Johannes Brahms

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) was a major German composer of the nineteenth-century Romantic era. He developed the German musical tradition after Beethoven by combining a strong respect for Classical forms and counterpoint with complex rhythms, rich harmony, and deeply introspective lyricism. His output ranges from Symphonies Nos. 1–4, A German Requiem, and the Violin Concerto to a substantial body of chamber music. In his piano music, weighty sonorities and carefully worked structures characterize his sonatas and variations, while the late Fantasies and Three Intermezzi reveal a more subdued, inward expressiveness. His 51 Exercises are also important for the way they connect technical practice with musical thought; Piabase includes entries from No. 10 onward. His relationships with Clara Schumann and Robert Schumann are likewise an important part of the context surrounding his musical life.