The eight essays in Brahms Studies 2 provide a rich sampling of contemporary Brahms research. In his examination of editions of Brahms?s music, George Bozarth questions the popular notion that most of the composer?s music already exists in reliable critical editions. Daniel Beller-McKenna reconsiders the younger Brahms?s involvement in musical politics at midcentury. The cantata Rinaldo is the centerpiece of Carol Hess?s consideration of Brahms?s music as autobiographical statement. Heather Platt?s exploration of the twentieth-century reception of Brahms?s Lieder reveals that advocates of Hugo Wolf?s aesthetics have shaped the discourse concerning the composer?s songs and calls for an approach more clearly based on Brahms?s aesthetics. In his examination of the rise of the ?great symphony? as a critical category that carried with it a nearly impossible standard to meet, Walter Frisch provides a rich context in which to understand Brahms?s well-known early struggle with the genre. Kenneth Hull suggests that Brahms used ironic allusions to Bach and Beethoven in the tragic Fourth Symphony in order to subvert the enduring assumption that a minor-key symphony will end triumphantly in the major mode. Peter H. Smith examines Brahms?s late style by concentrating on Neapolitan tonal relations in the Clarinet Sonata in F Minor. Finally, David Brodbeck delineates the complex evolution of Brahms?s reception of Mendels-sohn?s music.

A publication of the American Brahms Society, Brahms Studies publishes essays on the life, work, and artistic milieu of Johannes Brahms. Each volume collects the best in Brahms scholarship, including criticism, analysis, theory, biography, archival and documentary studies, and translations of important studies that have appeared in foreign languages.

Examines the broad range of current Brahms research, including documentary studies, historical and critical essays, and case studies of individuals works

Half of these twelve original essays by international authorities are critical analyses of Brahm's music, while the remainder discuss influences, the reception of his music and his place in history.

Brahms composed these melodic finger exercises for use in preparation for performing his more challenging piano works. They encompass a great many technical problems found in piano music composed up to and including the Romantic period. Great emphasis is placed on finger independence as well as on the total independence of hands.

Daniel Gregory Mason's book 'From Grieg to Brahms: Studies of Some Modern Composers and Their Art' is a comprehensive analysis of the works of Grieg, Brahms, and other modern composers, exploring their artistic styles and influences. Mason's writing is characterized by meticulous research and insightful commentary, making this book a valuable resource for music enthusiasts and scholars alike. By delving into the cultural and historical contexts in which these composers created their masterpieces, Mason offers readers a deeper understanding of the music of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His discussions of specific compositions provide a nuanced interpretation of the emotions and ideas expressed through the music. Daniel Gregory Mason, a respected musicologist and composer himself, brings a unique perspective to the study of these composers, drawing on his own experiences in the music industry and academic research. In 'From Grieg to Brahms,' Mason's expertise and passion for music shine through, making this book a must-read for anyone interested in the evolution of classical music and the creative processes of renowned composers.

Despite the incredible diversity in Brahms's scherzo-type movements, there has been no comprehensive consideration of this aspect of his oeuvre. Professor Ryan McClelland provides an in-depth study of these movements that also contributes significantly to an understanding of Brahms's compositional language and his creative dialogue with musical traditions. McClelland especially highlights the role of rhythmic-metric design in Brahms's music and its relationship to expressive meaning. In Brahms's scherzo-type movements, McClelland traces transformations of primary thematic material, demonstrating how the relationship of the initial music to its subsequent versions creates a musical narrative that provides structural coherence and generates expressive meaning. McClelland's interpretations of the expressive implications of Brahms's fascinatingly intricate musical structures frequently engage issues directly relevant to performance. This illuminating book will appeal to music theorists, musicologists working on nineteenth-century instrumental music and performers.