A Requiem Mass is originally a musical setting of the missa pro defuntis.

In the Catholic Church, the Requiem mass is an only performed at funerals as tribute to the dead and their life after death.1 Typically a Requiem Mass is in Latin with very specific sections and text that must be performed. Ein deutsches Requiem is not in Latin, this change is fundamental to how the work was perceived during Brahms life. The creation of Ein deutsches Requiem allows for Brahms expression of his religious beliefs through the text and the musical composition. Ein deutsches Requiem became a pillar of all of Brahms compositions, influenced by other choral compositions, other composers and life events, this creation is unique and greatly advanced Brahms career. Biographical Information Johannes Brahms was born on May 7, 1833 in Hamburg and was the second of three children. He studied violin and cello with his father, Johann Jakob Brahms, from a young age, but yearned to study piano. After realizing that Johannes truly wanted to pursue piano, Johann Jakob Brahms reluctantly took his son to study with Ottol Cossel.2 Shortly after his debut tour, Brahms expressed a desire to compose. Neither Brahms father nor Cossel felt that composition was a viable path for Brahms as they regarded his as a promising performer.3 Fortunately Brahms disregarded their beliefs and pursued composition while networking and ultimately befriended multiple renowned composers. One of his closest and most revered friends was Robert Schumann, with who he studied. The two men and Schumanns wife, Clara, built a friendship and shared their passion for music with one another.

Requiem Mass, Encyclopedia Britannica Online, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/498939/requiemmass, accessed April 3, 2013. 2 Michael Musgrave, A Brahms Reader (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2000), 11-13. 3 Brahms Johannes, Bakers Biographical Dictionary of Music, ed. Laura Kuhn (New York: Schirmer Books, 2001), 427-432.

The relationship between the Schumanns and Brahms transformed when Robert Schumann was admitted to a mental institution. During the time of Roberts institutionalism Brahms and Clara grew closer and developed an even deeper emotional connection.4 Prior to Roberts death Brahms felt it was important to be near Clara and the children to provide emotional support. Brahms also valued Claras insight about his compositions. While composing Ein deutsches Requiem Brahms wrote to Clara about the piece as well as shared segments of the composition with her. Ultimately Clara was the first to see the entire finished work.5 Ein deutsches Requiem

Original Cover from Ein deutsches Requiem photo courtesy of the British Library in London

The motivation to create this work stemmed from the death of his dear friend Robert Schumann in 1856. This idea became more urgent with the death of Brahms mother in 1865.6 The composition allegedly began as a cantata and eventually evolved; the progression from

Donna Getzinger and Daniel Felsenfield, Johannes Brahms and the Twilight of Romanticism (Greensboro, NC: Morgan Reynolds Publishing, 2004), 91. 5 Getzinger, Twilight of Romanticism, 30. 6 Daniel Beller-McKenna, Brahms and the German Spirit (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2004), 65.

single to multi-movement occurred over an extended period time.7 Multiple movements were composed in different areas of Europe, which supports the idea that they were composed over time. 8 For example, the writing of the first movement began in Leipzig, yet movements two and three were composed in Karlsruhe.9 Intending for the Requiem to be a tribute to his mother and friend, Brahms kept this creation close to his heart. He did not share segments with very many people, nor did he ask for feedback from very many of his colleagues. Early performances of Ein deutsches Requiem were only partial performances due to the fact that all seven movements had not been composed. In December of 1867 the first performance of Brahms creation occurred in Vienna. This performance was of movements one through three. Critics of Ein deutsches Requiem attacked Brahms and his work. The Viennese audience did not all take a liking to this choral performance. There were some who thought that this work was a masterpiece; Eduard Hanslick was one of its first supporters. Following this less than desirable response, Brahms conducted movements one through four, six and seven in Bremen, Germany on April 10, 1868. This performance was well received.10 After the fifth movement was added there was another private performance in Germany in September of 1868. All seven movements publicly premiered on February 16, 1869 in Cologne. This performance was conducted by Ferdinand Hiller. Audiences of Cologne and Bremen were very receptive to Brahms creation whereas audiences in Vienna, Leipzig and Munich were not.

Ted Libbey, Appealing To The Masses: Brahms Requiem, Last Modified September 08,2009, http://www.npr.org/2011/07/18/111536889/appealing-to-the-masses-brahms-requiem#. 8 Getzinger, Twilight of Romanticism , 35. 9 Jan Swafford, Johannes Brahms: A Biography (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1997), 306. 10 Nancy Thulen, Ein deutsches Requiem: (Mis)conceptions of the Mass, April 2, 1998, http://www.nthuleen.com/papers/415brahmsprint.html.

A Different Type of Requiem Composers of the 19th century all worked toward creating compositions that would aid future musical exploration. Ein deutsches Requiem is a prime example of compositional individualism. Brahms created this work for himself as a tool to heal and recover from the loss of his mother and one of his musical inspirations. The text of this work was well thought out, carefully assembled, and deliberately accompanied with music that supports in the deliverance of its main ideas. Without bombarding the audience with Lutheran ideals and beliefs, Brahms was able to take his text and create a universally acceptable work with which anyone and everyone who has lost someone can identify. Brahms gives hope to listeners by focusing more on those still alive and coping with the aftermath of the death, rather than those who are dead and their eternal resting place, which is typical of other Requiems. Mozart created a Requiem that followed the standard form. He employed the following sections: Introitus, Kyrie, Dies irae, Offertorium, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei and Lux aeterna. Mozart kept the text identical to the Latin text; however, not all composers did the same. Berlioz, for example, changed some of the text to suit what he needed for the section.11 Berliozs Requiem does demonstrate how a typical Requiem, based on the original Latin, creates a feeling of despair and intense mourning. He uses an extremely large choir and orchestra for his composition, whereas in Ein deutsches Requiem, Brahms had a relatively small orchestra and the number of singers per part is not specified. Berlioz wanted as many performers as he could have. Although Brahms rearranged the text and borrowed from different books of the Lutheran Bible, he did not alter the text itself, only the ordering.

11

Anthony Tommasini, A Soaring Requiem to Fill St. Pauls, New York Times, June 27, 2012.

Another composer who created a Requiem that is nothing like Berliozs or Brahms is Giuseppe Verdi. Verdi used original Latin text for his composition. He wrote for four soloists and composed with the singers that he knew and wanted to perform the debut of his work.12 Verdi omits the Benedictus and adds Libera me as the closing section of his Requiem. These three men composed Requiems in honor of the dead, yet each one has a different focal point within the text. Each composer had his own belief about death and was able to portray that through his music in order to share this belief with religious or non-religious audiences, critics and supporters. The Text Ein deutsches Requiem utilizes text from the Old and New Testaments of the Bible; specifically, from the Lutheran translation of the Bible.13 Brahms also utilized text from the Apocrypha. Although these specific sources are not considered part of the Old or New Testament, Brahms sets part of it right alongside texts which come directly from Bible scripture. Using German rather than traditional Latin for the language of the composition allowed Brahms to distinguish this as a common tribute to the dead instead of a typical Christian based mass. Brahms does not directly refer to Jesus or Christ, by doing so he creates a universal choral work. The resurrection of Christ is also not referenced within the Requiem which allowed for Brahms to speak to all who agree, irrespective of creed.14 Omitting these two aspects make this work less focused on the Christian religion and more focused on the human race in general. Brahms was searching for a way to honor his mother and console himself after her death. He was
12

Marin Alsop, Verdis Requiem: An Opera in Disguise, Last modified June 3, 2011, http://www.npr.org/2001/06/04/136928271/verdis-requiem-an-opera-in-disguise. 13 Paul S. Minear, Death Set to Music: Masterworks by Bach, Brahms, Penderecki, Bernstein (Atlanta, GA: John Knox Press, 1987), 69. 14 Minear, Death Set to Music, 81.

not creating a work that drew specifically from the Christian religion and that interpretation of death and mourning. The text used speaks directly to those left to mourn and grieve the death of their loved ones.15 Discussion of the Movements In Ein deutsches Requiem Brahms employs different musical techniques to create this work which ultimately influenced choral works from the year of its composition onward. The way that Brahms uses different configurations of instruments and voices to depict the text and his overall interpretation of the text is unique. Along with different combinations of instruments Brahms explores extreme dynamic contrast, changes in registers within instruments, and rhythmic manipulations. The seven movement work is Brahms interpretation of the text. Table one lists the movements, their keys, dynamic ranges and length. Movement 1 Key Areas F Maj.D-flat Maj.F Maj. B-flat min.G-flat min.B-flat Maj. Written Dynamic Range pp-f Length 158 Instruments 2 flute, 2 oboe, 2 bassoons, 2 french horns, 3 trombones, harp, violas, cellos, contrabass, and organ Piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 B-flat clarinets, bassoon, 2 horns in B-flat, 2 horn in C, 2 B-flat trumpet, Timpani, 3 trombone, 1 tuba, harp, violins, violas, cellos, and contrabasses 2 flutes, 2 oboe, 2 clarinet in A, 2 bassoon, 2 horn in D, 2 horn in Bflat, 2 trumpet in D, 3 trombone, tuba, timpani, violin, viola, cello, and contrabass 2 flute, 2 oboe, 2 B-flat clarinet, 2 bassoon, 2 horn in E-flat, violin, viola, cello, and contrabass

pp-ff

237

D min.D Maj.

pp-ff

208

3 (contd.) 4 E-flat Maj. p-f 179

15

Leon Botstein, The Compleat Brahms: A Guide to the Musical Works of Johannes Brahms (New York: W.W. Norton, 1999), 376.

G Maj.ppp-mf B-flat Maj.G Maj. C min.pp-ff F-sharp min.- C Maj.

82

349

F Maj.A Maj.F Maj.

pp-f

166

2 flute, 2 oboe, 2 B-Flat clarinet, 2 bassoon, 2 horn in D, violin, viola, cello and contrabass Piccolo, 2 flute, 2 oboe, 2 clarinet in A, 2 bassoon, 2 horn in C, 2 horn in E, 2 trumpet in C, 3 trombone, tuba, timpani, violin, viola, cello, and contrabass 2 flute, 2 oboe, 2 B-flat clarinet, 2 bassoon, 2 horn in F, 2 horn in Eflat, 3 trombone, harp, violin, viola, cello, and contrabass

Table 1 Selig sind, die da Leid tragen, denn sie sollen getrostet werden.16 This opening line of the Requiem clearly demonstrates that this requiem was meant as consolation to those who were hurting and mourning their lost. Psalm 126 serves as the second half of the text for the first movement. Again, Brahms chose to set this section next because it refers directly to people mourning the dead and dealing with life after the death of their loved ones. In English: They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. They go forth and weep, and bear precious seed, and come again with rejoicing, and bring their sheaves with them.17 Brahms wanted to reassure audiences that despite their loss one day their pain will turn into happiness and despite the fact that they loved ones there will be a time when they can return to being happy with their lives and will no longer cry for the dead.

16 17

Matthew 5:4 Psalms 123:5-6