Johannes Brahms and his sublime violin Concerto

My big problem with Johannes Brahms

A brief appreciation of the Brahms violin Concerto

I have a rather weird relationship with the German composer Johannes Brahms. Years ago, when I was much younger, I read an article about Johannes Brahms, which referred to him as a curmudgeonly bachelor. The article was accompanied by a cartoon of the composer looking rather portly and grumpy. This image and the description has stuck in my mind ever since. It has coloured my attitude to all the music of Johannes Brahms as well. Whenever I think about the music of Brahms, images of fat old men always come into my brain. No matter how beautiful and sylphlike the actual compositions might be, part of me still expects to be listening to the ponderous clunkingly boring effluvia of a JCB digger, instead of some of the most divinely inspired music ever to come from the pen of a classical composer. It's grossly unfair on poor old Brahms, but such are the effects that childhood impressions can continue to make, even on such a coldly logical adult as I am. Brahms equals boring. Such was the case and such will always be the case.

Bearing the above paragraph in mind, it's difficult for me to comprehend how I've just managed to spend 45 minutes being transported to the gates of Paradise by the music of the aforementioned German bulldozer. It shouldn't be happening. I should be feeling the revulsion that my lingering prejudices have left me with. So why am I feeling as if I've just had an audience with the divine? The answer is simple. I've just been listening to the Brahms violin Concerto. Somehow I think that, reluctantly, I am being forced to grow up.

Johannes Brahms wrote his Concerto for violin and orchestra in D Major in the year 1878 and he dedicated it to his friend, the violinist Joseph Joachim. The Concerto was not universally appreciated at first. One violin virtuoso, (who shall be nameless here), refused to play it because he said he didn't want to stand on the rostrum, violin in hand and listen to the only good music being played by the oboe. The conductor Hans von Bülow is reputed to have described it as “the Concerto against the violin”, but he was very bitter against life in general since his wife had been stolen by that arch cad Richard Wagner in 1868, so jaundiced opinions were only to be expected from this source. Even Brahms himself didn't really like his violin Concerto. He referred to the adagio as a “feeble adagio”. A lot of the criticism that was levelled at the composition was because Brahms moved away from the convention of the virtuoso soloist and the subordinate accompanying orchestra. The tradition had grown up with composers and soloists like Franz Liszt and Niccolo Paganini, of concertos, being mainly designed to showcase the talents and virtuoso capabilities of the soloists. The orchestral score had become almost an afterthought. Brahms moved the Concerto back to an earlier era, when the soloist was in partnership with the orchestra, rather than dominating the proceedings. This feature, which drew criticism at the time, is actually one of the great glories of the Brahms violin Concerto. When you listen to this music you feel, that every note being played, is meant to be listened to and appreciated.

Joseph Joachim did not join in the chorus of detractors. He said that the Concerto would become one of the four great concertos in the German repertoire. He was right. Which the other three are, is a matter for debate. My nominations are, the Bruch violin Concerto, the Mendelssohn violin Concerto and of course, the Beethoven violin Concerto. If I go to Heaven and Jesus asks me to judge a boxing match between Ludwig van Beethoven and Johannes Brahms, over which of them composed the more perfect violin Concerto; I will have bad news for the deaf genius from Bonn. I love Beethoven and I revere his violin Concerto, but no other piece of music can transport me to the stratosphere like the violin Concerto in D major by that clunking, curmudgeonly demolitionist’s machine, Johannes Brahms. If Beethoven moans about my decision, I shall ask Jesus to make him deaf again. That should shut him up.

The video that accompanies this article is of the performance of the Concerto by the great modern violinist Isaac Stern. This is the same rendition that was transporting me beyond the outer reaches of the cosmos not three hours ago. If you listen to it, I hope it may do the same for you.

This is a picture of the young composer that completely counteracts the vision that used to be in my head. He was actually quite a dishy young genius. There is something of the smouldering quality of James Dean about this face. I want to have his babies. Pity he's dead.

There is a continuing fascination with the Illuminati and their all pervasive influence on world affairs.

There was an organisation called the Illuminati, which was founded in Bavaria in the eighteenth century. This is not the sinister organisation that aims to gain ruler ship over the world.

Only very few people can reveal the true facts about this sinister “society above society”. I am one of those with full knowledge. No doubt you are wondering how deep my insight goes.

To find out read my latest e-book The Zombie, the Cat and Barack Obama. It tells the story of the brilliant pianist, but loathsome zombie, Julian Faversham and his attempted assassination of Barack Obama.

It contains information on the history and power of the Illuminati that is not detailed anywhere else.

There is also some fascinating, but very embarrassing, information about the ancestry of Barack Obama.

Osama bin Laden was not killed in the way we have been told either. Read the true account of his demise here.

There is a royal connection here also, (or at least a Buckingham Palace connection).

Available on Amazon.

United States.

http://goo.gl/ckqfk