Brahms Symphony No.3 Programme Note

Many music lovers will prefer the titanic military group of the scratch symphony orchestra orchestra others the untroubled charm of the second, but the third strikes me at being artistically the most nearly perfect. Edward Hanslick, music critic. Brahms third symphony was long awaited by his fans, after a six course break from his second symphony. It is neither forceful, nor charming. It is a strange, non-traditional work. Its opening is reminiscent of Schumanns Rhenish, making us wonder, why? Is it an homage to his friend? Or is it yet another alleged reference to Clara Schumann?The premier was one to remember. On December 2nd, 1883, under the conducting of Hans Richter, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra debuted the symphony to fans and hecklers alike. Even with the devastation of long meter enemy Richard Wagner the feud lingered on. Wagner fans chose that night to attempt an interference. However, it was unfulfilled and the show was a hit. After the premier, Brahms polished the score several quantify before releasing a final copy in whitethorn of 1884. There are many strange attributes to this relatively fiddling piece.The first obvious one is the third movement it is a poco allegretto, which is unusual for the time period. The other is the repeated use of an F- Ab F actor, which gives a minuscule sound that is completely surprising. The motive (F Ab F) is said to be derived from a saying of Brahms close friend Joseph Joachim, Free, but lonely or Frei aber einsam. victorious the first three letters of each word you get F- A- E. This short motive Brahms, Schumann and Dietrich used to compose a violin sonata in adore of their friend.Brahms later declared himself Free, but happy or Frei aber froh. This gives us the motive F A F. Why, then, does Brahms choose to use an Ab rather of inborn A? Probably because the Ab gives his harmony a nontraditional sound. instead of the regular fit in progression he uses an F major fit in to a diminished 7th. This should resolve to a C major, but instead it goes back to F major. It then slides to an F minor chord, and then to an unexpected Db minor chord before another diminished 7th, at last resolving to C major, as it should.This motive is heard throughout the symphony, whether instead obvious as in the first three bars, or in the bass line as in bars 4-6. This unusual chord progression also explains why the last movement is in F minor, instead of the expected F major. The final movement of this piece leads you to guess of dark, dramatic struggle due to the F minor. Rather than a sad ending, he lets the clouds part and brings back the motive of F Ab F, and finishes his symphony as it began.The finale is lyrical, passionate and rich in melody. The motive is quoted besides before the recapitulation and the symphony ends very peacefully. Julie White Symphony none 3, Free Scores at The International Music Score subroutine library Project. Leonard Burkat notes for the 1998 re cording (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra) Kamien R, (2000) Johannes Brahms. In Music An Appreciation (9th edition, P. 352) McGraw- Hill Walter Frisch. Brahms The quaternary Symphonies, New Haven Yale University Press (2003) 91 114