Brahms

The Life of Brahms Johannes Brahms is considered by many as one of the greatest musicians to ever live. He was born in Hamburg, and was a son of a double-bass player (Machlis 305). Johannes developed his music at a very early age. At the age of ten, Brahms helped increase his family’s income by playing the piano in the dance halls of the slum district where he grew up. Many believed he was the next great Beethoven, and he certainly lived up to those expectations. When Johannes was a teenager, he started to get noticed. He then visited the famous musician Robert Schumann, and they began to bond. Robert’s wife, Clara was also a famous musician, and the two took Johannes into their home. Now Johannes had all the making of a great musician with the help of Clara and Robert Schumann. Johannes began to fall in love with Clara, and things started to startle in the home. Later on Robert passed away, and Johannes had to choose between his love or moving away on his own. He chose to take his own path, and left Clara. Soon after that Clara had passed away, and Johannes was heartbroken. Brahms began to perform his music more than ever. Brahms was a traditionalist, and played his classical music to millions. He performed an unsurpassed four symphonies in the romantic period (Machlis 306). He was one of the most famous human beings alive in the romantic period. He has about two hundred solo songs. His most famous piece is the Symphony No. 3 in F Major. It was a soft but haunting symphony that took the breath away from his audience. Johannes did not like to perform symphonies though. He said, “it is no laughing matter to compose a symphony after Beethoven…how the likes of us to feel when we hear the tramp of a giant like him behind us.” He had great respect for Beethoven and played his music in inspiration for him. Brahms greatest vocal work is the German Requiem. It was actually considered his greatest work of his career. Brahms is notable for