Johannes Brahms Flashcards
When and where was Brahms born?
1833 Hamburg Germany
Describe Brahms father and mother
Family was nomadic and moved around a lot.
Mother was 17 yrs older than father and a skilled seamstress. Father was a freelance bass and wind player and played in local taverns and dance halls. Later he played in the Hamburg Philharmonic society.
Describe Brahms first fortunate academic opportunity, and how it influenced his future compositional style.
After a few years of study he was accepted by Marxsen to study piano and theory free of charge. He was a leading teacher at the time, and was very influential and imparted a love for Bach and Viennese classical composers to Brahms.
How did Brahms begin his musical career?
He worked as a musician by playing, teaching and accompanying.
How did Brahms get his first “big break”, and what age was he?
At age 19 he toured with a famous Hungarian violinist, Edward Remenyi. Remenyi introduced him to another violinist, Joseph Joachim, who became a career-long friend and collaborator of Brahms, and introduced him to elite performers and composers such as Liszt, Berlioz and the Schumann’s.
Describe Brahm’s relationship with Robert and Clara Schumann
The Schumann’s recognized Brahms’ talent immediately. They became and remained very close friends as well. Robert endorsed Brahms through his final article, which practically launched Brahms’ career. When Robert’s mental health declined and he passed away, Brahms moved in with Clara and helped her through the difficulties. The nature of their relationship was unclear, but possibly romantic.
Brahms suffered a notable rejection in his career. What was it, and what age was he? What did he decide to do after?
At age 29, he was rejected for a position of Director of the Hamburg Philharmonic- the same orchestra his father was earlier accepted to play in.
He instead went to Vienna to conduct the Vienna Singakademie and remained there for the rest of his life.
Which of the following best describes Brahms during his lifetime?
A: he lived in relative poverty and his total written compositions were sold for a meager sum after his death, and only later gained widespread fame
B: he was financially successful, well respected, and won numerous awards, and even sponsored other aspiring composers with his money
C:
B
