| Abstract |
The author describes his study as 'an attempt to see and understand Johannes Brahms from the central viewpoint of the second half of the twentieth century'. No comparable work exists. During the composer's lifetime his reputation fluctuated: some saw him as a giant of formidable intellect and originality, perhaps the last major figure in a musical tradition reaching back into the formative years of Western music. Others regarded him as a lyricist, a superb song writer, less satisfactory in large-scale works; or again as a prophet of the music of the future. Critics and scholars may disagree in such matters, yet his influence on music is certainly greater than is generally recognized. This book, the first serious Brahms study to appear in English for twenty years, provides a fresh evaluation of the established facts and a reassessment of his achievement in contemporary terms. Particularly fascinating is the author's detailed analysis of Brahms's position in the period of the 'New Music'. |
