Johannes Brahms-Part 6

Great Master Works

His German Requiem was given in 1868 in the Cathedral at Bremen, and was attended by many representative musicians.

The event of the year 1876 was the production of his Symphony Op. 68 in C Minor at Carlsruhe. The critics of the day were very divergent in their views; some could make neither head nor tail of it, while others lauded it to the skies. A second symphony, Op. 73, in D, followed after a short time. Another great work, the Violin Concerto, was produced for the first time by his old friend, Joachim, at Leipsic, in 1879. Like many other works of Brahms, its demands upon the listeners are considerable.

The beautiful playing of the clarinettist Muhlfeld, in Meiningen, inspired him to his Trio for Pianoforte, Clarinet and Violoncello, the Quintet for Clarinet and Strings and two Sonatas for Clarinet and Pianoforte. Brahms humorously referred to Muhlfeld as his "Prima Donna."

In April, 1897, Brahms died, after having suffered for several years from a cancer.