Johannes Brahms Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

Theme and Variations (from String Sextet No. 1)Johannes Brahms57rank/position

KRYSTIAN ZIMERMAN plays BRAHMS Variations Op.18 (1982)

As the subtitle indicates, this piece is Brahms’s own arrangement of the second movement from his String Sextet, created as a gift for Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann’s wife.

The romantic melody at the beginning is especially memorable.

It is used in Louis Malle’s French film “The Lovers.”

Symphony No. 1Johannes Brahms58rank/position

Brahms: Symphony No. 1 / Rattle · Berliner Philharmoniker

A symphony that Brahms completed in 1876.

So conscious was Brahms of Beethoven’s nine symphonies that he struggled to finish one of his own, taking 21 years from conception to completion.

Nevertheless, the work received such high acclaim that it has been called “Beethoven’s Tenth.” With a structure easily grasped by listeners—“from darkness to light”—it has now become the most frequently performed of Brahms’s symphonies.

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Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68Johannes Brahms59rank/position

Brahms: 1. Sinfonie ∙ hr-Sinfonieorchester ∙ Stanisław Skrowaczewski

Brahms’s First Symphony, which he finally completed after the age of forty, came to fruition only after twenty-one years of deliberation from conception to completion in his effort to create a symphony worthy of succeeding Beethoven.

Crafted with fearsome care and burning passion, the work earned such high praise for its perfection that conductor Hans von Bülow called it “Beethoven’s Tenth Symphony.” Steeped in dramatic tension that seems to reflect Brahms’s own struggles, it embodies the trajectory “from suffering to victory.”

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Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68 — I. MovementJohannes Brahms60rank/position

Brahms: Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68 – Movement I – Karajan

Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

In opposition to the program music of the Romantic era, Brahms argued that music should stand on its own as music, asserting “absolute music” in the tradition of the Viennese Classicists.

Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68 – Fourth MovementJohannes Brahms61rank/position

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 Brahms62rank/position

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.

Academic Festival OvertureJohannes Brahms63rank/position

Brahms: Academic Festival Overture

Here’s a recommendation for classical music that makes great study BGM.

The orchestral overture composed in 1880 is a work that showcases Johannes Brahms’s musical brilliance and playful spirit.

Written as a token of gratitude for being awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Breslau, the piece expresses fond memories of student days through music.

Skillfully weaving together four student songs, it fuses Brahms’s classical craftsmanship with Romantic expression into a dazzling, roughly 10-minute musical panorama.

It’s a perfect pick for those looking to get into classical music or anyone feeling nostalgic for their own student years.