A £§e Otaefer QttuBtctanB Edited by FREDERICK J. CROWEST THE Master Musicians Bach. By C. F. Abdy Williams. [2nd Edition. Beethoven. By Frederick J. Crowest. [4th Edition. Brahms. By J. Lawrence Erb. Chopin. By J. Cuthbert Hadden. Handel. By C. F. Abdy Williams. [2nd Edition. Haydn. By J. Cuthbert Hadden. Mendelssohn. By Stephen S. Stratton. [2nd Edition. Mozart. By Eustace J. Breakspeare. Schumann. By Annie W. Patterson. Schubert. By E. Duncan. Wagner. By Charles A. Lidgey. [yd Edition. fa Brahms £7 By Lawrence Erb J. r With Illustrations and Portraits Co. London : J. M. Dent & New York : E. P. Dutton & Co. 1905 All Rights Reserved BRIGHAM Y0Uf ,RS PROVO. UTAH TO Mr. LOUIS G. HEINZE IN GRATEFUL APPRECIATION — Preface The man who perpetrates a new book upon the long- suffering public owes that public an apology. Mine which I trust will suffice—is that there does not exist in the English language, so far as I am aware, a complete up-to-date biography of Brahms. This little volume is an attempt to supply the deficiency. The work was conceived and carried out as a labour of love, and was meant to give to our English-speaking public a correct idea, so far as could be gathered from the writings of those who knew, of the principal facts concerning the character and achievements of one whom all must acknowledge as a Master Artist. To the authors of the works which have been consulted in the preparation of this book (the list to be exhaustive would be exhausting as well) I desire to extend my acknowledgment for the aid I have derived from them. To the readers I extend the hope that they may bring to the perusal of the volume an unbiased judgment, and that they may lay it down with a new sense of the greatness of one of the most faithful labourers for the advancement of all that is true in Art Johannes Brahms. J. L. E. Brooklyn, New York. vi i — Contents BIOGRAPHICAL Date of Birth—His Father—His Mother—Father's Circumstances Poor—Education—Changes of Residence— Persecutions His Brother and Sister—Youthful Adventure—Normal Child — Home Life — First Music Study — Change of Teachers—Fond of Books—Tin Soldiers—First Ap- pearance—Programme—Further Concerts—The First Tour—Remenyi—Early Privations— First Success as Pianist—Kreutzer Sonata—His Thorough Training Meeting Joachim—Hanover and Politics—Meeting Liszt —Unfortunate Episode—Lost Sonata—To Dusseldorf —Meets Schumann—Dietrich—Brahms' Personality Hanover Again — "Neue Bahnen" — Gewandhaus — Centre of Controversy—" Lohengrin "—First Works —Third Sonata—Variation Form—Sceptics —Schumann's Friendship—Aid to Madame Schumann—Visits to En- denich— Personal Appearance—Characteristics —Pranks —Rubinstein— Mannerisms as a Pianist—Manner of Composing — The Period of Growth — Schumann's Death—Op. 10 appears—First Piano Concerto—Serenades and Trio—More New Compositions— Advance over Former Work — Visit to Switzerland — u Handel Variations" and " Marienlieder "—Ladies' Quartet —Oldenburg — Miinster-am-Stein — Great Teaser Oldenburg again—Affaire du Cceur— Publications of 1862 — Unfavourable Reception in Vienna—New Friends — The Ice melts — A Complete Success —Personal Popularity—Birthday Gift—Asks Advice —Leaves the Sing-Akademie—Schumann Four-hand ix — ——— Contents PAGE Variations— Publications of 1863—New Works of 1864 —Impudent Purse — Organ Fugue and Folk-songs "Volks-Kinderlieder " — Another Concert Tour "Arrived" at Last— The Magelone Lieder — Piano Quintet—Switzerland again—Death of Frau Brahms Brahm's" Bride"— Publications of 1866—New Triumphs —Brahms on a Pleasure Trip—Brahms' Beard—Gratz Important Event—" German Requiem "—Great En- thusiasm — Opening Chorus and Second Number Remaining Numbers—Brahms' Gathering—Later Perfor- mances — Inspiration — Strong Personality—Publications of 1868—Full Fruition (1869-1897)—Works of 1869— " Liebeslieder Waltzes'' — Hungarian Dances " " Rhapsodie —Pianoforte Concerto succeeds in Vienna —New Masterpieces — u Triumphlied " — " Esthetic " Women —Publications of 187 1 — Gesellschaft der Musik- freunde—Still Delicate-looking—Works of 1873—"Haydn Variations"—Later Successes of " Triumphlied "—First " Decoration—Works of 1874—" Requiem " and " Ring —Last Gesellschaft Concerts—Public Ceremony—Ziegel- hausen—Popular with Children— Students' Prank Aristocratic Friends—Sassnitz—First Symphony—Works of 1875 and 1876—Doctor of Music—Brahms' Thesis —Brahms in England — "Second Symphony"—First Italian Journey— Doctor of Philosophy—Violin Concerto and Sonata — Motets and Piano Pieces — Schumann Denkmal—Violin Sonata and Rhapsodies—Called to London—" Chorale-vorspiel "—Nanie Keller—"Third " Symphony "—Concerto, Songs and Trio—" Quintet and " Gesang der Parzen "—Brahms Concert at Olden- burg — Many Vocal Works — "Fourth Symphony" —Honours—Thun—Fondness for Coffee—Visits and Visitors—Letters—A Good Word for Wagner—The Dog "Argos"—Double Concerto— Martucci—Rossini—Intense Patriot—More Honours—Brahms as a Nurse—Reverence for Masters of Art—Loved the Italians—Musical Centre of Vienna—Last Works—The Last Italian Journey " Fest- und Gedenkspriiche "—Meiningen and Miihlfeld —Royal Friends—Last Swiss Trip—Madame Schumann's Death u Only a Commonplace Jaundice"— Last Public Appearance—Failing Health—Death— His Estate—His Heirs—Statue and Museum 1 —— Contents BRAHMS : THE MAN ?AGE Appearance and Health — Walking and Mountain Climb - ing — Appetite and Unconventionality — Powerful Personality—A Gungl March—Spectacles—As a Singer and Critic—A Genial Friend—Indifferent to Criticism His Father's Brusqueness—Disliked Emotional Display " Goetz's u Treasure —Music for the Theatre—Some Bright Criticisms—Brahms and Rubinstein—Unfortunate Composers — Raff — His Broad Sympathies—Profound Scholarship—Kindliness to Servants—Modest and Tact- ful — The Tonkunstlerverein—Gispy Bands—Sixtieth " Birthday Celebration —" Lion-hunter —Incident at Gratz —Summing up—Letter-writing—Leeds Festival—Auto- graph Hunters—Devotion to Children— Portraits and a Subterfuge—Amateur Portraits ; and Mirrors—Admirer of Johann Strauss—Cheerful Disposition—Not Intimate with Family—"A Bottle of Bach"—Haydn and Beethoven— Hanslick's Critiques—Brahms as a Teacher —True Modesty—Worked Slowly— "Whistle a Song" —Helping Young Musicians—-Advice to Beginners Liberties with Compositions—Manner of Composing Music for the Masses—Temperance Societies—Male Choruses and Brass Bands—Too much Piano—Singing in the Schools—Concerning Marriage—Unmarried "Barbarian"—Fond of the Theatre—Theories concerning Opera—Operatic Possibilities—" Kbnig Hirsch " M Kbnig Hirsch " Defunct—Marriage and Opera—As a Wagnerite—Wagner as a Brahmsite—Praise of Wagner —Attitude towards Wagner—Mozart and Verdi—Goetz's Opera ....... 87 BRAHMS: THE MUSICIAN His Versatility — Exponent of Absolute Music — Much in Common with Browning—Thoroughly Modern Early Works Romantic in Tendency—Master of Detail —As a Pianist—His Playing in 1880—As a Conductor Last Great Classical Composer—Climax of Modern xi — Contents PAGE Musical Thought—Spitta's Estimate—Repeated Hearing Necessary — No Concessions — Sense of Rhythm Characteristics o f Symphonies=r-Works for Piano—Songs —Not an Imitator—Authors of His Songs—Great Number of Songs—Best known Songs—Choral Works—Chamber Music—No Ground for Comparison with Wagner—Final Rating—Tschaikowsky not a Brahmsite—But liked Brahms—Brahms' Attitude toward Tschaikowsky Dvorak's Gratitude — Growth in Popularity — Anti- Brahmsite Verdict—J. F. Runciman—H. T. Finck—Con- sistently Painstaking—Musical Logician—No Appeal to the Popular Mind —Educate Audiences up to Brahms —Uncompromisingly Classical—Details of Treatment Not the Greatest Musician—Brahms and Other Com- posers—Brahms and his Contemporaries—Brahms as Colourist—His Chief Musical Sin—The Symphonies The Choral Works—Chamber Music, Concertos and Sonatas—Pianoforte Works—Songs—Compositions too Difficult—Summing up—Future of Music . 119 APPENDIX A List of Compositions . .149 APPENDIX B Bibliography . 173 Index ... .... 177 Xll List of Illustrations PAGE Johannes Brahms {reproduced by permission '" of the Proprietors of Harmonie" from the Original Photograph in the possession of the Herrn Hofphotogr. C. Brasch of Berlin). Photogravure. Frontispiece Brahms' Birthplace {reproduced by permission of the Proprietors of " Harmonie") . facing 4 Brahms at the Age of 18 (from a Portrait by Heft) ' . facing 18 Johannes Brahms {from a Photograph by Marie Fellinger) . facing 66 Facsimile of Handwriting . facing 92 Silhouette of Brahms (reproduced by per- mission of the Proprietors of "Harmonie" after a Drawingfrom the book on R. Lechner by Wilh. Muller) . .118 Facsimile of the Score of the " Weigenlied " facing 136-7 Xlll BRAHMS Biographical 1833-1854 / x Johannes Brahms was born on Tuesday, May 7, 1833, in the city of Hamburg-1—the birthplace also of Mendelssohn—the first of the two sons of Johann Jacob Brahms. Kalbeck states that Date of the sister, Elizabeth, was the eldest, Johannes Birth being the second child ; at any rate Fritz was the youngest. 'Johannes was baptized on May 26 in St Michael's Church. 4 Johann Brahms was himself a fine musician, and played the double-bass for a time at the Karl-Schultze Theatre, and later in the Stadt-Theatre or- chestra. He had filled the office of Meister His der Stadtmusik (Municipal Musical Director) Father in his native town of Heide, in Schleswick- Holstein, where he was born June 1, 1806, and had come to Hamburg to try his fortune in the orchestra 1 The family name seems to have been spelled originally Brahmst ; in fact, Johannes' name appeared in that