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SEATTLE CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL

MONDAY, JULY 21, 8 PM PDT

Brahms: “Liebeslieder Waltzes” for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone and Piano 4-Hands, Op. 52

Jo Brahms had been studying the music of Schubert ever since Robert Schumann had pulled the pieces out of Schubert’s trunk decades after his death and published them. It was the various German dances that Schubert had improvised at parties and written down later that inspired Jo to set the poetry of George Daumer to music for vocal quartet and piano 4-hands. Jo and Clara Schumann played the piano at the premiere in 1870, when Jo was 37 and Clara 51. By then, Jo had transferred his love for Clara to one of her daughters – who had no idea that Brahms wanted to be more than Uncle Jo to her.

These are 18 short waltzes. Regrettably, I can’t find videos with English translations of the German for all waltzes, just for a few.

Brahms: “Liebeslieder Waltz”, Op. 52/6, ”Ein kleiner, hübscher Vogel”

Op. 52/7, ”Wohl schön bewandt war es”

Op. 52/8, ”Wenn so lind dein Augen mir”

Op. 52/9, ”Am Donaustrande”

Op. 52/10, ”O wie sanft”

Op. 52/12, ”Schlosser, auf und mache Schlösser”

Op. 52/15, ”Nachtigall, sie singt so schön”