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Johannes Brahms - Famous works

Manuscript page from Johannes Brahms’s Alto Rhapsody, Op. 53, showing the composer’s dense notation and complex musical texture.
A densely written manuscript by Brahms, from Alto Rhapsody, Op. 53, reflecting his intense contrapuntal thinking and meticulous compositional style.

Johannes Brahms occupies a central place in 19th-century music, balancing classical structural discipline with deep Romantic expressiveness. His works reveal an extraordinary command of form, counterpoint, and thematic development, combined with a profound emotional intensity.
Below is a curated selection of Brahms’s most significant works, grouped by genre.


Symphonies:

  • Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68
  • Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73
  • Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90
  • Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98

Orchestral music:

  • Variations on a Theme by Haydn ("Saint Anthony Variations"), Op. 56a
  • Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80
  • Tragic Overture, Op. 81

Concertante works:

  • Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15
  • Piano Concerto No. 2 in B♭ major, Op. 83
  • Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77
  • Double Concerto in A minor for violin and cello, Op. 102

Choral and Vocal music:

  • Ein deutsches Requiem ("A German Requiem"), Op. 45
  • Rinaldo, cantata, Op. 50
  • Rhapsody ("Alto Rhapsody"), Op. 53

Piano music:


Chamber music:

  • String Sextet No. 2 in G major, Op. 36
  • Cello Sonata No. 1 in E minor, Op. 38
  • Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78
  • Τρίο σε Λα ελάσσονα, Έργο 114
  • Clarinet Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 120
  • Clarinet Sonata No. 2 in E♭ major, Op. 120

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