Brahms up and down

Composers Datebook

Synopsis

There are several examples in the catalog of German Romantic composer Johannes Brahms of works that emerged from his pen in contrasting pairs. The most famous being his two concert overtures: the comic and upbeat Academic Festival Overture, and the dark, stoic pessimism of his Tragic Overture.

While composing the jaunty Academic Festival Overture in 1880, to acknowledge an Honorary Doctorate he had received the previous year from the University of Breslau, Brahms felt compelled to write a more serious companion piece. To his friend the publisher Simrock, he wrote, “I could not refuse my melancholy nature the satisfaction of composing an overture for a tragedy.” To another friend, Carl Reinecke, he wrote, “One weeps, the other laughs.”

Hans Richter conducted the premiere of the Tragic Overture in Vienna on today’s date in 1880, and the following month Brahms himself led the premiere of his Academic Festival Overture in Breslau. And the new works soon came to the New World: On November 12, 1881, the enterprising Theodore Thomas conducted the New York Philharmonic in the American premiere of the Tragic Overture, and one week later, the Academic Festival Overture as well with the Brooklyn Philharmonic.

Music Played in Today's Program

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897): ‘Academic Festival Overture’; New York Philharmonic; Kurt Masur, conductor; Teldec 77291

Johannes Brahms: ‘Tragic Overture’; Vienna Symphony; Wolfgang Sawallisch, conductor; Philips 438 760