Books by Johannes Brahms

Brahms composed his first volume of choral-watzes in August of 1869 to poetry taken from Polydora, an 1855 collection of German folk-poems and love-songs assembled by George Friedrich Daumer (1800-1875). Rather than the usual accompaniment for piano solo, Brahms elected to provide one for piano duet. The first performance was given in Heidelberg on November 4, 1869 and issued later that year as his Op.52. The conductor Ernst Rudorff persuaded Brahms to orchestrate the accompaniment for 8 of the 18 selections (plus another subsequently included in his Op.65 set) for a concert given at Berlin's Hochschule on March 19, 1870. Offered here is a new edition and orchestration of the entire Op.52 by Richard W. Sargeant Jr. Brahms' own orchestration is retained for the eight selections he prepared for the 1870 concert while the remaining ten have been orchestrated by Sargeant using the same forces employed by the composer. The large conductor score and orchestral parts are now also available from Serenissima Music.

Sargeant's unique orchestration of Brahms' popular set of sixteen waltzes is a welcome addition to the symphonic repertoire. Brahms composed the original piano duet version in 1865 and arranged them for piano solo the same year. He later arranged five for 2 pianos which were published posthumously. Sargeant's orchestration, though employing a Brahms-size orchestra, is more contemporary in orchestrational style but remains entirely performable by any reasonably practiced non-professional ensemble. The matching full score and orchestra parts are also available from Serenissima Music.

The Norton Critical Score of Brahm's Fourth Symphony is the latest volume in this highly-regarded series, in which an authoritative score--here the first edition as corrected by the composer--is combined with illuminating essays and documents for an in-depth study of the work.

Published to mark the centenary of Brahms's death in 1897, this is a comprehensive English language collection of Brahms's letters. It contains over 550 letters, including more than a dozen previously unpublished in any language. The letters are woven together with an extended biographical narrative, and span the entire life of the composer.

This English-language collection of Brahms's letters contains over 550 letters, including more than a dozen previously unpublished in any language. The letters are woven together with an extended biographical narrative, and span the entire life of the composer.