Post Description

Johannes Brahms (1822 - 1897)
Hungarian Dances
Johannes Brahms was born in Hamburg in North Germany, and his ambition for many years was to return to his native city to occupy some substantial position in the musical establishment. His childhood had been spent in poverty, and it was natural that he should wish to be seen to have succeeded in the eyes of his fellow-citizens. This particular triumph, however, eluded him, and he was finally to settle in Vienna, where he became a dominant figure in the musical life of the imperial capital.
Hamburg is, of course, a world away from Hungary, which formed part of the Hapsburg Empire. In 1850, however, Brahms met the Hungarian violinist Remenyi, who introduced him to something to the music of Hungary, and particularly to the music of the Hungarian gypsies. Brahms and Remenyi toured together in 1853, but the latter, with an eye to his career, was disappointed by the reaction of Brahms to the great Hungarian composer Liszt, who held court in Weimar and had been gracious enough to receive them. The two parted company, and Brahms took advantage of an invitation from another Hungarian violinist, Joseph Joachim, who was to continue as a friend and mentor for years.
Brahms continued to show an interest in Hungarian gypsy music, failing, by and large, to distinguish the gypsy from the Magyar. His fascination was shown as early as 1853, the year of his meeting with Robert Schumann, when he wrote a set of variations on a Hungarian theme. His Violin Concerto has a Hungarian gypsy turn to its Finale, and he was to set, in 1887, a series of translations from Hungarian in his Gypsy Songs for vocal quartet and piano. The most popular of all works that he wrote in Hungarian style, however, were the Hungarian Dances, composed originally for piano duet, and appearing in four sets, the first two issued in 1869 and the second pair in 1880.

dank aan de originele poster!