Johannes Brahms

With a letter of introduction in hand, Brahms went to Düsseldorf in 1853 to meet Robert Schumann and his wife Clara when he was 20. Schumann published an article called “Neue Bahnen” (“New Paths”) in the journal Neue Zeitschrift für Musik. He nominated Brahms as one who was “fated to give expression to the times in the highest and most ideal manner” which gave Brahms the confidence and the standards of perfection that he had and made the way for Brahms’s work to be published in his own name. He went back to Leipzig and published his works, Opp. 1–4 (the Piano Sonatas nos. 1 and 2, the Six Songs Op. 3, and the Scherzo Op. 4). Brahms dedicated his composition Op.9 (The Variations on a Theme of Schumann) to Clara.

Brahms took up different posts all around. He was appointed the conductor of the Wiener Singakademie in 1863 and showcased his work that reflected the influence of Heinrich Schütz, and Giovanni Gabrielli, and Johann Sebastian Bach. Brahms’s productivity increased between 1857 to 1860. He composed two Serenades for orchestra and the first String Sextet in B-flat Major. He also completed his turbulent Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor during this time.
Brahms moved to write chamber music and orchestral composition by the 1870s. He completed Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Symphony No. 2 in D Major, and Symphony No. 3 in F Major. Brahms’s last symphony, No. 4 in E Minor, was inspired by the Greek tragedies of Sophocles. He worked with Richard Mühlfeld, an outstanding clarinettist and write Trio for Clarinet, Cello, and Piano in 1981. He also worked on the great Quintet for Clarinet and Strings and 2 sonatas for clarinet and piano.