RECOLLECTIONS OF JOHANNES BRAHMS RECOLLECTIONS OF JOHANNES BRAHMS
BY ALBERT DIETRICH AND J. V. WIDMANN Translated by DORA E. HECHT
NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNERS SONS IS3-I57 FIFTH AVENUE 1899
TRANSLATORS PREFACE IT is now more than two years since the world
was made the poorer by the death of that great musician, Johannes
Brahms, and as yet nothing in the form of a biography has been
published in England. This fact, together with the know ledge that
nowhere has Brahms, the composer, more ardent admirers than in
England, has encouraged the translator to venture to offer to the
English public these two series of 1 Recollections which are the
nearest approach to a biography as yet in existence. Professor
Dietrich, as a member of the group of young musicians who gathered
round Schumann at Dusseldorf, was on most intimate terms with
Brahms during the years immediately following the latters
introduction to the public. The letters carry us, with some
regularity, from the vi TRANS LA TORS PREFA CJS year 1853 up to
1874 whereas Dr J. V. Widmann, an eminent Swiss litterateur, is en
abled to give us some details of the later years of the musicians
life 1886-97. Thus it will be seen that these two little works in
nowise encroach upon one another on the contrary, the one seems to
continue and complete the other. As these c Recollections have
found great favour with the German-speaking lovers of Brahms, the
translator trusts that, in spite of the disadvantages of
translation, the book will give pleasure to the English admirers of
the great composer. D. E. H. November 1899. CONTENTS ALBERT
DIETRICHS RECOLLECTIONS CHAP. PAGE I. BRAHMS AND SCHUMANN ... I II.
LABOR OMNIA VINCIT . . 30 III. VIENNA AND FAME.. . .51 J. V. WI
MANJSTS RECOLLECTIONS CHAP. I. FIRST IMPRESSIONS . . . .89 II. AN
OPERA .... 105 HI. THREE SUMMERS IN THUN . . .119 IV. IN ITALY
..... 146 V. THE LAST YEARS .... 183 RECOLLECTIONS OF JOHANNES
BRAHMS BY ALBERT DIETRICH CHAPTER I BRAHMS AND SCHUMANN IN the
autumn of 1851, having then attained my twenty-second year, I went
to live at Dusseldorf in order to be near Schumann, for whom I had
the deepest veneration. He and his wife received me with . great
kindness, and soon became a daily visitor at their house. Warm
sympathy with the aspirations of young musicians was a leading
feature in Schumanns character, and this explains the enthusiasm
with which, in 1853, he welcomed young Brahms to Dusseldorf.
Joachim had recommended him most warmly, and had also drawn
Schumanns attention to the works of the young genius. Soon after
Brahmss arrival, in September of the same year, Schumann came up to
me at a A 2 BRAHMS AND SCHUMANN practice of our choral society with
an air of mystery, and with a happy smile said, One has come of
whom we shall all hear great things, his name is Johannes Brahms l
And then he led him up to me. The appear ance, as original as
interesting, of the youthful, almost boyish-looking musician, with
his high pitched voice and long, fair hair, made a most attractive
impression upon me. I was particularly struck by the characteristic
energy of the mouth, and the serious depths in his blue eyes.
Brahms then twenty years of age was soon at home in Dusseldorf
circles, especially amongst the artists and their families, and he
was a frequent guest at the houses of Sohn, Lessing, Gude and
Schirmer, 2 and also of the blind Fraulein Leser, an intimate
friend of theSchumanns, at whose house many musical gatherings took
place. His modest and winning manner soon gained all hearts. I have
a particularly lively recollection of one evening-party which took
place, soon after Brahmss arrival, at the house of the hospitable
and music-loving family Euler. Brahms was asked to play, and
executed Bachs Toccata in F major, and his own Scherzo in E flat
minor with wonderful power and mastery 1 Neue Bahnen An
enthusiastic essay about Brahms by Robert Schumann in the Neve
Zeitschrift fur Musik...
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