Johannes Brahms Quotes

• When I feel the urge to compose, I begin by appealing directly to my Maker and I first ask Him the three most important questions pertaining to our life here in this world—whence, wherefore, whither.

  Johannes Brahms

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• If there is anyone here whom I have not insulted, I beg his pardon.

  Johannes Brahms

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• Without craftsmanship, inspiration is a mere reed shaken in the wind.

  Johannes Brahms

• We 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.

  Johannes Brahms

• Those who enjoy their own emotionally bad health and who habitually fill their own minds with the rank poisons of suspicion, jealousy and hatred, as a rule take umbrage at those who refuse to do likewise, and they find a perverted relief in trying to denigrate them.

  Johannes Brahms

• Straight-away the ideas flow in upon me, directly from God, and not only do I see distinct themes in my mind’s eye, but they are clothed in the right forms, harmonies, and orchestration.

  Johannes Brahms

• It is not hard to compose, but what is fabulously hard is to leave the superfluous notes under the table.

  Johannes Brahms

• I sometimes ponder on variation form and it seems to me it ought to be more restrained, purer.

  Johannes Brahms

• 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.

  Johannes Brahms

• A symphony is no joke.

  Johannes Brahms

Johannes Brahms (10)

Birth:	7th May, 1833
Death:	3rd April, 1897
Nationality:	German
Profession:	Composer, Pianist

About

Johannes Brahms was born in Hamburg, Germany. He was a German composer and pianist of the Romantic period. He composed for symphony orchestra, chamber ensembles, piano, organ, and voice and chorus. A virtuoso pianist, he premiered many of his own works. He worked with some of the leading performers of his time, including the pianist Clara Schumann and the violinist Joseph Joachim. His music is firmly rooted in the structures and compositional techniques of the Classical masters.

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