Program Notes Johannes Brahms Variations on a Theme by Haydn Though by the end of his long career Johannes Brahms had successfully created works in most of the musical forms, he was notoriously critical of his own work, and for many years avoided writing orchestral pieces. The popular conceit is that he did not want to compete with his idol, Beethoven, in writing symphonies. Whatever the reason, by 1873 he had composed only five orchestral pieces: two serenades, a piano concerto, and two choral works with orchestra, one of which, the German Requiem, had taken him 11 years to complete. The Variations on a Theme by Haydn, published in 1873, marked not only his first purely orchestral piece since the second Serenade in 1860, it was a turning point for the composer.In 1872 Brahms had turned 40, and had recently settled down as the director of the orchestra and choir of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde (Society of the Friends of Music) in Vienna. Two years earlier his friend C.F. Pohl, a music historian, had introduced Brahms to a set of divertimenti for winds then attributed to Haydn. Brahms liked the theme of the second, called the Chorale St. Antoni, and copied the tune in his notebook. (The tune was based on a hymn sung by pilgrims on St. Anthony's Day, and historians now believe the piece was possibly written by Haydn's student Ignatz Pleyel.) Brahms first showed a set of variations on the St. Anthony theme in two-piano form to pianist and composer Clara Schumann, his longtime friend and supporter, in September of 1873. Trying out a work in two-piano form was typical for Brahms; he could play it with an accomplished pianist like Schumann, and he needed reassurance before going to the public. He gave the orchestral version to his publisher only two months later. The premiere in Vienna that November was a great success, and Brahms, heartened by this reception, is said to have gained the confidence to complete his Symphony No. 1 in C minor three years later, in 1876.At the time Brahms completed these variations, he had already published several well-received sets of variations on themes of Schumann (1854), Handel (1861), and Paganini (1862-3). But he was critical of how he and his contemporaries handled such works, writing to violinist Joseph Joachim in 1856:"I sometimes ponder on variation form, and it seems to me it ought to be more restrained, purer. Composers in the old days used to keep strictly to the base of the theme as their real subject. Beethoven varies the melody, harmony and rhythms so beautifully. But it seems to me that a great many moderns ... cling nervously to the melody, but we don't handle it freely, we don't really make anything new out of it, we merely overload it."Perhaps this was in his mind when he worked on the St. Anthony variations. Not only did it mark the turning point in his career as an orchestral composer, it is the first set of independent variations for orchestra by any composer. And in his inventiveness and range, Brahms was far from "clinging nervously" to any theme.The opening (Chorale St. Antoni) introduces the St. Anthony theme as it was presented in the "Haydn" work, with oboes and bassoons, now supported by strings and horns. Brahms's orchestration evolves to include more of the orchestra, but not in any way that "overloads" the theme: he lets us hear it clearly in the character of its original form, so that we might appreciate what attracted him to it in the first place. The first variation, Poco piu animato, immediately involves us in something much more: various sections of the orchestra play pulsing notes in the chords of the theme, while two contrapuntal moving parts play against them. This is but a taste of what's to come throughout the piece, as Brahms systematically changes everything but the essential structure of the theme in each variation. The second variation, for example, Piu vivace, changes the key to minor, syncopates the rhythm, and gives us an insistent, dance-like movement. The following Con moto is indeed a study in motion, with a steady, ever-flowing version of the theme weaving back and forth between sections of the orchestra and individual instruments. Variation four, Andante con moto, transforms the theme into a haunting minor melody over broad, slow lower strings and winds. The fifth variation, Vivace, presents an energetic scherzo somewhat reminiscent of Brahms's hero Beethoven that segues immediately into a regal, brassy second Vivace. Variation seven, Grazioso, is a gentle siciliano, a slow 6/8 or 12/8 form associated in Brahms's day with pastoral scenes and romantic melancholy. The Presto non troppo of the last variation is a bit of sleight of hand: quickly moving parts almost manage to hide the theme in their winding melodies, with the pedal points spread out over six octaves. But it is in the long Finale that Brahms demonstrates his prowess. For this section is in the form of a Baroque passacaglia, with a five bar basso ostinato sounding the theme under an ever-changing series of 17 variations that transform through a series of harmonic and rhythmic enhancements to end in a triumphant coda and restatement of the Chorali St. Antoni. Without a doubt, Brahms proved that he could handle a melody "freely" and create something altogether new.February, 2002 --Barbara Heninger
Program Notes
Though by the end of his long career Johannes Brahms had successfully created works in most of the musical forms, he was notoriously critical of his own work, and for many years avoided writing orchestral pieces. The popular conceit is that he did not want to compete with his idol, Beethoven, in writing symphonies. Whatever the reason, by 1873 he had composed only five orchestral pieces: two serenades, a piano concerto, and two choral works with orchestra, one of which, the German Requiem, had taken him 11 years to complete. The Variations on a Theme by Haydn, published in 1873, marked not only his first purely orchestral piece since the second Serenade in 1860, it was a turning point for the composer.
In 1872 Brahms had turned 40, and had recently settled down as the director of the orchestra and choir of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde (Society of the Friends of Music) in Vienna. Two years earlier his friend C.F. Pohl, a music historian, had introduced Brahms to a set of divertimenti for winds then attributed to Haydn. Brahms liked the theme of the second, called the Chorale St. Antoni, and copied the tune in his notebook. (The tune was based on a hymn sung by pilgrims on St. Anthony's Day, and historians now believe the piece was possibly written by Haydn's student Ignatz Pleyel.) Brahms first showed a set of variations on the St. Anthony theme in two-piano form to pianist and composer Clara Schumann, his longtime friend and supporter, in September of 1873. Trying out a work in two-piano form was typical for Brahms; he could play it with an accomplished pianist like Schumann, and he needed reassurance before going to the public. He gave the orchestral version to his publisher only two months later. The premiere in Vienna that November was a great success, and Brahms, heartened by this reception, is said to have gained the confidence to complete his Symphony No. 1 in C minor three years later, in 1876.
At the time Brahms completed these variations, he had already published several well-received sets of variations on themes of Schumann (1854), Handel (1861), and Paganini (1862-3). But he was critical of how he and his contemporaries handled such works, writing to violinist Joseph Joachim in 1856:
"I sometimes ponder on variation form, and it seems to me it ought to be more restrained, purer. Composers in the old days used to keep strictly to the base of the theme as their real subject. Beethoven varies the melody, harmony and rhythms so beautifully. But it seems to me that a great many moderns ... cling nervously to the melody, but we don't handle it freely, we don't really make anything new out of it, we merely overload it."
Perhaps this was in his mind when he worked on the St. Anthony variations. Not only did it mark the turning point in his career as an orchestral composer, it is the first set of independent variations for orchestra by any composer. And in his inventiveness and range, Brahms was far from "clinging nervously" to any theme.
The opening (Chorale St. Antoni) introduces the St. Anthony theme as it was presented in the "Haydn" work, with oboes and bassoons, now supported by strings and horns. Brahms's orchestration evolves to include more of the orchestra, but not in any way that "overloads" the theme: he lets us hear it clearly in the character of its original form, so that we might appreciate what attracted him to it in the first place. The first variation, Poco piu animato, immediately involves us in something much more: various sections of the orchestra play pulsing notes in the chords of the theme, while two contrapuntal moving parts play against them. This is but a taste of what's to come throughout the piece, as Brahms systematically changes everything but the essential structure of the theme in each variation. The second variation, for example, Piu vivace, changes the key to minor, syncopates the rhythm, and gives us an insistent, dance-like movement. The following Con moto is indeed a study in motion, with a steady, ever-flowing version of the theme weaving back and forth between sections of the orchestra and individual instruments. Variation four, Andante con moto, transforms the theme into a haunting minor melody over broad, slow lower strings and winds. The fifth variation, Vivace, presents an energetic scherzo somewhat reminiscent of Brahms's hero Beethoven that segues immediately into a regal, brassy second Vivace. Variation seven, Grazioso, is a gentle siciliano, a slow 6/8 or 12/8 form associated in Brahms's day with pastoral scenes and romantic melancholy. The Presto non troppo of the last variation is a bit of sleight of hand: quickly moving parts almost manage to hide the theme in their winding melodies, with the pedal points spread out over six octaves. But it is in the long Finale that Brahms demonstrates his prowess. For this section is in the form of a Baroque passacaglia, with a five bar basso ostinato sounding the theme under an ever-changing series of 17 variations that transform through a series of harmonic and rhythmic enhancements to end in a triumphant coda and restatement of the Chorali St. Antoni. Without a doubt, Brahms proved that he could handle a melody "freely" and create something altogether new.
February, 2002
--Barbara Heninger
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