Canon
Where to start with Brahms
Essential works to know this composer by — spread across their styles-
ChamberClarinet Quintet in B minor, op. 115
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VocalEin deutsches Requiem, op. 45 — For soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra
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OrchestralPiano Concerto no. 2 in B flat major, op. 83
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KeyboardHungarian Dances, WoO 1
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ChamberString Sextet no. 1 in B flat major, op. 18
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OrchestralSymphony no. 3 in F major, op. 90
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OrchestralSymphony no. 4 in E minor, op. 98
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OrchestralViolin Concerto in D major, op. 77
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OrchestralAcademic Festival Overture, op. 80
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VocalAlto Rhapsody, op. 53 — For alto, male chorus and orchestra
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KeyboardBallades, op. 10
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ChamberClarinet Sonata no. 1 in F minor, op. 120 no. 1
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OrchestralDouble Concerto in A minor, op. 102 — For violin, cello and orchestra
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KeyboardIntermezzos, op. 117
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VocalLiebeslieder Walzes, op. 52 — Songs
Listening guide
Hand-curated paths into Brahms's catalogueMost Popular
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Symphony No. 4 in E minor
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Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat
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Violin Concerto in D major
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Hungarian Dances (complete)
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German Requiem
Most Acclaimed
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Clarinet Quintet in B minor
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String Quintet No. 2 in G major
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Intermezzo in A major Op. 118 No. 2
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Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor
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Four Serious Songs
Most Weird
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Intermezzo Op. 119 No. 1 in B minorhis most introspective — like the inside of a winter night
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Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor Op. 5five movements of overwhelming force — unusual structure
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Variations on a Theme by Paganini Books 1 & 2technically ferocious — Hans von Bülow called it ”the witch’s hammer”
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Chaconne from Bach Partita No. 2 (transcription for left hand alone)Brahms sent it to Clara Schumann to practice
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Handel Variations and Fugue Op. 24the fugue at the end is unlike any fugue Brahms wrote elsewhere
Similar composers
Same era, overlapping styles — by genre & period affinityWorks 160
- Chamber
- ● Clarinet Quintet in B minor, op. 115
- ● String Sextet no. 1 in B flat major, op. 18
- Clarinet Sonata no. 1 in F minor, op. 120 no. 1
- Piano Quartet no. 1 in G minor, op. 25
- Piano Quartet no. 3 in C minor, op. 60
- Piano Quintet in F minor, op. 34
- String Quartet no. 3 in B flat major, op. 67
- String Quintet no. 2 in G major, op. 111
- Violin Sonata no. 1 in G major, op. 78
- Cello Sonata no. 1 in E minor, op. 38
- Cello Sonata no. 2 in F major, op. 99
- Clarinet Sonata no. 2 in E flat major, op. 120 no. 2
- Clarinet Trio in A minor, op. 114
- Horn Trio in E flat major, op. 40
- Piano Quartet no. 2 in A major, op. 26
- Piano Trio no. 1 in B major, op. 8
- Piano Trio no. 2 in C major, op. 87
- Piano Trio no. 3 in C minor, op. 101
- Scherzo in C minor, WoO 2, "F-A-E" — For violin and piano
- String Quartet no. 1 in C minor, op. 51 no. 1
- String Quartet no. 2 in A minor, op. 51 no. 2
- String Quintet no. 1 in F major, op. 88
- String Sextet no. 2 in G major, op. 36
- Violin Sonata no. 2 in A major, op. 100
- Violin Sonata no. 3 in D minor, op. 108
- Vocal
- ● Ein deutsches Requiem, op. 45 — For soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra
- Alto Rhapsody, op. 53 — For alto, male chorus and orchestra
- Liebeslieder Walzes, op. 52 — Songs
- Songs, op. 17 — For female chorus, two horns and harp
- Ave Maria, op. 12 — For female chorus and orchestra
- Balladen und Romanzen, op. 75 — Songs
- Begräbnisgesang, op. 13 — Song
- Canons, op. 113
- Dem dunkeln Schoß der heil'gen Erde, WoO 20
- Der Gang zum Liebchen — Song
- Deutsche Volksliede, WoO38 — Songs
- Deutsche Volkslieder, WoO 33 — Songs
- Deutsche Volkslieder, WoO 34 — Songs
- Deutsche Volkslieder, WoO 37 — Songs
- Duets, op. 20 — Songs
- Duets, op. 28 — Songs
- Duets, op. 61 — Songs
- Duets, op. 66 — Songs
- Fest- und Gedenksprüche, op. 109 — Motets
- Four Serious Songs, op. 121
- Gedichte, op. 19 — Songs
- Geistliches Lied, op. 30 — Song
- German Folk Songs, WoO 35
- German Folk Songs, WoO32
- Gesang der Parzen, op. 89 — For mixed chorus and orchestra
- Gesänge, op. 104 — Songs
- Gesänge, op. 3 — Songs
- Gesänge, op. 43 — Songs
- Gesänge, op. 6 — Songs
- Gesänge, op. 69 — Songs
- Gesänge, op. 7 — Songs
- Gesänge, op. 70 — Songs
- Gesänge, op. 71 — Songs
- Gesänge, op. 91 — Songs
- Grausam erweiset sich Amor, WoO 24 — Song
- In dieser Welt des Trugs und Scheins, WoO 27 — Song
- Kleine Hochzeitskantate, WoO 16 — Cantata
- Kyrie in G minor, WoO 17
- Lieder und Gesänge, op. 32 — Songs
- Lieder und Gesänge, op. 57 — Songs
- Lieder und Gesänge, op. 58 — Songs
- Lieder und Gesänge, op. 59 — Songs
- Lieder und Gesänge, op. 63 — Songs
- Lieder und Romanzen, op. 14 — Songs
- Lieder, op. 105 — Songs
- Lieder, op. 106 — Songs
- Lieder, op. 107 — Songs
- Lieder, op. 46 — Songs
- Lieder, op. 47 — Songs
- Lieder, op. 48 — Songs
- Lieder, op. 49 — Songs
- Lieder, op. 62 — Songs
- Lieder, op. 72 — Songs
- Lieder, op. 85 — Songs
- Lieder, op. 86 — Songs
- Lieder, op. 94 — Songs
- Lieder, op. 95 — Songs
- Lieder, op. 96 — Songs
- Lieder, op. 97 — Songs
- Marienlieder, op. 22 — Songs
- Mir lächelt kein Frühling, WoO 25 — Canon
- Missa Canonica, WoO 18
- Mondnacht, WoO 21 — Song
- Motets, op. 110
- Motets, op. 29
- Motets, op. 74
- Neue Liebeslieder Waltzes, op. 65 — Songs
- Nänie, op. 82 — For mixed chorus and orchestra
- O wie sanft!, WoO 26 — Canon
- Ophelia Lieder, WoO 22 — Song cycle
- Psalm 13, op. 27 — For female chorus, organ and strings
- Quartets, op. 112 — Songs
- Quartets, op. 31 — Songs
- Quartets, op. 64 — Songs
- Quartets, op. 92 — Songs
- Regenlied, WoO 23 — Song
- Rinaldo, op. 50 — Cantata
- Romances, op. 33, "Magelone Lieder" — Song cycle
- Romanzen und Lieder, op. 84 — Songs
- Sacred choruses, op. 37
- Schicksalslied, op. 54 — For chorus and orchestra
- Songs and Romances, op. 44
- Songs and romances, op. 93a
- Songs, op. 104
- Songs, op. 41
- Songs, op. 42
- Tafellied, op. 93b — Song
- Triumphlied, op. 55 — Cantata for baritone, chorus, and orchestra
- Töne, lindernder Klang!, WoO 28 — Canon
- Volks-Kinderlieder, WoO 31 — Songs
- Wann?, WoO 29 — Canon
- Zigeunerlieder, op. 103 — Songs
- Zu Rauch mus werden, WoO 30 — Canon
- Orchestral
- ● Piano Concerto no. 2 in B flat major, op. 83
- ● Symphony no. 3 in F major, op. 90
- ● Symphony no. 4 in E minor, op. 98
- ● Violin Concerto in D major, op. 77
- ● Academic Festival Overture, op. 80
- Double Concerto in A minor, op. 102 — For violin, cello and orchestra
- Piano Concerto no. 1 in D minor, op. 15
- Serenade no. 1 in D major, op. 11
- Serenade no. 2 in A major, op. 16
- Symphony no. 1 in C minor, op. 68
- Symphony no. 2 in D major, op. 73
- Tragic Overture, op. 81
- Variations on a Theme of Haydn, op. 56a
- Keyboard
- ● Hungarian Dances, WoO 1
- Ballades, op. 10
- Intermezzos, op. 117
- Piano Sonata no. 3 in F minor, op. 5
- Rhapsodies, op. 79
- Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, op. 24
- Choral Prelude and Fugue in A minor, WoO 7
- Choral Preludes, op. 122 — For organ
- Exercises, WoO 6
- Fantasias, op. 116
- Fugue in A flat minor, WoO 8
- Gigues, WoO 4
- Klavierstücke, op. 118
- Klavierstücke, op. 119
- Klavierstücke, op. 76
- Piano Sonata no. 1 in C major, op. 1
- Piano Sonata no. 2 in F sharp minor, op. 2
- Prelude and Fugue in A minor, WoO 9
- Prelude and Fugue in G minor, WoO 10
- Sarabandes, WoO 5
- Scherzo in E flat minor, op. 4
- Sonata for 2 Pianos in F minor, op. 34b
- Variations on a Hungarian Melody, op. 21 no. 2
- Variations on a Theme by Haydn, op. 56b — Version for 2 pianos
- Variations on a Theme by Paganini, op. 35
- Variations on a Theme by Schumann, op. 23 — For piano 4 hands
- Variations on a Theme by Schumann, op. 9
- Variations on an Original Theme, op. 21 no. 1
- Waltzes, op. 39