Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. In his lifetime, Brahms' popularity and influence were considerable; he is sometimes grouped with Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven as one of the Three Bs.
Brahms composed for piano, chamber ensembles, symphony orchestra, and for voice and chorus. A virtuoso pianist, he premiered many of his own works; he also worked with some of the leading performers of his time, including the pianist Clara Schumann and the violinist Joseph Joachim. Many of his works have become staples of the modern concert repertoire. Brahms, an uncompromising perfectionist, destroyed many of his works and left some of them unpublished.
Brahms is often considered both a traditionalist and an innovator. His music is firmly rooted in the structures and compositional techniques of the Baroque and Classical masters. He was a master of counterpoint, the complex and highly disciplined method of composition for which Johann Sebastian Bach is famous, and also of development, a compositional ethos pioneered by Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven. Brahms aimed to honour the "purity" of these venerable "German" structures and advance them into a Romantic idiom, in the process creating bold new approaches to harmony and melody. While many contemporaries found his music too academic, his contribution and craftsmanship have been admired by subsequent figures as diverse as the progressive Arnold Schoenberg and the conservative Edward Elgar. The diligent, highly constructed nature of Brahms's works was a starting point and an inspiration for a generation of composers.
Compositions by Johannes Brahms appear on
Brahms Cello
Zoe Knighton and Amir Farid present their seventh cello-piano collaboration — this time from the composer Johannes Brahms. The program includes his sonatas for cello as well as three songs where the cello presents the vocal line wordlessly.
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Mirabile in Prague
Australian composer John Allan has orchestrated a collection of his own original compositions. This CD also includes his orchestrations of piano pieces by Debussy and Brahms. David Kram conducts members of the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra.
Composer
Johannes Brahms: Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Op. 5
Prepare to be swept away by the soulful and powerful performance of the Johannes Brahms' Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Op. 5, as played by the incomparable Ronald Farren-Price. Farren-Price's mastery of the piano is evident in his interpretation of this masterpiece, showcasing the intricacies of Brahms' composition.
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Geoffrey Tozer in Concert: Canberra 1987
This live recording of pianist Geoffrey Tozer was made in June 1987 during a series of four recitals to celebrate his 25th anniversary as a performer.
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Veiled Virtuosity
The debut solo CD of 2006 Australian National Piano Award winning pianist Amir Farid. Features the works of Liszt, Brahms, Prokofiev, Beethoven, Greenbaum, Vine and Maroufi.
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Organ Miniatures
A collection of 33 short organ works performed on the 1882 T.C. Lewis organ in St George's Uniting Church, East St. Kilda, Melbourne. The collection of pieces on this recording represents a small sample of works deliberately composed for small pipe organs and harmoniums.
Composer
Wordless Meanings
In the beginning, there was harmony - before anyone thought to ask the question "What sort of music do you play?" ... before everyone became too busy to stop and listen anyway ... before music became 'the music industry' ... harmony was lost in a cacophony of meaningless words.
Composer
The Star of the Sea
A superb programme of Italian and French organ favourites designed to exploit all the resources of this justly famous Grandfather Fincham organ in St. Mary's Star-of-the-Sea, West Melbourne.
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Acts of Homage
Acclaimed pianist Ian Holtham commemorates the 100th anniversary of the death of Brahms and the 200th anniversary of the birth of Schubert. Holtham demonstrates the diversity in Brahms' work and showcases Schubert's gift for thematic extrapolation with the pieces presented.
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Bon Voyage!
Igor and Olga Piano Duo take the listener on a first-class musical journey, with their debut CD Bon Voyage, featuring inspirational piano duo pieces from around the world.
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Historic Organs of the Barossa Valley, Volume 2
Volume 2 in this series of stunning performances by Christopher Dearnley and John Stiller on seven more of the historic church organs of the Barossa Valley.
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O come all ye faithful
A Melbourne-based choir led by Faye Dumont. Variety and finesse is clearly part of their charter.
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A Recital of organ music from St. Paul's Cathedral Melbourne
The works selected for this recording represent a variety of styles in organ music over a period of some eighty years. Three of the works come from the latter half of the nineteenth century, whilst the remaining three were written in the first half of the twentieth century.
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Liquid Crystal
Luke Carbon (clarinet) and Alex Raineri (piano) present a varied collection of music by composers Brahms, Berg, Beach, Bernstein and Gyger.
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Over Under
Over/Under is the debut album for Luke Severn and Evan Fein as a cello-piano duo and represents the culmination of five years of artistic collaboration.
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Lotus Dreams
Since the release of Shu-Cheen's other CDs, Lotus Moon, Willow Spirit Song and Serenade with ABC Classics, many music lovers have suggested that they would like to hear her sing Lieder and other styles of repertoire. This CD is a collection of her favourite songs and ballads.
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Team of Pianists presents the Schimmel K 256
Music by Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Sain-Saens, Schumann, Gottschalk and Vine to demonstrate the new Schimmel K 256 concert grand.
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Sing to the Lord, ye Heavenly Hosts
The Choir of Scots' Church presents music from Palestrina in the sixteenth century to twenty-first century music by a contemporary Australian composer, Andrew Batterham. It also includes a rare performance of the Widor Mass for choir, baritone choir and two organs.
Composer
Pianists of Excellence
The Team of Pianists has achieved acclaim throughout Europe and Australia for their vitality and freshness in technique. Features solo, duo and two piano works Haydn, Schubert, Schumann, Chopin, Brahms and Sculthorpe.
