Brahms as a Musicologist

Author(s): Karl Geiringer

Source: The Musical Quarterly, Vol. 69, No. 4 (Autumn, 1983), pp. 463-470
Published by: Oxford University Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/741976
Accessed: 25-03-2018 11:48 UTC

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide
range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and
facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at
http://about.jstor.org/terms

Oxford University Press is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access
to The Musical Quarterly

This content downloaded from 62.37.57.148 on Sun, 25 Mar 2018 11:48:42 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
 UL E

,0
FALL, 1983 Vol. LXIX, No. 4
?SCHITRM-E_

THE MUSICAL
QUARTERLY

Brahms as a Musicologist
KARL GEIRINGER

IT is a well-known fact that Brahms's music is firm

the art of the past. Although he belongs to the pion
nineteenth-century composers displaying progressive, a
tionary features in many of his works, he never loses
earlier times. From Palestrina and Schuitz to Beethoven, Sc
Schumann we find a long row of great masters who at tim
godfathers to some of Brahms's compositions.
However, not only as a composer did Brahms gain i
from works of earlier times. In everyday life, while
general interests, he felt strongly attracted to the history
to the men who were engaged in musicological researc
Philipp Spitta,2 the great Bach biographer; Friedrich Chry

1 See my "Brahms als Musikhistoriker" in Johannes Brahms Festschrift

11; and I. Fellinger, "Brahms und die Musik vergangener Epochen" in W
Ausbreitung des Historismus iOber die Musik (Regensburg, 1969), p. 147. I
helpful suggestions to Margit L. McCorkle, author of a monumental catal
works, to be published at the end of 1983.
2 See C. Krebs, Johannes Brahms im Briefwechsel mit Philipp Spitta (B
Spitta's beautiful essay "Johannes Brahms" in Zur Musik (Berlin, 1892), pp. 38
s See my "Brahms and Chrysander" in Monthly Musical Record (1937),

463

This content downloaded from 62.37.57.148 on Sun, 25 Mar 2018 11:48:42 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
464 The Musical Quarterly

Handel scholar; and, most of all, the triad of Vi

Martin Gustav Nottebohm, who did pioneer w
sketches; Carl Ferdinand Pohl, author of the f
biography; and Brahms's ever-devoted discip
Eusebius Mandyczewski--Pohl's successor as cur
tions of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde-who
work on the collected editions of Schubert, Hay
Brahms's connection with these scholars went fa
personal relationship. Their books occupied pla
library, and sentences he underlined as well as rem
the margins testify to the thoroughness of his stu
almost passionate attention the articles in the L
Musikalische Zeitung, in Fritzsch's Musikalische
most of all, the scholarly reports in the Vierteljah
wissenschaft. When discussing a musicological
express himself with a warmth unusual to this
man. His large collection of books and music,4 whi
last will became in its entirety the property of
Musikfreunde in Vienna, contained the most im
works by music scholars such as Adlung, Albr
Fux, Gerber, Hiller, Keller, Kirnberger, Marpurg (
Mattheson, Scheibe, and Walther. Equally comp
collection of earlier music. J. S. Bach is represente
very rare contemporary printed editions and
manuscript copies revealing various entries in
hand. He possessed precious early prints of Gluc
than three different editions of Domenico Scarlatti's Sonatas: an old
Spanish print, a comprehensive Italian copy, and a newer print edited
by Czerny. He systematically collected the first editions of works by
Haydn, Mozart, and Schubert. He owned such a great amount of
music by Mozart and Beethoven that he was able to dispense with the
collected editions of these composers' works. On the other hand, he
could not obtain quickly enough each new published volume of the
monumental editions of the works of Bach, Handel, and Schuitz.
When leaving for the country in the summer, he never forgot to ask his

4 See Karl and Irene Geiringer, "The Brahms Library in the Gesellschaft der Musik-
freunde" in Notes (September, 1973), p. 7; and Virginia L. Hancock, "Brahms and His Library of
Early Music: The Effects of His Study of Renaissance and Baroque Music on His Choral
Writing" (Ann Arbor, UMI, 1977).

This content downloaded from 62.37.57.148 on Sun, 25 Mar 2018 11:48:42 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
 Brahms as Musicologist 465

loyal helper Mandyczewski immediately to forward

to him.5
In order to expand the historical section of his music collection,
Brahms was also willing to copy personally earlier music in which he
was particularly interested, thus achieving a manuscript collection of
staggering size. It comprised compositions by Ahle, Ammerbach, J. S.
Bach, Caldara, Calvisius, Cesti, Cherubini, Corsi, Demantius,
Durante, Frescobaldi, Giovanni Gabrieli, Gallus, Handel, Hassler,
Haydn, Judenkuning, Lassus, Lotti, Mattheson, Mozart, Palestrina,
Praetorius, Regnard, Rovetta, Scandellus, Schubert, Schuitz, and Senfl.
There is also a large collection of folksongs and a variety of Classical
canons. Brahms's friends were aware of his collecting zeal and eagerly
supported this hobby. Joseph Joachim had a sacred composition by
Friedemann Bach copied for him in the Berlin Library. Clara Schu-
mann herself copied half a dozen pieces by Palestrina and Eccard. The
Philharmonic Society in Karlsruhe, eager to present Brahms with a
suitable gift after a splendid performance of his Ein deutsches Re-
quiem, felt it would be most appropriate to give him a five-volume
score of Georg Forster's Aussbund sch6iner teutscher Liedlein, a mon-
umental collection of sixteenth-century German songs.
These musicological interests induced Brahms also to assemble a
sizable collection of autographs by great composers. He gradually
managed to acquire an assortment of singularly important original
manuscripts, including Mozart's great G-minor Symphony (both the
original version and the later addition of clarinet parts); all six Sun
Quartets, Opus 20, by Haydn; more than sixty sheets of sketches by
Beethoven; various songs (among them Schubert's Der Wanderer and
Der Hirt); German dances and Ecossaises by Schubert; the famous
double or rather triple autograph with entries by Beethoven on the
front and of Schubert on the rear, to which Brahms added in his own
hand "Joh(anne)s Brahms im April 1872"; the first version of Schu-
mann's D-minor Symphony, as well as his Ouverture, Scherzo, und
Finale and Davidsbiindlertianze; and smaller compositions by Berlioz,
Chopin, Wagner, and many other composers.
For Brahms, collecting itself was never the main purpose; it was
merely a means to an end. The autographs, handwritten copies, and
early prints enabled him to make a thorough study of the respective

5 See my "Johannes Brahms im Briefwechsel mit Eusebius Mandyczewski" in Zeitschrift

fiar Musikwissenschaft (1932-33), p. 337.

This content downloaded from 62.37.57.148 on Sun, 25 Mar 2018 11:48:42 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
466 The Musical Quarterly

works. He followed the general trend of music

source material in his possession to correct the
library and restore the original text, thus freeing i
and additions. A substantial number of newer ed
containing corrections in his hand testify to his
to obtain the authentic version of each work jus
written it down. To achieve such a degree of authe
course, not merely rely on material he owned. At
great libraries of Austria and Germany in order to
source material. Not only notes that deviated fr
also phrasing signs and staccato dots were scrup
the modern scores of compositions which particula
When we examine such a volume from Brahms'
be the miniature score of Haydn's string quartets
Ferdinand Schubert of his brother's A-flat major M
revised on the basis of a comparison with the auto
the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde-we might be
this the work of a pedantic scholar rather than tha
Related to Brahms's philological interests in t
music is the curious collection of more than 100 ex
parallel fifths and octaves that his discerning e
compositions of earlier masters.' He found them in
than two dozen composers starting with Lassus,
and proceeding as far as Schumann and Bizet. I
bling his selections, Brahms certainly did not inte
curiosities and oddities. He seemed to have con
thorough theoretical study on the topic. This is re
ing of the progressions in various categories m
"good," "expressive," "characteristic," but also "
"false."

While Brahms's study of parallel fifths and octaves did not really
proceed beyond the stage of collecting material-and the corrections
he made in the music scores of his library were intended for his private
use only-we know of many instances when his philological scrutiny
also bore fruit for others. Quite amazing is the large number of works
by composers that he edited with scrupulous attention to details,
while he was involved in creative work of his own. It has been said of

6 See H. Schenker, Johannes Brahms, Oktaven und Quinten (Vienna, 1933); and P. Mast
Brahms' Study, "Oktaven und Quinten"; with Schenker's Commentary translated, Music Fo-
rum, V (1980), 1.

This content downloaded from 62.37.57.148 on Sun, 25 Mar 2018 11:48:42 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
 Brahms as Musicologist 467

Wagner that he found relaxation from one type of work by

ing his full energy on a different task. The same mig
Brahms. He edited Friedemann Bach's F-major Sonata for
as well as two of C. P. E. Bach's Violin Sonatas in B minor and C
minor.7 For Chrysander's Collected Edition of Handel's works,'
provided thirteen chamber duets and two tercets. Together with Ch
sander he also edited four volumes of keyboard compositions
Couperin.9 He edited Mozart's Offertory Venite populi, K. 260,10
revised the Requiem for the Mozart Collected Edition, establish
through the most careful scrutiny of Mozart's handwriting the orig
nal version free of Siissmayer's later additions. Of Schubert's works
edited twenty Laindler, twelve German Dances, and three Ecossai
using as a basis the original manuscripts in his possession; I more
he undertook the revision of all the Schubert symphonies for
Collected Edition. He participated also in the publication of the p
score of Schubert's Mass in E-flat major and of the three piano piece
in E-flat minor, E-flat major, and C major.12 Moreover, he collabora
in the Chopin Collected Edition, particularly Volumes III, VIII,
and XIII. He edited two of Schumann's piano pieces and advised
Clara Schumann concerning the publication of her husband's works;
he was also responsible for the supplement to the Collected Schumann
Edition. Brahms served on the board of the Leipzig Bach Society
which had set itself the goal of publishing all of Bach's works, and he
was a member of the commissions for the.publication of Denkmaler
Deutscher Tonkunst and Denkmailer der Tonkunst in Osterreich
which resurrected forgotten great works of the past. It should als
mentioned that Brahms scrupulously revised the texts of folk
before incorporating them into his collection of seven-times-s
songs. His correspondence with Spitta and Mandyczewski cl
proves that Brahms was not exaggerating when he describe
7 According to Brahms's wish, these three works by sons of Bach were published wi
any mention of the editor's name. Even after Brahms's death his name did not appear o
music.
8 The Collected Editions of the works of Chopin, Handel, Mozart, Schubert, and
mann were published by Breitkopf & Hirtel, Leipzig.
9 Published by Augener & Co., London.
10 Brahms performed the work in a concert of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreu
December, 1872, and had it published simultaneously by J. P. Gotthard Vienna (again wi
any mention of his name). Cf. O. Biba, Johannes Brahms in Wien, Catalogue of the
exhibition of.the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde (Vienna, 1983), p. 32.
1 Published by J. P. Gotthard, Vienna.
12 The Schubert Mass and the three piano pieces were published by Rieter-Bieder
Winterthur.

This content downloaded from 62.37.57.148 on Sun, 25 Mar 2018 11:48:42 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
468 The Musical Quarterly
editions of German folksongs as a kind of attack against the wor
Franz Magnus Bohme and "those other lease-holders of the Ge
folksong."
Brahms certainly did not take the revisions of earlier music lightly.
This is apparent, for instance, on examination of a copy of Chopin's
Mazurkas prepared by Brahms for the Collected Edition and preserved
in the archives of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde. The sheets
covered with corrections in black, blue, and red look like a battlefield
The zeal he displayed in this largely anonymous activity explains t
great respect with which publishers and scholars alike regarded h
editorial activities.
Of particular interest are those editions that Brahms prepared
which-like the Handel chamber duets and tercets-contain a con-
tinuo part realized by the editor himself. Brahms's method of pro
ing a continuo part is particularly well suited to this kind of Baro
music, and it is not surprising that the great Bach expert Sp
requested Brahms's continuos for his own performances of the Th
as cantor's works. Without attempting artificial modernizati
without taking any uncalled-for liberties, the realization prov
calm and simple, yet always spirited accompaniment. With ex
taste Brahms steers a middle course, avoiding both an overly busy
dry accompaniment. His realizations of the thoroughbass suppo
voices of the singers and enrich the composition. It is most intere
to observe the development of Brahms's technique in realizing
tinuo parts. This can be done with the help of the seven chamber
and two tercets by Handel which were printed in 1870 and reissue
years later in a second edition corrected by Brahms. In this later ve
Brahms succeeded through tiny alterations in achieving a more
ral flow and a livelier character of the accompaniment.
The best means of promoting works of early music so dear to h
were offered to Brahms through his activity as a conductor in Vi
It enabled him to reach even a wider circle than through his edito
work. The very first concert he conducted as "choirmaster" o
Vienna Singakademie began with a cantata by J. S. Bach. In the
concert he went a step further, for he presented in addition to an
Bach cantata compositions by Johannes Eccard, Heinrich Schi
Giovanni Gabrieli, and Giovanni Rovetta. On the third evenin
presented Bach's Christmas Oratorio. Though in later years Br
did--for practical reasons-not dare to offer such one-sided progra
the concerts he conducted for the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde still
clearly reveal his predilection for older music. In the eighteen concerts

This content downloaded from 62.37.57.148 on Sun, 25 Mar 2018 11:48:42 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
 Brahms as Musicologist 469

he directed between 1872 and 1875, five works by

Bach, and one each by Ahle, Gallus, Isaac, and Eccard w
Thus two-thirds of the concerts presented music by e
Brahms's highly significant activity as a conductor of
is documented by a number of scores carefully pr
partly copied by him. The archives of the Gesellsc
freunde possess a number of scores with many entr
include: J. S. Bach's cantatas No. 4 (Christ lag in T
50 (Nun ist das Heil), No. 34 (O ewiges Feuer), and
Gott, wann werd' ich sterben); G. F. Handel's orato
omon, and Alexander's Feast as well as the Detting
the Organ Concerto in D minor. Similarly, the archive
Singakademie contained scores adapted by Brahms o
No. 21 (Ich hatte viel Bekiimmernis) and No. 8.' Moreover, the
Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde owns several concert arrangements of
short compositions copied entirely by Brahms, among them Bach's
chorale "Es ist genug" from cantata No. 60 (O Ewigkeit du Donner-
wort), Johann Rudolf Ahle's Es ist genug,'4 Palestrina's Missa Papae
Marcelli, and Giovanni Rovetta's Salve Regina. Taken together, these
various compositions provide an excellent idea of Brahms's way of
performing works of the Renaissance and the Baroque periods. He
avoided modernizations of the instrumentation of the kind frequently
practiced during the nineteenth century, while his profound under-
standing of the spirit of earlier music induced him to limit the number
of instruments accompanying a solo voice. On the other hand,
Brahms did not observe an orthodox archaistic point of view. If the
composer's original intentions could be better expressed with the help
of tiny changes in the orchestration, Brahms did not hesitate to pre-
scribe them. For example, at the beginning of Handel's Organ Con-
certo in D minor he enriched the sound of the divided cellos and
double basses by adding violas. He abhorred a stiff and lifeless prese
tation of earlier music. His dynamics were well shaded and flex
There are effective contrasts as well as subtle transitions. Most of a
he was very fond of small crescendos and decrescendos. In this inte
pretation of sixteenth- to eighteenth-century music the lively,

13 The archives of the Vienna Singakademie were for the most part destroyed in June, 197
Bach's Cantata No. 8 was, however, one of the few items that survived.
14 Brahms's adaptation of Ahle's Es ist genug and of Bach's chorale harmonization of
same tune was edited by me in the May, 1933, issue of Zeitschrift fiir Musik. See also my a
"Es ist genug, so nimm Herr meinen Geist: 300 years in the History of a Protestant Fu
Song" in G. Reese and R. Brandel, The Commonwealth of Music (New York, 1965), p. 28

This content downloaded from 62.37.57.148 on Sun, 25 Mar 2018 11:48:42 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
 470 The Musical Quarterly

quently changing dynamics most clearly point to

century conductor, and he may have gone further in
would a conductor today. As indicated, special atte
the continuo parts Brahms used in his concerts. T
cantatas Nos. 50, 34, and 8 the printed thoroughb
bears numerous corrections from Brahms's hand. For cantatas No. 21
and 4 he even wrote new continuo parts.'5 These copies-which at
times even prescribe the selection of organ registers--indicate how
important he considered the participation of the continuo instrument
to be. In these works the organ fulfills its fundamental tasks in an
exemplary manner. It supports the performing groups and achieves a
certain amount of independence whenever the voices carrying the
melody fall silent.
Brahms displayed both fervent love for and scholarly interest in the
music of the past, an attitude by no means common among great
composers. His ambivalent nature enabled him to explore new territo-
ries of musical expression, to indulge in unconventional harmonies
with frequent nonharmonic notes, in asymmetric phrases, irregulari-
ties of meter, and complicated rhythmic structures. But at the same
time he never relinquished his firm hold on the noble traditions of
earlier times. For an artist who imbued the traditional forms with a
new spirit, who revived the venerable a cappella motet, whose last
compositions were chorale preludes, the past did not appear anti-
quated; it was a living source of inspiration. Moreover, an innate sense
for tidiness and precision compelled him to establish the correct
version of music that was dear to him. He could not bear to see errors
or misrepresentations in works like a Bach cantata or a Haydn quartet.
In addition a vivid interest in questions of a more theoretical nature
was typical of his searching mind. When he made a list of parallel
fifths and octaves in earlier works he did not aim at discovering small
inadequacies; he did it to find out under what conditions these pro-
gressions, shunned by older theoreticians, were possible or even desir-
able. Impelled by those various motives Brahms developed into a
competent musicologist. He found enrichment and stimulation in
this sideline of his creative work.

15 See M. Kalbeck Johannes Brahms (Berlin, 1908), II p. 99; and the Brahms-Spitta Corre-
spondence, p. 74. The continuo part of Cantata No. 21 was in the archives of the Vienna
Singakademie, that of Cantata No. 4 is preserved in the library of the Gesellschaft der
Musikfreunde.

This content downloaded from 62.37.57.148 on Sun, 25 Mar 2018 11:48:42 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms