The Great Composers Podcast - a classical music podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Brahms pt. 15b: we detail the course of the Brahms-Joachim relationship as they return to something like their former friendly relations and see how is other friendships and partnerships evolve, disolve, change and mature as we reach the year 1887. 

Works heard in this episode in order (all by Brahms):

1. Tafellied op. 93b
2. Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht op. 96 no. 1
3. Wir wandelten op. 96 no. 2
4. Nachtigall op. 97 no. 1 arr. for viola and piano by...me (viola)
5. Symphony no. 4 in E minor, mvt. 1 Allegro non troppo
6. Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major, op. 100, 
   1. Allegro amabile
   2. Allegretto grazioso
7. Double Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Orchestra op. 102, mvt. 3 Vivace non troppo

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Brahms pt. 15a: we return to the life narrative of our great composer, picking up where we left him in the summer of 1879 adding the finishing touches to his D major violin concerto which he had written for and with the advice of his great friend, Joseph Joachim. This was the high point of their friendship and musical partnership; but for how long would the happy feelings last, and if they didn't, how long would it take Brahms to reclaim them?

Works heard in this episode in order (all by Brahms):

- Hungarian Dances WoO 1 books 3-4, nos. 11-21

17. in F Sharp Minor (Andantino)

18. in D major (Molto Vivace)

19. in A Minor (Allegretto)

20. in D Minor (Poco Allegretto)

11. in D Minor (Poco Andante)

12. in D Minor (Presto)

13. in D Major (Andantino Grazioso)

14. in D Minor (Un Poco Andante)

15. in A Major (Allegretto Grazioso)

16. in G Minor (Con Moto)

21. in E Minor (Vivace)

Robert Gerle - Violin

Norman Shelter - Piano

- Piano Concerto no. 2 in B Flat Major, Op. 83 

IV. Allegretto grazioso - Un poco più presto

- Symphony No. 3 in F major

III. Poco allegretto 

- 6 Lieder and Romances, op. 93a

I. Der bucklichte Fiedler

II. Das Mädchen

III. O süsser Mai

IV. Fahr wohl!

V. Der Falke

VI. Beherzigung

Sung by Ensemberlino Vocale 

https://musopen.org/music/6729-6-songs-and-romances-op-93a/

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Ep. 42(a) - It is late November 1862. We find Johannes Brahms in Vienna making a great success of himself for once but reeling from a devastating blow given him by the musical establishment of Hamburg. He will try to pick himself up and carry on with his work, compartmentalizing the tenderness he felt for one place from the bitterness for the other so that he might do so. And then further troubles to deal with: family strife and division that will make his life more difficult than ever; a loss that will wrench his heart and cause him the greatest pain, one for which tears aplenty would not be an adequate response but rather, music; tones and song in memoriam of a cherished loved one on a grand scale.

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Works heard in this episode (all by Brahms):

1. String Sextet in G major op. 36 mvt. 1, Allegro non troppo

2.  9 Lieder and Songs op. 32 no. 9 "Wie bist du, meine Königin"

3-5. String Sextet in G major op. 36 mvts. 2-4, Scherzo, Poco Adagio, Poco Allegro

6, 7. Piano Quintet in f minor op. 34 mvts. 2, 3, Andante, un poco Adagio, Scherzo

8. "Horn" Trio in E-flat major op. 40 mvt. 3 (beginning), Adagio Mesto

In Ep. 41 Johannes Brahms continues his toil, conducing the ladies' choir, playing concerts, and composing; working to build a life and career brick by brick with the sweat of his brow and the help of his friends. He hoped for a permanent position in Hamburg that would lead to a settled, traditional life and some financial security. Brahms's efforts were geared toward turning hope into reality, but it remained to be seen whether the music masters of Hamburg would smooth his way or block it. If Brahms found a professional and therefore personal dead end in Hamburg where else might he go? Could another city offer him the life he was seeking?

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Works heard in this episode, all by Brahms:

- Liebeslieder-Walzer, op. 52 nos. 1-18

Ensemberlino Vocale

https://musopen.org/music/6684-liebeslieder-waltzes-op-52/

Translations http://kellydeanhansen.com/opus52.html

- Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, Op. 24, var. 23-25 and Fugue. Pierre Feraux, piano

https://archive.org/details/onclassical-OC17V

- Piano Quartet no. 1 in G minor op. 25, mvt. 2 Intermezzo Allegro ma non tropo, mvt. 4 Rondo alla Zingarese. Chang Ji, violin

In ep. 40 we find Johannes Brahms struggling to recover and learn from the defeat of his D minor Piano Concerto at Leipzig's Gewandhaus in January 1859. Despite nearing mastery in his craft and the untiring support of his friends he was yet unable to find a consistently appreciative audience. Success and failure, ridicule and praise, applause and hissing followed Brahms wherever he and his music went. By the Spring of 1860 his frustration and anger had grown so much that he lashed out at one of the greatest musical personalities of the age, Franz Liszt, in the most unlikely way and with pitiful results.

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Works heard in this episode, by Brahms unless otherwise noted:

1. Three Secular Songs for Choir, "Abendständchen" (Evening Serenade) Op. 42 no. 1. "...to let the light of his music shine through the darkness around him" from the intro. is my paraphrase of the last line of this song.

2. Three Secular Songs for Choir, "Darthulas Grabesgesang" (Darthulas Grave Song) op. 42 no. 3

3. Three Secular Songs for Choir, "Vineta" (Vineta) op. 42 no. 2

( 1-3 performed by Ensemberlino Vocale, https://musopen.org/music/2084-3-secular-songs-for-choir-op-42/ )

4. String Sextet in B-flat Major op. 18 mvt. 3 Scherzo

5. String Sextet in B-flat Major op. 18 mvt. 4 Rondo: Poco allegretto e grazioso

6, cont. 7, 8. Sonata in B Minor for Solo Piano, S. 178 by Franz Liszt

    wonderfully played by Jean Dubé, piano https://musopen.org/music/43159-piano-sonata-in-b-minor-s-178/

I'm pleased to welcome to the show Rebecca Smithorn, cover conductor and lecturer with the National Philharmonic. Rebecca is host of the NatPhil's YouTube series "Composers in Crisis" which takes a look at composers whose lives and art were transformed by times of global crisis. In our interview we talk about several composers in crisis: Beethoven, Ravel, Ruth Crawford-Seeger, John Corigliano, Undine Smith Moore, and a good ol' good one, Louis Armstrong, who Duke Ellington said was "Born poor, died rich, and never hurt anyone in between."

"Composers in Crisis"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3agUbwO72pA&list=PLtZH2-QfYm4ypSuSDPAyl13znMQZPv24S

https://rebeccasmithorn.com

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Works heard in this episode:

Ravel - "Le Tombeau de Couperin"

mvt. 1, Prelude, played by Janet Seitzer

https://musopen.org/music/4728-le-tombeau-de-couperin/

mvt. 6, Toccata 

In Ep. 38 we pick up with Johannes Brahms and Clara Schumann in the weeks following Robert Schumann's death in July 1856, trying to make sense of their relationship and love. They have a crucial, incredibly difficult decision to make and its consequences will color the rest of their lives. All the while, Brahms struggles to complete his first piano concerto in d minor.

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Works heard in this episode (all by Brahms):

1. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in D minor, op. 15, mvt. 1

2. Serenade no. 1 in D major, op. 11, mvt. 2 Scherzo - Allegro non troppo

3. Serenade no. 1 in D major, op. 11, mvt. 3 - Adagio non troppo

4. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in D minor, op. 15, mvt. 2

5. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in D minor, op. 15, mvt. 3

https://archive.org/details/BrahmsPianoConcertoNo.1-schnabel

Stay healthy and well!

Ep. 37 – In late 1853, having impressed important musicians across Germany, especially Robert and Clara Schumann, Johannes Brahms planned for the publication of his first opuses. His star was rising in the musical world and he had much to be proud of, but a terrible tragedy loomed on the horizon which threatened to derail his career and set his life down yet another new though unexpected path.

Very special thank you to...

Michael Calabris!

https://www.soundcloud.com/michaelcalabris

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Try nkoda for free! All the digital sheet music you could ever need right on one app. I use it for my own practice, in lessons, and when I just want something fun to play on the piano or guitar!

https://www.nkoda.com

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Works heard in this episode (all by Brahms unless otherwise noted):

Sonata in C major op. 1, mvt. 3 Scherzo

Scherzo op. 4 - Natsumi Kataoka

Sonata in C major op. 1, mvt. 4

Robert Schumann op. 6 mvts. 1-6

Clara Schumann, Scherzo op. 14 no. 2 - Luis Sarro

Robert Schumann, Carnaval op. 9 “Chiarina”

4 Ballads, op. 10 no. 1 “Edward”

"Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann" op. 9 var. 1-3

Clara Schumann "Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann" op. 20 var. 3

Robert Schumann op. 12 mvt. 1 Des Abends, 3. Warum?

Robert Schumann Piano Quintet in E-flat major, op. 44, mvt. 2

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Michael Calabris, “Meditation (According to Byzantine Modes)” for solo organ

musopen.org

In this special episode "Antonio Stradivari, and the Violin Makers of Cremona" we explore the lives of Cremona's greatest violin makers. Cremona's violin making tradition began with Andrea Amati in the mid-16th century, and lasted until the death of Giuseppe Guarneri "del Gesù" some two hundred years later. In between these two men came many remarkable makers from the Amati and Guarneri families, but the greatest of them all was Antonio Stradivari who rose far above his rivals to become the most celebrated violin maker of all time.

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Try nkoda! All the digital sheet music you could ever need right on one app. I use it for my own practice, in lessons, and when I just want something fun to play on the piano or guitar!

https://www.nkoda.com

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All music heard in this episode is by Antonio Vivaldi:

Concerto for 4 violins in B minor mvts. 1-4 (Modena Chamber Orchestra)

Concerto in F minor “Winter” for violin, strings, and continuo mvts. 1-3(MCO)

Concerto in D minor RV 565 (selections) (MCO)

Concerto for Two Violins in A minor, RV 522 mvts. 1-3

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Suggested reading and a few resources:

- "The Violin-Makers of the Guarneri Family" by W. Henry Hill, Arthur F. Hill, and Alfred Ebsworth Hill. Dover pub.

- "Antonio Stradivari, His Life & Work" by W. Henry Hill, Arthur F. Hill, and Alfred E. Hill. Dover pub.

- "Stradivari's Genius" by Toby Faber. Random House 

- "The Violin, a Social History of the World's Most Versatile Instrument" by David Schoenbaum. W.W. Norton and Company

- https://www.roger-hargrave.de/Seiten/english/Bibliothek/Bibliothek.htm

- https://tarisio.com/cozio-archive/cozio-carteggio/the-young-stradivari/

- https://tarisio.com/cozio-archive/cozio-carteggio/guarneri-del-gesu-part-i-1698-1731/

- https://tarisio.com/cozio-archive/cozio-carteggio/andrea-amati-part-1/

Ep. 35 - In April 1853, Johannes Brahms left Hamburg with the Hungarian violinist Eduard Reményi for a short concert tour of North German towns. After performing in small venues and for small crowds to great success, the duo decided to try their luck in Hanover. There they met one of the most important musicians of the day, who sent them visit another, and yet another...

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Music in this episode (all by Brahms unless otherwise noted):

1. Sonata in C major op. 1, mvt. 1, Allegro

2. Hungarian Dance no 5, Fritz Kreisler and Carl Lamson

3-5. "Eine Faust Symphonie" fragments of mvt. 1 - Faust, by Franz Liszt

6. Hungarian Dance no. 2, Andreas Pfaul, piano

7. Sonata in C major op. 1, mvt. 3 Scherzo (A section)

8. FAE Sonata, mvt. 3, Scherzo, Oliver Colbenston violin