The Great Composers Podcast - a classical music podcast

50(b) - Johannes Brahms pt. 15b "Tokens of Friendship" a classical music podcast

Brahms pt. 15b: we detail the course of the Brahms-Joachim relationship as they return to something like their former friendly relations and see how is other friendships

50(a)- Johannes Brahms pt. 15a "Tokens of Friendship" a classical music podcast

Brahms pt. 15a: we return to the life narrative of our great composer, picking up where we left him in the summer of 1879 adding the finishing touches to his D major viol

49 - Johannes Brahms pt. 14 "The Violin Concerto" a classical music podcast

In Brahms pt. 14 our pause in the narrative continues as we study the greatest of all violin concertos, that by Johannes Brahms. We will analyze the relationship between

48 - Johannes Brahms pt. 13 "The Second Symphony" a classical music podcast

In Brahms pt. 13 we pause the narrative and retrace our steps to spend some more time with the Second Symphony. A brief discussion of the symphony and an analysis of its

47 - Johannes Brahms pt. 12 "Why the Light is Given" a classical music podcast

Pt. 12:  It is early November 1876 and Brahms is in the audience as the orchestra at Carlsruhe premieres his first symphony in C minor. The concert goes better than expec

46 - Johannes Brahms pt. 11 "A Symphony" a classical music podcast

It is summer 1876. Brahms is vacationing with his friend George Henschel on the Baltic island or Rügen and finishing work on his first symphony in C minor... Works hear

45 - Johannes Brahms, pt. 10 "From the Soul of the Purest Youth" a classical music podcast

It is December 1871 and Johannes Brahms has finally established permanent residence in the music loving city of Vienna. Still, his thoughts remain in Hamburg for a time a

44 - "Interview with Alan Walker and Daniel Vnukowski" a classical music podcast

I am pleased to be joined during this episode by Alan Walker, celebrated author of biographies of Franz Liszt, Frederick Chopin and others, and acclaimed concert pianist

43 - Johannes Brahms pt. 9 "A Lovely Dwelling Place" - Classical Music Podcast

Ep. 43 – It is Good Friday, April 10, 1868 in Bremen and Brahms has just finished giving the premiere of his German Requiem. It is a complete triumph but one not celebrat

42b - Johannes Brahms pt. 8 "The Scent of Lilac" - Classical Music Podcast

Ep 42(b) - It is early 1865. Brahms's mother has just passed away. Filled with emotion he grudgingly moves from winter to spring, entering a long period of deep and priva

42a - Johannes Brahms pt. 8 "The Scent of Lilac" - Classical Music Podcast

Ep. 42(a) - It is late November 1862. We find Johannes Brahms in Vienna making a great success of himself for once but reeling from a devastating blow given him by the mu

41 - Johannes Brahms, pt. 7 "Vignettes and Vienna" - Classical Music Podcast

In Ep. 41 Johannes Brahms continues his toil, conducing the ladies' choir, playing concerts, and composing; working to build a life and career brick by brick with the swe

40 - Johannes Brahms, pt. 6 "Warring With the Wizard of Weimar" - Classical Music Podcast

In ep. 40 we find Johannes Brahms struggling to recover and learn from the defeat of his D minor Piano Concerto at Leipzig's Gewandhaus in January 1859. Despite nearing m

39 - Rebecca Smithorn and The National Philharmonic's YouTube Series "Composers in Crisis"

I'm pleased to welcome to the show Rebecca Smithorn, cover conductor and lecturer with the National Philharmonic. Rebecca is host of the NatPhil's YouTube series "Compose

38 - Johannes Brahms, pt. 5 "Gordian Knots" - Classical Music Podcast

In Ep. 38 we pick up with Johannes Brahms and Clara Schumann in the weeks following Robert Schumann's death in July 1856, trying to make sense of their relationship and l

37 - Johannes Brahms, pt. 4 "Waiting in the Wings" - Classical Music Podcast

Stay healthy and well! Ep. 37 – In late 1853, having impressed important musicians across Germany, especially Robert and Clara Schumann, Johannes Brahms planned for the

36 - "Antonio Stradivari, and the Violin Makers of Cremona" a Yuletide Special - Classical Music Podcast

In this special episode "Antonio Stradivari, and the Violin Makers of Cremona" we explore the lives of Cremona's greatest violin makers. Cremona's violin making tradition

35 - Johannes Brahms, pt. 3 "New Germans and New Paths" - Classical Music Podcast

Ep. 35 - In April 1853, Johannes Brahms left Hamburg with the Hungarian violinist Eduard Reményi for a short concert tour of North German towns. After performing in small

34 - Johannes Brahms, pt. 2 "Summer Idylls" - Classical Music Podcast

In Ep. 34 we see Johannes Brahms complete his adolescence and become a young adult. Along the way he is tested severely, leading a double life as a serious music student

33 - Johannes Brahms, pt. 1 "A Cup Half Full" - Classical Music Podcast

In Ep. 33, The Life of Johannes Brahms, pt. 1 "A Cup Half Full" we meet the great composer's father, Johann Jakob Brahms. Jakob was a versatile musician who could play se