Brahms and the Schumanns

[Quijote]

A touching article from The Guardian about the relationship between the Schumanns and Brahms.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/20...-the-schumanns

And two pieces referred to in the article:

1) Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Schumann, Op.9
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVLGC4tE0mw

2) Clara Schumann - Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann, op. 20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARLarxK7ckk

Well worth comparing the two.

[Quijote]

There is quite a difference between Clara Schumann's work and Brahms' offering: both quite "beautiful" but I have to say Clara sounds very much like a series of etudes and not nearly as adventurous as the Brahms. What do you think?

[Peter]

There is quite a difference between Clara Schumann's work and Brahms' offering: both quite "beautiful" but I have to say Clara sounds very much like a series of etudes and not nearly as adventurous as the Brahms. What do you think?

Yes I agree. Clara was definitely a talented composer but her offering is rather academic and imitative, lacking any real originality - I find this goes for all her compositions. Contrasted with the Brahms, you have a work by an accomplished master just 21 years of age, which displays the Brahmsian chordal textures and cross rhythms and adventurous harmonic shifts that are common in his works - no wonder the Schumanns were so impressed by the young man! Regarding the Schumann article in 'New paths' it was my understanding that actually Brahms was not pleased by it and found it put too heavy a burden on him to live up to at that time.

[Sorrano]

Thanks for posting that, Quijote! An added note on that (pun intended), Brahm's 3rd Symphony appears to be a tribute to Schumann. Note that there are thematic similarities with Schumann's Rhenish Symphony, especially in the last movement.