Symphony No. 1 (Brahms)

The Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68, by Johannes Brahms was first performed on November 4 1876 in Karlsruhe. It took the composer 14 years to complete, the first sketches dating from 1862.

Related Topics:
Johannes Brahms - November 4 - 1876 - Karlsruhe

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The work is in the typical four movements

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• Un poco sostenuto - Allegro, C minor
• Andante sostenuto
• Un poco Allegretto e grazioso
• Adagio - Più Andante - Allegro non troppo ma con brio - Più Allegro, C major

It is scored for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani and strings.

Related Topics:
Flute - Oboe - Clarinet - Bassoon - Contrabassoon - Horn - Trumpet - Trombone - Timpani - Strings

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A typical performance lasts approximately 45 minutes.

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The long gestation of the symphony may be put down to two factors. On the one hand Brahms' self-critical fastidiousness which led him to destroy many of his early works, and on the other hand the expectation of Brahms' friends and the public that Brahms would continue "Beethoven's inheritance" and produce a symphony of commensurate dignity and intellectual scope - an expectation which Brahms felt he could not fulfil easily in view of the monumental reputation of Beethoven.

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The conductor Hans von Bülow was moved in 1877 to call the symphony Beethoven's tenth, due to perceived similarities between the work and various compositions of Beethoven — it is often pointed out that there is a strong family resemblance between the main theme of the finale of this work and the main theme of the finale of Beethoven's ninth, the last symphony Beethoven composed, and that Brahms uses the rhythm of the "fate" motto from the opening of Beethoven's fifth symphony. This annoyed Brahms rather: he felt that this amounted to accusations of plagiarism, whereas he saw his use of Beethoven's idiom in this symphony as an act of conscious homage. Brahms himself said, when comment was made on the similarity with Beethoven, "any fool can see that!" Nevertheless, this work is still often referred to as Beethoven's tenth.

Related Topics:
Conductor - Hans von Bülow - Beethoven's ninth - Fifth symphony

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