Brahms's masterpieces. Popular classical music.

Violin Sonata No. 1 “Rain Song”Johannes Brahms

Brahms – Sonata No.1 G Major – Vivace ma non troppo part I

This work was completed in the summer of 1879, half a year after the death of Felix, the youngest child of the Schumann couple and a poet, who passed away at the young age of 25.

Also known by the subtitle “Rain Song,” this Violin Sonata No.

1 was written when Brahms was 46 years old, and it is said to embody his feelings for Felix.

Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68 – Fourth MovementJohannes Brahms

Brahms Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68, Fourth Movement, Karajan

This work is Brahms’s first symphony, yet it took him 21 years from conception to completion.

He revered Beethoven’s symphonies and agonized over the question, “I want to write a symphony, but what kind of piece could I possibly write after Beethoven?” The result, completed after overcoming that dilemma, was a work so highly regarded that the conductor Hans von Bülow called it “Beethoven’s Tenth Symphony.” Driven by a beautifully uplifting melody and propulsive rhythms, the piece unfolds and concludes with a power befitting the climax of the entire work.

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Symphony No. 3, Op. 90, Movement IIIJohannes Brahms

Johannes Brahms Symphony No 3 in F major 3rd movement

The third movement of Johannes Brahms’s Symphony No.

3, composed in 1883, is a beautiful piece with a gentle, song-like character.

It is distinguished by an elegant, melancholic melody and a notably calm musicality.

It is said to reflect Brahms’s life philosophy of “free but lonely,” and its graceful, lyrical resonance leaves a deep impression.

The work became more widely beloved after it was used in the 1961 French film “Goodbye Again.” Combining quiet sorrow with beauty, it is perfect for moments of peaceful reflection or when you wish to experience profound emotion.

Symphony No. 3, Movement IIIJohannes Brahms

Brahms Symphony No. 3, III – Otmar Suitner / NHK Symphony Orchestra

The premiere performer described it as “Brahms’s ‘Hero,’” but the overall mood of the piece evokes melancholy and romance rather than struggle.

Over the timbre of the woodwinds, the cello sings a sorrowful melody.

This theme has also been used in films and, with lyrics added, has been sung as popular music.

Academic Festival Overture in C minor, Op. 80Johannes Brahms

Johannes Brahms / Academic Festival Overture

Johannes Brahms’s Academic Festival Overture in C minor, Op.

80, is perfect for adding color to a memorable graduation ceremony! Its lively melodies, as if blessing a brilliant new beginning, make a striking impression.

Since its premiere in 1881, this work has been loved in concerts and many other settings; based on German student songs, it captivates listeners with Brahms’s hallmark mastery of form.

If you want to send graduates off with the power of a weighty classic, this is the ideal piece for your ceremony.

String Sextet No. 2Johannes Brahms

Brahms: String Sextet No. 2 In G Major Op. 36 – International Chamber Music Festival Utrecht – HD

A chamber work composed by Brahms in 1865.

Scored for two violins, two violas, and two cellos, it consists of four movements.

In the closing section of the second subject in the first movement, it is said that the name of his former lover, Agathe von Siebold, is spelled out in musical notes.

It can be seen as a work in which Brahms’s inner feelings and personal experiences are reflected in the music.

Its hallmarks are its weighty, profound expression, and the variations of the third movement especially showcase Brahms’s prowess as a composer of variations.

In the end, he broke up with Siebold, and the way the piece ends in an exalted, seemingly liberated state gives the impression that he has cut off lingering attachment.

String Sextet No. 2 in G majorJohannes Brahms

Brahms – Streichsextett Nr. 2 | WDR Sinfonieorchester Chamber Players

Johannes Brahms’s String Sextet, composed in 1865, is one of his representative works.

It is notable for incorporating the so-called “Agathe motif,” said to convey his feelings for his former lover Agathe von Siebold.

Although purely an instrumental piece, Brahms’s inner conflicts and experiences in love are expressed in its timbres.

It premiered in Boston in October 1866 and was performed in Zurich the following month.

It remains beloved today, appearing, for example, in the final scene of the film The Cement Garden.

This work, with its deep emotion and rich harmonies, is sure to leave you with a warm feeling.