Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahmswas a German composer and pianist. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria. In his lifetime, Brahms's popularity and influence were considerable. He is considered one of the greatest composers in history, and is sometimes grouped with Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven as one of the "Three Bs", a comment originally made by the nineteenth-century conductor Hans von Bülow...
NationalityGerman
ProfessionComposer
Date of Birth7 May 1833
CountryGermany
A symphony is no joke.
Composers in the old days used to keep strictly to the base of the theme, as their real subject. Beethoven varies the melody, harmony and rhythms so beautifully.
To follow in Beethoven's footsteps transcends one's strength.
Reviewer: 'One of your themes was very similar to one of Beethoven's!' Brahms replied, 'Of course it is. Everyone steals - the important thing is to do it brilliantly.
We cling nervously to the melody, but we don't handle it freely, we don't really make anything new out of it, we merely overload it.
It is not hard to compose, but what is fabulously hard is to leave the superfluous notes under the table.
Straight-away the ideas flow in upon me, directly from God, and not only do I see distinct themes in my mind's eye, but they are clothed in the right forms, harmonies, and orchestration.
In my study I can lay my hand on the Bible in the pitch dark. All truly inspired ideas come from God. The powers from which all truly great composers like Mozart, Schubert, Bach and Beethoven drew their inspirations is the same power that enabled Jesus to do his miracles.
The idea comes to me from outside of me - and is like a gift. I then take the idea and make it my own - that is where the skill lies.
Those who enjoy their own emotionally bad health and who habitually fill their own minds with the rank poisons of suspicion, jealousy and hatred, as a rule take umbrage at those who refuse to do likewise, and they find a perverted relief in trying to denigrate them.
Study Bach. There you will find everything.
If there is anyone here whom I have not insulted, I beg his pardon.
One should never forget that by actually perfecting one piece one gains and learns more than by starting or half-finishing a dozen.
The only true immortality lies in one's children.