Brahms: Symphony No. 1

A 1997 examination of the genesis, background and extra-compositional allusions of this controversial work.

David Lee Brodbeck (Author), Julian Rushton (General editor)

9780521474320, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 23 January 1997

128 pages, 3 b/w illus. 4 tables 21 music examples
22.3 x 14.4 x 1.5 cm, 0.31 kg

Brahms' First Symphony has been hailed as Beethoven's Tenth. Its controversial status and relationship in the Beethovenian tradition is considered alongside other important issues in the early reception history of this key work in the symphonic repertory. In this 1997 book, David Brodbeck begins with an account of the lengthy genesis and complicated background to the writing of the symphony, before providing a thorough critical reading of the work, movement by movement. In particular, the author reveals a dense web of extra-compositional allusions - references in the music to works by J. S. Bach, Beethoven, Schubert, and Robert Schumann - in which, the author argues, much meaning resides.

1. Frustrated efforts
2. Completion, first performances, and publication
3. Structure and meaning in the first movement
4. The middle movements
5. Structure and meaning in the last movement
6. Early reception.

Subject Areas: Individual composers & musicians, specific bands & groups [AVH]