Brahms: 4 Serious Songs, Op.121

Introduction

Vier ernste Gesänge (Four Serious Songs), Op. 121, is a cycle of four songs for bass and piano by Johannes Brahms. He composed the work in Vienna in 1896 and dedicated it to Max Klinger.

History

Between 1865 and 1868, as a young man, Brahms had composed Ein deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem), dealing with death, based on a compilation of biblical quotations in Luther's translation. He wrote Vier ernste Gesänge late in life, again on words from the Bible. His friend Clara Schumann had suffered a stroke on 26 March 1896. Brahms completed the composition of this set of songs, his last, by his birthday on 7 May that year, in anticipation of her death.

The texts of the first three songs are taken from the Old Testament and deal with death, the transience of life and oppression. The text of the fourth song is taken from the New Testament and is focused on faith, hope and charity.

The original titles:

1. Denn es gehet dem Menschen wie dem Vieh (Prediger Salomo, Kap. 3)
2. Ich wandte mich, und sahe an (Prediger Salomo, Kap. 4)
3. O Tod, wie bitter bist du (Jesus Sirach, Kap. 41)
4. Wenn ich mit Menschen- und mit Engelszungen (S. Pauli an die Corinther I., Kap. 13)

The Bible sources:

1. Denn es gehet dem Menschen (It is for a person as it is for an animal) from Ecclesiastes (Ecclesiastes 3:19–22)
2. Ich wandte mich, und sahe an (I turned and looked upon everyone) from Ecclesiastes (Ecclesiastes 4:1–3)
3. O Tod, wie bitter bist du (O death, how bitter you are) from Sirach (Sirach 41:1–2)
4. Wenn ich mit Menschen (If I speak with the tongues of humans and angels) from First Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 13:1–3,12–13)

The songs were published by Simrock in 1896. Brahms dedicated them to Max Klinger. Written for a low voice, they were also transcribed for high voice. They have been orchestrated by Detlev Glanert (whose orchestration adds linking preludes) and Günter Raphael.

Premiere

The first performance was given in Vienna on 9 November 1896 in the presence of the composer, by two Dutch artists: the baritone Anton Sistermans and the 20-year-old pianist Coenraad V. Bos. Brahms came backstage and thanked Sistermans and Bos for the performance, which he said "perfectly realised [his] intentions".

Two weeks later, Bos accompanied Raimund von zur-Mühlen in the four songs. Zur-Mühlen could not achieve the final diminuendo as marked in the score, so he instructed Bos to continue the crescendo after the vocal line finished and end the work fff rather than the p that Brahms had indicated. Later, zur-Mühlen spoke to Brahms and said he hoped he didn't mind this diversion from the score. Brahms replied "You sang them magnificently. I did not notice anything wrong".

Structure

In the following table, the key is that of the original composition, marking and time are also given. The links to separate scores provide the version for high voice.

No.	Beginning of text	Marking	Key	Time
1	Denn es gehet dem Menschen	Andante	D minor	4 4
2	Ich wandte mich, und sahe an	Andante	G minor	3 4
3	O Tod, wie bitter bist du	Grave	E minor	3 2
4	Wenn ich mit Menschen	Andante con moto et anima	E♭ major	4 4