One of the greatest of all the masters, whose music combines dramatic power with lyrical intensity and consoling warmth, Johannes Brahms was a radical in his harmonic daring and expressive intensity, but a conservative in his use of traditional and even archaic forms. Although he was born into a poor family his exceptional talent was recognized early on by his father, a double-bass player, who made sure that the boy received thorough musical instruction. When Brahms was 20, Schumann - 23 years his senior - examined some of his compositions and proclaimed him a genius. It is generally believed that Brahms and Schumann's wife, the pianist and composer Clara Wieck, were in love with each other, but that their affair remained unconsummated, even after Schumann's death in 1856. There were to be many other sentimental attachments in Brahms's life, but most of them were one-sided. He never married. In 1863, having held choral conducting appointments in various German cities and towns, but having been disappointed in his hope of being appointed conductor of the Philharmonic concerts in Hamburg, he settled in Vienna, which remained his home for the rest of his life. Brahms never wrote an opera, but he composed works of the highest stature in most other forms: four symphonies, four concertos, two orchestral serenades, and two overtures; the highly personal German Requiem and Alto Rhapsody,and other choral works, accompanied and unaccompanied; hundreds of songs and other vocal works; a great quantity of outstanding chamber music; the "Haydn" Variations for orchestra, and the "Handel" and "Paganini" Variations for piano; dozens of pieces for piano, Brahms's own instrument, and some organ works; and the ever-popular Hungarian Dances, which have been arranged for many instrumental combinations.Brahms was opposed to the radical compositional trends of Liszt and Wagner, and he was frequently attacked by their adherents. By the end of his life, however, most of the polemics had ended, and musicians and listeners had begun to understand that one could love the music produced on both sides of the ideological fence. Brahms died of cancer in Vienna; his funeral was attended by thousands of admirers from all over Europe, and flags were lowered to half-mast on all the ships in the harbour of his native Hamburg.

Harvey Sachs

Biographical notes (c) 1996, reprinted by permission of Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Hamburg

A selection of major works:

Orchestral: 4 Symphonies, 2 Serenades, Tragic Overture, Academic Festival Overture, "Haydn" Variations, 21 Hungarian Dances (originally for piano duet) 2 Piano Concertos, Violin Concerto, Double Concerto.

Chamber: Clarinet Quintet, Piano Quintet, 3 Piano Quartets, 3 Piano Trios, Clarinet Trio, Horn Trio, 21 Hungarian Dances, 2 Clarinet Sonatas, 2 Cello Sonatas.

Instrumental solo: 3 Piano Sonatas, "Paganini" Variations, "Handel" Variations.

Vocal: Lieder, 4 Serious Songs, Liebeslieder Waltzes, Motets, Quartets.

Choral: A German Requiem, Alto Rhapsody, Gesang der Parzen, Nänie, Schicksalslied.