Symphony No. 4 E minor [antikvár]

BRAHMS, SYMPHONY NO 4, E MINOR, OP. 98 By the summer of 1883 Brahms had finished his third Symphony; the following summer, which he spent in Miirz-zuschlag, was spent chiefly in writing the fourth. On Aug. 19«h 1884 he mentioned it to his Beriin publisher, Fritz Simrock, after detailing certain vocal works which he had sent to his copyist, including a lively sixpart Chorus with Piano (the Drinking Glee for his friends in Crefeld, op. 93b.) Brahms adds:—"But I think I shall have lo use larger-staved paper." By this he could only mean that he was at work on a more important orchestral work. But when he returned to Vienna on Oct. 16lh he had completed no more than the first movement and the Andante of the new Symphony, both of which he kept secret, showing them to neither Clara Schumann nor Elisabeth von Herzogenberg, though both had heard of them and asked to see them, the latter repeatedly. The work was not brought to a conclusion until the summer ol 1885 when Brahms was back again in Miirzzuschlag, the Finale being written belore the Scherzo, as we learn from the Brahms Calendar. Rememb jringPrau von Herzogenberg's request Brahms wrote to her as follows (Aug. 29»h):—"Shall I send you a piece of a piece of me, and have you time to look at it and report? In general pieces by me are unfortunately more pleasant than I am myself and require less correction 1 But in the field of work No. 428 I am speaking of the cherries that do not grow ripe and sweet to the taste — If you do not like the thing, don't hesitate to say so. I am not anxious to write a bad Nfi 4." Naturally Frau von Herzogenberg begged Brahms to send her the Symphony, which he did with the request that the composition, which consisted of the first movement and the first page of the Andante, should be played to Madame Schumann. This also was duly done, but under difficult circumstances. From a report on the work written by Frau von Herzogenberg Brahms received the mistaken impression that it did not please her, but was oveijoyed to hear later, in detail, of the great impression the movement had made upon such a musical woman, whose opinion he valued so highly. Early in Sept. 1885 Brahms wrote to Hans von Bulow, who, since he had been appointed conductor at Meiningen, had taken extraordinary interest in the composer's orchestral works. The letter ran: — "Dear Friend I Unfortunately the Piano Concerto which I should have liked to write has come to nothing. I do not know whether the two others are too good or loo bad, but they certainly act as a hindrance to me. However, I have a few Enlractes instead — which together form what is called a Symphony. On tour with the Meiningen Orchestra I have olten pictured to myself the pleasure it would give me to rehearse