledgement right published. context where we should begin. Author and editor here revive (and neatly en- I capsulate) a debate that raged hotly throughout Schubring's account of the Schumann school musical Germany in the 1850s. Brendel, editor of comprised segments 5 through 8 of a twelve-ar- the Neue Zeitschrift since 1845, was indeed a advocate of the New ticle series entitled Schumanniana, which ap- strong German School, the of or peared sporadically over nine years, beginning group composers gathered physically spiri- around In his in the Neue Zeitschrift in 1860 and continuing tually Liszt. journal often in the revived Allgemeine Musikalische appears as a kind of holy city, as in this observa- tion from a lead article of November writ- Zeitung in 1864. (See Appendix for bibliography 1852, ten Brendel himself: "If I now turn of the entire series. All page references to ar- by my gaze ticles in the series will be included in the text. toward Weimar in particular, it is because All translations are mine unless otherwise Liszt's activity there has created a new spiritual center for the musical life of While noted.) In Schumanniana 10 (December 1863), Germany. elsewhere at we see more or Schubring offered a charming and characteristi- present represented less our in its death here cally direct explanation of why he undertook only epoch throes, [in the series: Weimar] appears the rosy dawn of the future.'"2 Brendel's rosy dawn does not seem to rise on more of I am a Schumannianer; thus I was driven to write the conservative composers the time, Schumanniana and to have them published if possi- including the products of Mendelssohn's tenure ble in the most widely read music journals.But how at the Conservatory and the musicians was this to be achieved, since there was clearly no grouped around Schumann. Less than a year music journalwhich representedthe Schumannline, in October Schumann that the musical center?I now to later, 1853, responded is, thought myself: with his own vision of the future. In a short and the Neue Zeitschrift ffir Musik in Leipzig certainly champions the extreme left; but it was founded by sensational article, "Neue Bahnen, " Schumann Schumann and will thus surely grant a place to the broke his long journalistic silence to proclaim a Schumanniana, even if only out of gratitude to its totally unknown young composer, Brahms, as founder. No sooner thought than done. But then mis- the one "called to to his times in arose. the Schumann give expression understandings Hoisting flag ideal fashion." In a footnote Schumann drew at- did not help me at all. Since my Schumanniana ap- tention to other " peared in the Neue Zeitschrift ffir Musik, people as- "significant talents, including sumed I must be a New German (p. 193). Joseph Joachim, Ernst Naumann, Ludwig Nor- mann, Woldemar Bargiel, Theodor Kirchner, Ju- At this point in Schubring's article, the editor lius Schaeffer, Albert Dietrich-"not to forget of the Neue Zeitschrift, Franz Brendel, inserted that profound aspirant to great art, C. F. Wil- an exasperated, defensive footnote: sing, composer of sacred music." He adds, "As bravely advancing heralds I must also name Editor's remark: Because the matter of misunder- Niels W. Gade, C. F. Mangold, Robert Franz, it standings has been raised, we cannot allow to go and Stephen Heller.'"3 unmentioned that a few to have into appear slipped Noticeably absent from this list are Wagner the above remarks,and we want to take this opportu- nity to correct them. Our journal does not represent the extreme left; it constitutes the center, but has also willingly grantedthe formera place. The author 2Franz Brendel, "Ein dritter Ausflug nach Weimar," Neue is furthermore unaware that for years our journal Zeitschrift ffir Musik 37 (1852), 225. the Schumann so 3Robert Schumann, "Neue Bahnen," Neue Zeitschrift ffir championed predominantly line, Musik 39 (1853), 185. The article has been translated many much so that we received on those groundsthe same times; one of the most colorful (upon which I have drawn in reproaches later directed at our recognition of the my citations here) is "New Roads," in , New German School. It is Schumann's organ, today On Music and Musicians, ed. Konrad Wolff, trans. Paul Ro- even as it was twenty years ago.... It was not out of senfeld (New York, 1946), pp. 252-54.

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This content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Wed, 29 Jul 2015 17:24:35 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions and Liszt, or any of the other New Germans, mits artistic subjectivity to reach objective ex- WALTER FRISCH such as Raff and Cornelius. On Schumann's re- pression.'"4Drawing pointedly on the categories Brahms and visionist map, the most promising paths in Schumann had used, Pohl says it is not yet clear Schubring modern music pointed neither towardnor away whether Brahms will prove to be a "talent" or a from Weimar. "genius." He then begs off a close examination Only three months after the appearance of of the music, promising to look at ops. 1-9 in "Neue Bahnen," Schumann was sent to En- another article. denich and never had the chance to promote fur- No article was forthcoming, and the Neue ther in print either Brahmsor the other compos- Zeitschrift again drew a veil of silence over ers he had praised. Nor did the Neue Zeitschrift Brahms. In 1856 Schumann died without ever follow his lead. Throughout the 1850s the jour- seeing his opinions vindicated (orrepudiated) in nal continued to publish lead articles about the journal. Schumann's creative legacy, how- Liszt, Wagner,and their followers; the most fre- ever, was a popular topic, and, to judgefrom the quent authors were Richard Pohl (alias "Ho- Neue Zeitschrift, Brahms was neither the sole plit"), Theodor Uhlig, Brendel, and Liszt and nor even the principal heir. In March 1858 Hans Wagner themselves. Brendel does seem to have von Builowcontributed a lengthy lead article en- had a more equitable policy for reviews or Re- titled "Ein Schiller Robert Schumann's"; its censionen of new music; several of the inhabit- subject was not Brahms or any of the other be- ants of Schumann's footnote were so honored, deutende Talente, but Karl Ritter, whose ops. including Kirchner, Dietrich, Bargiel, and 1-5 had recently been issued by Breitkopf und Schaeffer. Conspicuously absent from the Hirtel. In his preamble Billow distinguishes be- columns of the journal, however, was any ac- tween the literal meaning of Schtiler and its count of Brahms'smusic, which beganto appear more figurative one, which he finds much in print late in 1853, soon after Schumann's ar- abused. Ritter was one of Schumann's few real ticle. pupils (this seems to be true), not one of those Finally, in July and December 1855, Pohl de- (Billow mentions no one by name) who attain voted three lead articles (coveringabout sixteen their musical identity merely by attaching the columns) to Brahms. He attempted to excuse suffix -ianer to the master's name. Moreover, the journal's "persistent silence" on this sub- Billow explains, Ritter's music reveals him to ject by observing that Schumann's article had be a genuine inheritor of the Schumann tradi- made it difficult for anyone else to write about tion.5 Brahms in the same pages and perhapsexpress a As charted by the Neue Zeitschrift in 1858, different opinion. Moreover, he explained, the then, the new paths-even those leading from Neue Zeitschrift had wanted to wait to pass Schumann himself-seem to have bypassed judgement until a sufficient number of Brahms altogether.6 This the composer would Brahms's works had appeared.By the time of surely have noticed. The documentation of his Pohl's writing, ops. 1-9 were in print. discontent is the famous manifesto he, Joa- Despite their considerable length, Pohl's ar- chim, and a few other close associates published ticles say little of substance, and what is said is in the Berlin Echo in March 1860. They charged far from flattering. Pohl's critical/analytical that the Neue Zeitschrift "constantly spreads judgements are vague and unilluminating. He the notion that all serious, striving musicians seems not to have studied the scores, observing are basically in agreement with the party line only that they "are very difficult to approach with logic; they go beyond every consequence and presupposition, yet could not on that ac- 4Hoplit [Richard Pohl], "," Neue Zeit- schrift fiir Musik 44 (1855), 263. count be valued as god-given. His [Brahms's] SHans von Biilow, "Ein Schiller Robert Schumann's," Neue work is thus uneven, its invention unstable; at Zeitschrift ffir Musik 48 (1858), 101-02. times it appears whimsical. It is not steady be- 6Brahms did, however, receive more attention in other peri- odicals. A substantial and sympathetic account of his ops. cause it is not sufficiently thought out, and 1-10 by Carl Debrois van Bruyck appeared the 25 September above all there is missing that style which per- 1857 issue of the Wiener Zeitung.

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This content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Wed, 29 Jul 2015 17:24:35 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 19TH it, that in the of the me the greatest The two men met CENTURY pursued by compositions pleasure."9 MUSIC leaders of said party they recognize works of ar- for the first time later that month when Brahms tistic value, and that the contest for and against visited Dessau to become the godfatherof Schu- the so-called has been con- bring's son Max Johannes. cluded, especially in Northern Germany, in its According to a brief memoir Schubring'seld- favor."7 est son Richard provided Max Kalbeck for the introduction to the correspondence, Brahms II would arrangefor proof copies of new works to It was in this highly chargedmusico-political be sent directly to Dessau, and would await context that four months later Adolf Schubring Schubring's (private) comments. "How he began his Schumanniana series in the Neue beamed when a new opus by Brahmsarrived at Zeitschrift. Schubring (1817-1893) had written our house," the young Schubring reports, ex- his first article about music in 1847, a review for plaining that his father would immediately or- the same journal of an opera by his fellow Des- ganize informal performances at home, often sauer FriedrichLux. He then seems to have lain leading largerworks from the piano. aside his pen for over a dozen years, perhapsto It was not until 1862 that Schubringventured pursue his full-time career as a judge-a profes- into print on the subject of Brahms. He began sion that seems to have been virtually preor- his Schumanniana series, as he implies in the dained, as all the Schubring men were either passage cited above, to offer readersan alterna- judges or clergy.8 tive to Brendel's "leftist" coverage and, more Schubring cultivated numerous other inter- importantly, to revive interest in the music, the ests as well. A genuine Gelehrte, he spoke or ideals, and the legacy of Robert Schumann. read a dozen languages, including Sanskrit, Schubring's colorful prose style (and,of course, Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. His chief avocation, the title) is clearly modelled on Schumann and however, was music, an areain which the Schu- Schumann's own idol, E. T. A. Hoffmann. bring family had one prominent connection: The first four of the dozen installments deal Adolf's step-brother Julius had been a close with editorial and analytical issues in Schu- friend of Mendelssohn and had preparedthe li- mann's music, including (in no. 3) an intelligent brettos for the two oratorios St. Paul and Elijah. account of the differences between the first and Like many readersof "Neue Bahnen,"Schu- second editions of the early piano music. Schu- bring became interested in Brahms very early bring prefersthe more adventurousoriginal ver- on; in his case, however, the interest soon de- sions.'0 In no. 4 he elaborates an idiosyncratic, veloped into passionate enthusiasm. The first though suggestive, view of music history and of letter in the published correspondence (which Schumann's place in it. He proposes three eras includes only Brahms's letters to Schubring) according to categories generally applied to the dates from 4 January 1856. Having studied visual arts: the architectonic, the plastic, and Brahms's scores closely, Schubring had bom- the painterly ("malerisch"). The music of J. S. barded the composer with queries and com- Bach makes the transition between the first two ments about possible printing errors,appropri- eras, that of Schumann between the latter two. ate tempos, and other technical matters. He was The stage is then set for Schumanniana 5-8, evidently uncertain how his amateur's inten- Schubring'streatment of Schumann's true suc- sity would be received, but the composer (six- cessors, the Schumann'sche Schule. He begins: teen years his junior)responded warmly, "Beas- sured that a letter from in In orderto characterizebriefly the schoolsthat pres- you (hopefully, any ently dominatemusical Germany, we may say that case, about new compositions) will always give

9Brahms, Briefwechsel VIII, 186. 7Cited in Hans Gal, Johannes Brahms: His Work and Per- '0Schubring prepared the first critical editions of Schu- sonality, trans. Joseph Stein (London, 1963), p. 36. mann's Davidsbfindlertinze, op. 6; Etudes symphoniques, 8Max Kalbeck provides a good biographical sketch of Schu- op. 13; and F-Minor Sonata, op. 14. These were published by bring in his introduction to the Brahms-Schubring corre- Julius Schuberth in 1862. See Kurt Hofmann, Die spondence; see Johannes Brahms, Briefwechsel, vol. VIII,ed. Erstdrucke der Werke von Robert Schumann (Tiutzing, Max Kalbeck (Berlin, 1915), pp. 161-83. 1979), p. xv.

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This content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Wed, 29 Jul 2015 17:24:35 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions WALTER one consists of those who place the most emphasis tation of musical Germany." While the battle FRISCH on the (old) form, the other on (new) content; the he who have also sworn alle- Brahms and in the on rages, adds, "I, third, standing middle, places equal weight to the Schumann will the Schubring form and content. That the composers of this school giance banner, in are interested chiefly in pouringnew content into the meantime await tranquilly the pronouncement old, time-tested forms, does not necessarily preclude of the final, conclusive judge, 'Time' (if I err, at that the content, since it is in fact new, expands, least I err in good company); I will not be polem- breaks through, or transcends these forms. I would but will rather be thankful that friend Bren- like to be to call this the Schumannschool ical, permitted del has a welcome little in his for short, because the composers belonging to it are granted spot jour- either genuine pupils of RobertSchumann, or at least nal for me occasionally to unburden my heart" perpetuate his spirit and direction. These comprise (p. 94). the genius-endowed Johannes Brahms and J. Joa- Schubring divides Brahms's works into three chim, and the talented Carl Ritter, Theodor Kirch- or the model of Beethoven criti- and Woldemar In his latest works phases periods; ner, Bargiel. Joa- cism would seem to be an in- chim Raffhas also joined this school (p. 53). already having fluence. "The most recent works, ops. 11-18, are clear wine to the new Schubring's "Schumann school" adopts a compared fermenting wine of 1-6. Between the two 7-10 are broader admission policy than Biilow's; he ops. ops. like a transitional of less definite, more clearly has little use for the latter's pedantic dis- group variable coloring" (p. 95). tinction among Schiiler.1" Although Schubring analyses betray a prej- may open the doors a bit too wide in accepting Schubring's particular in favor of thematische the com- Raff-one wonders what the reaction at udice Arbeit, identified countless Weimar was to this-he has assembled a rela- positional technique by German writers as the hallmark of the Viennese tively homogeneous group, four of whom had received cards from Schu- classicists. In Schumanniana 11, a later install- already strong report his mann himself in 1853. Presented in ten install- ment, Schubring reveals both understanding and his esteem of thematic work (as I shall ments during 1861-62, each one a lead article, translate Schumanniana 5-8 comprise detailed examina- it): tions of the music of Ritter, Kirchner, Bargiel, and Brahms. (Schubring promised to treat at a Thematic work is the logic of music. He who does later time the music of Joachim, of which little not remain at his musical task, the theme; he who had appeared. He never did, probably because does not understand how to work up the individual motives and motivic of the theme into new soon actively. He particles Joachim stopped composing characteristic by means of mosaic combina- return to Brahms in nos. shapes did, however, briefly 11 tion, continuation, expansion; he may for a while-if and 12 of 1868-69.) he has the tools-delight the untutored multitudes with his potpourris, or startle them with prickling harmonies, tone colors, and orchestral effects III means. But a musician he the Brahms achieved by simple logical Schubring begins segment, ap- is not (p. 49). propriately enough, with an extended quotation from "Neue Bahnen," then describes the skepti- cism with which the article was at first re- A critic with this kind of mind-set will find (and has much to admire in Brahms. ceived. Brahms's music is still not very well always found) must be counted the first of to known, he observes, largely because it is so dif- Schubring many voice enthusiasm about Brahms's remarkable ficult both to understand and to perform. Also of thematic He elaborate to blame, he notes, is the "unfortunate fragmen- powers logic. employs musical examples to set forth all the "new char- acteristic shapes" Brahms creates from his "In 1863 Billow resumed the debate over admission to the themes in the principal instrumental works of Schumann school, and seems to have changed his policy. In ops. 1-18. a Nachtrag to Schubring's articles, he claimed that Schu- But Schubring's is no blind admiration. He bring had unjustly neglected the music of Adolf Jensen. See discovers and not Worte Adolf Jensen, als zu distinct, altogether pleasing, Billow, "Einige fiber Nachtrag differences between the thematic work of den Schumanniana im vorigen Jahrgang dieser Blitter," Neue Zeitschrift f/ir Musik 59 (1863), 145-48. Brahms and his forbears; these are especially 275

This content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Wed, 29 Jul 2015 17:24:35 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 19TH apparent in the three sonatas, ops. 1, 2, and 5. Of of thematic development characteristic of op. 1. CENTURY MUSIC the C-Major, op. 1, he observes shrewdly: As Schubring observes, this procedure spans the entire F#-Minor Sonata: the principal themes of all four movements are drawn from One sees that Brahmsis the old thematic art of using the initial head motive. While most other sona- Haydn and Beethoven, and yet his work makes a very different impression from theirs. The use of imita- tas built on a single theme are marked by "arid- tion, increasing from the seventh, to the ninth, to the ity"-with the notable exception of Liszt's ges- eleventh, gives the thematic work a strange charac- taltungsreiche Sonata in B Minor-Brahms has ter. When other voices are addedas filler, the double "solved the difficult in a in- becomes and or at problem truly counterpoint ponderous bloated, He has to transform his least loses that transparentsimplicity which alone is genious way. managed suitable to the nature of arabesques. And since basic motive more or less recognizably through Brahms has already placed the most natural and rhythmic alteration, through displacement in pleasing of his thematic interweavings in the exposi- other chord positions, and through exact or ret- tion, in orderto bringabout the necessary build-upin themes and the he must often have recourse to rograde inversion, thereby creating development melodies of the most contrast" forced and harsh sonorities. Thus, especially in the striking (p. 101). development, he has repeatedly overstepped the In a large group of musical examples Schubring limit of beauty; and thus it has happenedthat in his numbers the notes of the main theme from 1 to first sonata movement Brahms provides us with an 7, then demonstrates the successive metamor- that is and overloaded image superb original, yet phoses. with glaring contrast (p. 96). He finds Brahms's attempt at motivic uni- formity less persuasive in the first movement of Schubring here articulates elegantly the flaws the F-Minor Sonata, op. 5. The initial appear- that later commentators, even sympathetic ance of the head motive makes for a "truly ones (including myself), have found in Brahms's splendid" opening, "but the motives of all the sonata forms. Brahms usually "develops" mate- thematic groups are derived from this basic mo- rial so thoroughly and compellingly in the expo- tive, whose initial energy becomes dissipated sition that there is little left for the develop- when the subsidiary motives are extended, prin- ment section to do; here he often resorts to cipally by means of augmentation. That is the elaborate counterpoint, which can sound la- reason Brahms has not succeeded this time in bored. 12 keeping us continuously spellbound. Although Schubring has greater admiration for individual moments are outstanding.., at oth- Brahms's thematic logic in the F#-Minor So- ers the impression of a certain feebleness and nata, op. 2. (He seems unaware that it was com- stasis comes over us. The more powerful the up- posed before op. 1.) He characterizes the differ- ward surge which has preceded, the more no- ences between the two works in these terms: ticeable this impression becomes" (p. 102). "The thematic work in Brahms's first sonata While most other commentators have been consists chiefly of taking a theme that appears content merely to admire the motivic "unity" fully formed right at the beginning, then split- of this sonata, Schubring proves himself re- ting it up into particles, and combining these markably acute in explaining how this unity particles into new shapes in the manner of a mo- may in fact be a flaw: because of its heavy- saic. The F#-Minor Sonata adopts the opposite handed rhythmic style and articulated phrase procedure. Its principal and subsidiary melodies structure, Brahms's obsessively monomotivic originate from mosaic particles before our very discourse does indeed give the first movement eyes" (p. 101). Schubring's phrase "vor unseren of op. 5 a sense of stagnation and clumsiness. sichtlichen Augen" captures well the magic of Such observations seem to me the best kind of op. 2, in which dazzling thematic transforma- musical criticism: they are based on careful tions take precedence over the more sober kind analysis of musical techniques (in a musical ex- ample Schubring displays the various permuta- tions of the head motive), yet go beyond mere 12See my discussion of this issue in Walter Frisch, Brahms and the Principle of Developing Variation (Berkeley and Los structural analysis to assess the success or fail- Angeles, 1984), pp. 121-22. ure of these techniques.

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This content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Wed, 29 Jul 2015 17:24:35 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Schubringprefers the sonata's Andante in A6 transitional period in Brahms's development. WALTER Brahms this movement with "When the new wine has its fermen- FRISCH major. published completed Brahms and an epigraph, a stanza from a poem by Sternau, tation and has cleared up," he observes, resum- Schubring which provides the basis for Schubring'simagi- ing his cenological metaphor, "then begins the native commentary. "It is programmusic," he most dangerous period for the 'flickering wine' says, "one of the most beautiful moonlight po- [flackern Wein]; the more fiery the growth, the ems ever created." Anticipating recent com- more dangerous it is" (p. 109). mentators by well over a century, Schubring The B-MajorPiano Trio, op. 8, belongs "half elaborates a programinvolving the zwei Herzen to this transition period, half still to the earlier of the poem.13He even thereby devises a ration- Sturm und Drang period."This is, of course, the ale for the movement's concluding in the sub- one work from this period that Brahms re- dominant, Db, a phenomenon unique in Brahms worked extensively; a revised version was is- and a stumbling block for "absolutist" analysts. sued by Simrock in 1891. Numerous com- Schubring notes the resemblance of the coda mentators have compared the two versions, theme to a folk melody which had become pop- usually faulting the earlier for its youthful ex- ular at mid-century when fitted to a poem by cesses and praising the latter for its mature, sea- Wilhelm Hauff, Treue Liebe, about a soldier soned restraint. Schubringhad no such compar- longing for his girl friend during a lonely night ative basis for his judgement, of course. It is watch.14 He imagines her in her Kiimmerlein, therefore remarkablethat so many of his objec- saying her evening prayersand thinking of him. tions to the trio correspond closely to the sec- "The situation is now different than when his ond thoughts Brahms himself had in 1889-90. beloved descended to him," explains Schubring, Whether this correspondence shows an actual "and therefore the Ab Andante concludes with a influence of Schubringon the composer, or only pious Adagio in Db major"(p. 103). an impressive prescience, we can only guess. After treating the early instrumental works, Schubring's favorite movement is the Schubring considers the two song collections, scherzo, which underwent the least amount of ops. 3 and 6. Although the song medium pre- recasting. He is considerably less enthusiastic vents the kind of elaborate counterpoint en- about the first movement, which he suggests countered in the piano sonatas, "a contra- shares with the C-MajorPiano Sonata the error puntist like Brahms could not restrain himself of too much thematic material, as well as an un- from employing his art in at least a few Lieder" fortunate tendency to "padded counterpoint (p. 104). He points especially to the subtly ca- and overladen polyphony." As might be ex- nonic texture of Liebestreu, op. 3, no. 1, and to pected, Schubring admires the opening mel- the less subtle Liebe und Frihling, op. 3, no. 2. ody-one of the most splendid themes in all of Schubring also patiently details various errors Brahms-but is dismayed that "aftera few bars of declamation in the songs, thus becoming the the violin cannot restrain itself from throwing first of many critics to accuse Brahms of insuf- in a superfluous phrase in the manner of a ca- ficient attention to prosody. (Inone case he also nary-a phrase that is unnecessary because it blames a poet, Eichendorff.) does not belong to the theme and is not used any Schubring sees ops. 7-10 as comprising a more in later developments" (p. 109). Brahms eventually came to the same decision, remov- ing the violin obbligato of mm. 6-7 and 9-12 in his revision. This was indeed the only substan- 13Two recent programmatic interpretations of the move- tive change he made in the first group. ment are Detlef Kraus, "Das Andante aus der Sonate op. 5 Schubring is especially appalled at the "bi- von Brahms: Versuch einer Interpretation," in Brahms Stu- zarre eccentricities" of the dien 3 (1979), 47-51; and George Bozarth, "Brahms's Lieder recapitulation, ohne Worte: the Poetic Andantes of the Piano Sonatas, Bal- where Brahms interpolates a massive fugato in lades, and Intermezzi," paper read at the International place of the second group (at m. 354): Brahms Conference, Washington, D.C., May 1983. 14The song can be found in Friedrich Silcher, 100 Volkslieder ffir eine Singstimme mit Begleitung des Piano- First Brahms begins a four-voiced fugue on the ... forte, rev. Alfred D6rffel (Leipzig, n.d.), p. 76. brooding third theme; from the initial imitation on

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This content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Wed, 29 Jul 2015 17:24:35 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 19TH this fugue becomes virtually opaqueand goes awryin Schubring traces the influence of (or the bor- CENTURY the of the which over them- MUSIC disposition voices, trip rowing from) at least six composers, including selves; this opacity increases in the very cramped stretto, which follows after only four (quite rigid)im- Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, itative entries [m. 385]. Soon it is no longer possible Schubert, and Schumann. (He does not miss, of to govern the troops, which have tangled themselves course, the resemblance of the opening theme into a knot. The whole thing disintegratesinto a fren- to the finale of Haydn's "London" Symphony.) zied rout (a canonically imitative episode [m. 396]), finds the serenade an uneven until the reserves of the first theme move in as Schubring work, pro- in because the first scherzo and trio and the tection [m. 410]. But in the end they too are unable to part resist the impact and let themselves be swept away Adagio are too large for their context; they in the general whirlpool [m. 435]. Here the passionate would be more appropriate to a "symphony." and the characteristic celebrate their triumph,while The closing group of the first-movement expo- covers her face beauty sorrowfully (p. 110). sition (m. 177) comes in for similar criticism. Although its thematic content can be traced In 1890 Brahms completely overhauled the sec- back to the triplet motion in second group, ond group and the recapitulation. The bat- Schubring observes, one must still ask, "Why tlefield was swept clean of the corpses, and a all the noise? This is supposed to be a serenade, single elegant (if somewhat stiff) second theme thus music of a cheerful, or at least gentle char- placed on duty to guard against any further con- acter, and not a symphony." trapuntal skirmishes. Did Schubring know that Brahms had in fact Schubring considers the Variations on a entitled his work Sinfonie-Serenadeffir grosses Theme of Schumann, op. 9, and the Ballades, op. Orchester, but had crossed out the first part of 10, as Brahms's last flings in a freer, unselfcon- this heading in the autograph? 5 His objections scious romantic style. They were, as he notes, to the work, at any rate, seem surprisingly followed by a long public silence, a study period small-minded, based more on semantic than from which Brahms emerged into a new and musical issues. (One is reminded of Btilow's pe- very different neo-classical idiom, beginning dantic definition of Schiiler.) with the First Serenade, op. 11, published in The analysis of the serenade also brings out 1860. Though grandiose, Schubring's assess- one of Schubring's shortcomings as a critic, a ment gives a fundamentally accurate picture of tendency to carry his enthusiasm for themati- what Brahms must have been thinking during sche Arbeit too far by exaggerating relation- the hiatus: ships between the different themes of a work. He suggests that "all themes of all six move- ments are drawn from the basic well have felt that the he trod- opening idea, Brahmsmay path had transformed almost den up to now was a remote dead-end of Romanti- some, admittedly, beyond cism; with all his might he turned back his Pegasus; recognition. I have demonstrated such thematic since there was still time, he turned it back from the unity in the F#-Minor Sonata to the reader's sat- hunt of vague and intangible misty shapes, back to isfaction, I hope; but here I must forego such clear forms and the realms of the the eternally holy proof, since it could be adduced only in an elabo- classics.... Seven years of work [Schubringmeans rate manner and through many secondary de- 1854-61], a long time, even so long as Jacobserved the rich Laban to win Rachel; seven years, a short time ductions" (p. 112). It is not surprising that Schu- considering the reward gained thereby. To acquire bring declines to support his claim. For what he the rich heritage of Beethoven and Schumannis truly was able to demonstrate in op. 2-where the worth the sweat of nobles (p. 111). various themes are indeed so related-would be considerably more difficult to show in op. 11. Brahms was later to take his friend to task for Of Brahms's latest period, comprising ops. 11-18, Schubring notes, "had there been no this kind of analysis. In Schumanniana 12 name on the title page, no one would have guessed Brahms, so different are they in charac- ter and in their whole demeanor from the works 'SThe autograph is located in the Hessische Landes- und Hochschulbibliothek in Darmstadt; a microfilm copy is of the earlier period" (p. 111). The D-Major Sere- held at the Toscanini Memorial Archives in the Music Divi- nade, however, "still betrays the study lamp"; sion of the New York Public Library.

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This content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Wed, 29 Jul 2015 17:24:35 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions he notes that the bears an WALTER (1869) Schubring claimed that "all the themes" graph: Adagio inscrip- FRISCH in the third movement of the German Requiem tion, "Benedictus qui venit [Schubringmistak- Brahms and ("Herr,lehre doch mich") were derivedfrom the enly writes 'venis'] in nomine Domini." (He Schubring "three main themes," which he presented in does not speculate on what the phrase means in musical examples that are difficult to decipher this context-a problem which has long (p. 10). Responding politely but firmly, Brahms stumped Brahms scholars.)" wrote to Schubring:"I disagree that in the third One must admire Schubring's thoroughness movement the themes of the different sections in seeking out the autograph,and even in verify- have something in common. ... If it is neverthe- ing one point with the composer beforegoing to less so--I deliberately call back nothing from print. He asked Brahms to confirm that the C is my memory-I want no praise for it. ... If I want natural and not sharpin the descending bassoon to retain the same musical idea, then it should line that accompanies the final appearanceof be clearly recognized in each transformation, the main theme in the coda of the slow move- augmentation, inversion. The other way would ment (m. 96). In a letter of February 1862 be a trivial game and always a sign of the most Brahms replied that C? was indeed "richtig."In impoverished invention."'16 For Brahms, the the published article Schubring observes that kind of superficial resemblances pointed out by the C? makes an "odd impression" on an ear ac- Schubring clearly constitute "the other way." customed to the earlier diatonic CO. Schubring regards the D-Minor Piano Con- Schubring concludes his survey with certo, op. 15, as the greatest work Brahms has Brahms's most recent publication, the Sextet in yet produced. In it Brahms seeks to follow the Bb,op. 18, "which we naturally expect to consti- path laid out by Beethoven's concertos, al- tute the grandest, deepest, most significant of though "only in the Adagio and in the last half this series of masterworks. But we are wide of of the finale does he reach his lofty goal com- the mark: it is merely the loveliest, most beau- pletely. The first movement ... suffers at times tiful, and most mature. Here is Mozart redivi- from certain harshnesses and rough edges, and vus, not that old Mozart of the last century, but from counterpoint that is too thick (a tendency I Mozart as he would write if he were young to- have often criticized); one might even suppose day: clear, naive, simple, lovely, and yet new, that the conception and first version of this fresh, captivating, artistic" (p. 128). movement date back to an earliertime" (p. 118). Although charmed by the work as a whole, As in the case of the original title for op. 11, Schubringis puzzled by the scherzo. The music we are led to wonder whether Schubring had itself seems to demand a relatively relaxed "inside" information about the concerto, tempo, but Brahmshas indicated Allegro molto. whose origins did indeed date back to 1854. It is "Notes and tempo indications contradict one clear that in preparingthis portion of his article another," Schubring observes, and then goes on Schubring got assistance from Brahms, who to propose his own precise tempos. "In the must have showed or loaned him the autograph present case I adhere exclusively to the notes full score. This score was not published until and play the piece so that in the scherzo the 1873; in 1861 Rieter-Biedermann had issued measure equals 78; the trio should not be faster only the individual orchestra parts and a Cla- than 94, the coda 112" (p. 128). The scherzo is vierauszug, which included the solo part and also too brief in proportion to the rest of the cues for the orchestral between work. "The passages solo time for these small pieces in 3 statements. In his article Schubring discusses meter is past," he complains. "I find fault with details of orchestration he could only have dis- Brahms for insisting so obstinately on time covered (or discovered with reasonable ease) in and the small Haydnesque minuet when he has the full score. One remark in the article clearly suggests that Schubring consulted the auto- '7This page of the autograph is reproduced in facsimile in Constantin Floros, Brahms und Bruckner: Studien zur mu- 16See the letter in Brahms, Briefwechsel VIII, 216; see also sikalischen Exegetik (Wiesbaden, 1980), p. 147. Floros also my discussion in Frisch, Brahms and the Principle of Devel- offers a stimulating new interpretation of the inscription oping Variation, pp. 30-32. (pp. 144-46).

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This content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Wed, 29 Jul 2015 17:24:35 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 19TH created much of in the ex- CENTURY already significance Brahms's art, especially its powerful fusion of MUSIC panded Beethovenian scherzo form." classic and romantic qualities. This kind of ob- There is certainly some justice to Schu- servation, as well as the association of Brahms bring's criticism: the scherzo of op. 18 does with the other two "B"s, seem commonplace seem too small-scale for its context. Brahms today, of course. But for someone writing in himself seems to have been aware (or perhaps 1862 it was prediction, not hindsight. And it was made aware) of a scherzo "problem," for represents a prediction arrived at through un- after the sextet he turned away from the usually sensitive and responsible musical criti- "Haydnesque" kind of movement. In the two cism. major works completed in the fall of 1861, the Piano Quartets in G Minor, op. 25, and A Major, IV op. 26, he experimented with other third-move- Schubring's article appeared at an important ment types-in op. 25 a genial allegretto that moment in Brahms's career. After a neo-classi- was to become one of his trademarks, and in op. cal retrenchment the composer had embarked 26 a scherzo and trio both in extended sonata on the ambitious works of his first maturity, to form. comprise the B? Sextet, op. 18 (really a transi- The scherzo of op. 18, as well as the general tional work), the two Piano Quartets, ops. 25 neoclassical tone of the entire work, bring Schu- and 26, the Piano Quintet, op. 34, and G-Major bring to ask, "Has Brahms then forgotten so Sextet, op. 36, the E-Minor Cello Sonata, op. 38, completely that way into the romantic land, and the Horn Trio, op. 40. At about the time which used to be so dear and true to him?" His that Schubring was writing his article, Brahms answer forms the conclusion to the series on the was at work on another piece of which he was Schumann school: especially proud, the Handel Variations, op. 24. He sent a (manuscript) copy of the variations to in 1862 with the "I am Yet why should I worry about Brahms?His genius Schubring April remark, will continue to lead him along the properpath, as it fond of it and value it particularly in relation to has done up to now. Let Brahmsfor a while take plea- my other works."'s sure in awakening the echo of the valleys with his Indeed,Brahms held the variationsin such idyllic reed-pipe;soon, you can wageron it, when the esteem that he decidedto submitthem (calling young eagle considers his wings full-grown, he will them his to the Ger- rise to that highest summit which the tiny Myrmi- Lieblingswerk) prestigious dons are allowed only to gaze at from afar. Brahms man music publisher Breitkopfund Hdirtel blows with equal virtuosity the battle trumpet and ratherthan his (bynow) regularpublisher, Rie- the shepherd's pipe; he possesses the gift to express ter-Biedermann.At firstBreitkopf turned down in tones sorrow and joy, hate and love, grief and de- the piece, but finallyaccepted it when the insis- light, all with equal power, truth, and beauty. He un- tent loweredhis fee a derstandshow to be alternately ancient and modern, composer by third.'9 classic and romantic, ideal and real-and after all, I Brahmswas carryingon thesenegotiations at believe he is appointed to blend both these eternal the very moment Schubring'sarticle appeared opposites within art into a higher unity in the magic in the Neue Zeitschrift,and he clearlyunder- cauldron of humor, and to reach in music the posi- stood the potentialvalue of favorablecriticism. tion occupied in poetry by Goethe ... whose demonic As he wrote to the sameletter of nature underwent similar transformationsand puri- Schubring(in fications. April cited above),"If a work particularlyap- These words may sound presumptuous, but peals to you, then I am of coursevery pleased if stopped horns do not suffice when it is a matter of you act publicly on its behalfin as friendlya arousing the greaterpublic, which does not yet seem fashionas you do now. Not only doesthe warm to have any idea what a colossal genius--one com- pletely the equal of Bach, Beethoven and Schu- sympathy delight me personally, but it is good mann-is ripening in the young Hamburgmaster (p. in other respects. I am afraid that my relation- 128).

Despite his high-flown style and exaggerated '"Brahms, Briefwechsel VIII, 192. '9See the letters exchanged between Brahms and Breitkopf (and occasionally mixed) metaphors, Schubring und HBrtel in Brahms, Briefwechsel XIV, ed. Wilhelm Alt- captures here something of the essence of mann (Berlin, 1921), pp. 60-68. 280

This content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Wed, 29 Jul 2015 17:24:35 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions ship to the publishers may well not remain as you are right], would clearly be easier to do, but I WALTER know better than to carve own FRISCH friendly as it is now, if people don't begin to care my flesh.21 Brahmsand about my works." Schubring For Schumanniana 8 Like most artists, Brahms enjoyed positive Schubring, represented remarks from a critic but was made uncomfor- a belated, much needed vindication of Schu- mann's "Neue Bahnen": it aimed to show that table by negative ones, which, as we have seen, some in abound in Schubring's article. Although he fre- despite youthful flaws his work, Brahms was indeed destined to earn a quently invited comments from close friends place the German In a more (including Schubring) about works still in man- among great composers. sense Brahms was about set out on uscript, he was ambivalent about public criti- literal too, to four cism. "You wield a fast, sharp pen," he wrote a "new path": just months after Schu- in he made his Schubring in February 1862, "but perhaps con- bring's article, September 1862, to in order to broaden sider too little that you seldom say anything first trip his repu- new to the artist, whereas he in return views tation as a performer and composer. In Novem- some of his and judges you and your remarks from a more ber he played most recent works, Handel and advantageous Here is a classic the Variations the two piano quar- perspective.'"20 and attracted the attention and of a expression of the stance an artist typically as- tets, support sumes toward a critic. Brahms's unmistakable critic much more powerful than Schubring, message is: you only write about music; I create .22 it. Within a decade Brahms would settle in Vi- it his and ar- Later on, while the article was appearing in enna, making permanent physical tistic home. criti- print, Brahms was more contrite-although Schubring's comprehensive account of his music well have still defensive-writing to Schubring: cal early may helped to build the self-assurance and the public the inner and outer conditions- With great joy, with greater shame have I read your image-both essays on my works, so far as they reached me up to necessary to undertake now. the first fateful journey. I am very tempted to take my works in hand, set - them beside what you've written, and then to excuse and defend The 21Brahms,Briefwechsel VIII,191. many things. opposite [i.e., admitting 22Hanslick'sreview of Brahms'sfirst public concert in Vien- na, given in November 1862, is included in Eduard Hanslick, Music Criticisms 1846-99, trans. and ed. Henry 20Brahms,Briefwechsel VIII,190. Pleasants (Baltimore,1963), pp. 82-86.

APPENDIX Schumanniana by Adolf Schubring

1. "Ober Declamationsfehler in Schumann's 'Paradies und die Peri'," Neue Zeitschrift ffir Musik [here- after NZfM] 52 (1860), 210-11. 2. "Schumann und der Grossvater," NZfM 53 (1860), 29-30. 3. "Neue Ausgaben von Schumann'schen Clavierwerken der ersten Periode," NZfM 54 (1861), 69-70, 78-79. 4. "Die gegenwdirtige Musikepoche und Robert Schumann's Stellung in der Musikgeschichte," NZfM 54 (1861), 197-98, 205-06, 213-14. 5. "Die Schumann'sche Schule I. Carl Ritter," NZfM 55 (1861), 53-55. 6. "Die Schumann'sche Schule II. Theodor Kirchner," NZfM 55 (1861), 153-56, 165-67. 7. "Die Schumann'sche Schule III. Woldemar Bargiel," NZfM 55 (1861), 217-19, 225-27. 8. "Die Schumann'sche Schule IV. Johannes Brahms," NZfM 56 (1862), 93-96, 101-04, 109-12, 117-19, 125-28. 9. "Polyglottische Ausgaben von Schumann's Op. 6, 13, und 14," NZfM 57 (1862), 13-14. 10. "Uber Das und DAS, dieses und jenes, Schumann und Jean Paul," NZfM 59 (1863), 193-96. 11. "Die Schumann'sche Schule. Schumann und Brahms. Brahms's vierhandige Schumann-Varia- tionen," Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung 3 (1868), 41-42, 49-51. 12. "Ein Deutsches Requiem ... von Johannes Brahms," Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung 4 (1869), 9- 11, 18-20. 281

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