Brahms and his world

Dr Gareth Curtis

Brahms has long been seen as one of the great composers of the German Romantic tradition. He contributed to most of the current genres, with the notable exception of opera, and the majority of his work has remained in the repertory. Perhaps most of all, the recognised quality of his symphonies, concertos and chamber music has led to his being viewed by many as the natural heir to Beethoven – as achieving a perfect integration of Romanticism with sound Classical values.

Yet this also made him an object of controversy, especially in the eyes of the more progressive New German School, whose chief creative representatives were Liszt and Wagner. Hence, though the main purpose of this course will be to explore the formidable range of Brahms’ work, we shall also draw on that of other composers in order to place him in the wider context of 19th-century musical politics.

Recommended reading:
Horton: Brahms Orchestral Music (London, 1968)
Sams: Brahms Songs (London, 1972)
Keys: Brahms Chamber Music (London, 1974)
Matthews: Brahms Piano Music (London, 1978)
MacDonald: Brahms (London, 1990)
Swafford: Johannes Brahms (New York, 1997)
Hanslick (tr. H. Pleasants): Music Criticisms 1846-99 (London, 1963)
Hanslick: On the musically beautiful (any convenient edition)

Day: Mondays                        Time: 2 – 4pm
10 weeks, 13 January to 16 March 2020

Venue:
Davyhulme Methodist Church, Brook Road
Davyhulme, Urmston M41 5RQ

Price Concessions Minimum No. Maximum No.
£90 n/a 10 30

Please send your MANCENT booking form with accompanying payment to the address below. If you prefer to pay through BACS, please contact the lecturer for further particulars.
Contact details: Dr Gareth Curtis
25 Westbourne Park, Urmston, Manchester M41 0XR
E-mail: curtismusic@btinternet.com  Phone: 0161 747 8687

Adult Education in Manchester and Cheshire