While the first collection of the late piano pieces, op. 116, displayed a structured tonal progression that gave it the semblance of a sonata, op. 118 does not possess such unity. Yet, the order of its pieces is not without its own internal logic. Comprising six pieces—four intermezzi, a ballade, and a romanze—the collection divides neatly into two halves, with each subset of three consisting of a minor/major pair followed by a third piece in a minor key a whole step below. For instance, the first two intermezzi, in A minor and A major, respectively, are followed by the Ballade in G minor. Furthermore, the succession of keys from beginning to end progresses downward by whole tones from A to E-flat, an ominous trek downward that culminates quite powerfully in the portentous final intermezzo. The character of the collection as a whole also continues the inward progression begun by op. 116. Of the six pieces, only the Ballade returns to the extroversion of the op. 76 and op. 116 capriccii.
The first piece, a passionate Intermezzo (here), opens with Brahms’s signature motif of descending thirds. Appearing in the treble, the thirds are filled out by the intervening tone, which also functions as an appoggiatura against the underlying harmony. As the melody descends, it gradually becomes enveloped in the harmonic texture until it is forced into an inner voice by the time the first major cadence is reached. Within this opening section, Brahms also obscures the eventual A minor tonality with the initial feint towards F major in the opening measures. While the harmonies of the fifth measure, particularly the D-sharp of the melody, strongly suggest A minor, Brahms then sidesteps into C major to close the opening section. With the start of the next section, the key of A minor is more than eluded to as the principle motif is placed beneath an ascending chromatic line, which then kicks off a terse development section. While the bass follows an ascending chromatic line clearly in the key of A, Brahms once again sidesteps a definitive cadence as the music of the opening measures returns. However, after only the first statement of the descending third motif, Brahms alters the remaining portion of the melody to lead into the long expected cadence in A minor at its conclusion. A comparatively lengthy coda dwells on the now firmly established tonality before a final poignant statement of the descending third motif brings about a final cadence into A major.
The following Andante teneramente (here) is one of the most lyrical creations among Brahms’s final compositions for the piano. In a warm A major, its sentimental melody unfolds gently in the treble with a characteristic inverted escape tone that begins each phrase, and which provides the energy for the following leap upward of first a third then a seventh. The melody is then repeated with modest embellishments to harmony and melody. After this second statement, a related idea is introduced—a neighboring-tone motif that accentuates a beautiful augmented fourth against the underlying harmony—which will ultimately return to close out the first section of the piece. For its remainder, Brahms develops the material already presented in the manner of Wagner’s “endless melody,” eventually coming to a breathtakingly beautiful dolce passage in which the opening measures of the melody is inverted, and the changing tone now becomes an affectionate perfect fifth appoggiatura against the underlying first inversion tonic chord. In the central episode, Brahms introduces a new melodic idea. As this F-sharp minor melody sings out from the pianist’s right hand, woven into the broken chords of the left is an imitation two beats later. Contrapuntal imitation proves to be the unifying feature of the episode, as the theme and its imitation is next rendered in block chords. The opening statement is then repeated later with slight embellishment, but with the theme now subordinated to the middle voice while the imitation is placed in the treble. Following the episode, a near literal reprise of the opening completes the piece’s ternary form.
Though possessing some of the vigor of the Capriccii of op. 116, Brahms titled the third piece a “Ballade” (here), hearkening back to the character of the op. 10 Ballades of his youth. The principal melody, with its characteristic ascending third, is presented over a well-marked bass in octaves and a lively accompaniment of full-voiced staccato chords. Though Brahms unwavering maintains this texture, a great amount of variety is achieved in the subtle changes to melody, articulation, and harmony—particularly, in the dissonances that arise during the middle portion of the melody. An uncertain end is reached as the melody concludes in G major while the accompaniment introduces an obstinate F natural. Transforming this tonic chord into the first inversion of a dominant seventh in C major, Brahms quite deceptively transitions into an episode in a radiant B major. A new melody, in thirds and sixths, and with a stately dotted rhythm, emerges pianissimo over an accompaniment of broken chords. Like the opening, this melody as well comes to a close with the tonic chord unsettled by a minor seventh. With a subtle harmonic change, Brahms deftly passes into a brief espressivo reminder of the principal melody in D-sharp minor. After four measures, this false reprise is cut short and a return is made to the B major melody with equal ease. Once again, however, a definitive cadence is avoided at the melody’s conclusion as the unresolved dominant seventh resolves deceptively into G major and initiates a four-measure transition back into a verbatim reprise of the opening section. Instead of the uncertain conclusion of before, the principal melody now definitively ends in the tonic key of G minor. As its energy gradually dissipates, a brief restatement of the melody from the central episode, transplanted into the tonic key and over a tonic pedal, brings the piece to a quiet end.
The F minor Intermezzo (here) which follows next is perhaps the most enigmatical of the collection. Its pulsating triplets, thrown back and forth between the pianist’s hands, disguise a rather simple motif of oscillating octaves. A secondary idea, employing one of Brahms’s favorite rhythmic devices of juxtaposing triplet and duple rhythms, emerges at the cadence. Overall, the peculiar texture of the opening is an eloquent disguise for a strict canon at the octave. With the second statement of the theme, the octave motif is brought to the fore as the already sparse texture is made even more severe. While the strict canon is for the time being abandoned, contrapuntal imitation remains a critical element of the music. In particular, contrary motion results in a harmonically curious passage in E minor a few measures before a final statement of the canon itself. Even more interesting is the A-flat middle section of the piece. Similar in manner to before, Brahms achieves wonderful harmonic effects and a remarkably delicate texture as chords and isolated tones in the bass overlap, requiring persistent hand crossings and the utmost refinement of pedal technique. While most of this episode passes by in a hushed pianissimo, it eventually builds into an agonizing forte climax in which the canon once again reappears, and serves as the catalyst for an altered and harmonically richer reprise of the opening theme. The canon continues to drive the piece through the coda until a two measure passage of quasi-Baroque figurations leads to the concluding F major chords.
Like the A major Intermezzo, the F major “Romanze” (here) has a wondrous melodic appeal, yet is imbued with a sense of the archaic not only in its rather simple construction but also with its tendency to venture into the Aeolian mode. The melody appears in octaves in the middle of the harmonic texture. A simple tune of only four measures, Brahms develops the theme through three successive variations, each adhering strictly to its formal structure and graciously adorning it with melodic or harmonic embellishments. The second and last are similar, with the last measures of the latter altered to bring about a half close in the key of D minor. The central episode in D major adopts the same technique. A tonic pedal persists throughout the entire section, over which the initial theme of running eighth-notes is varied first by subtle changes to the harmony, then in succession with triplets, sixteenth-note figurations, and ultimately arpeggios. A curious feature of the episode is the borrowed dominant harmony from A major which supplants the expected cadence at the end of each variation. Not until the conclusion of the last variation, which first deceptively moves through the subdominant, is the awaited dominant seventh achieved. A brief transition of trills leads the music from D major, through the parallel minor, back into F major for an abbreviated reprise of the opening melody.
Closing op. 118 is the E-flat minor Intermezzo (here), one of the most haunting of Brahms’s late piano works. While the previous pieces possessed their own sense of introspection, none approach its severe pathos and depth. Clara Schumann mistook the piece for the opening movement of a sonata, and Kalbeck thought it was intended to be part of a symphony. Yet, both are justified in their assumptions—the music of this final piece is as far removed as one can get from the often “lighter” music so often typical of the intermezzo, and ventures instead into the weightier discourse of the larger forms. Furthermore, Brahms’s writing here certainly conjures within the mind of the listener the richer and more varied textures of the orchestra. A pale and unadorned turn-like figure opens the piece, which bears a passing similarity to the opening theme of the roughly contemporaneous Clarinet Quintet. As the theme winds to a close and then repeats again in a lower octave, arpeggios swell up from the bass outlining predominantly diminished seventh harmonies. Against this ominous harmonic background, the theme undergoes development until it reaches the key of the dominant, where the arpeggios disappear and it is suddenly given an even more tragic statement than the monophonic opening. From there, Brahms proceeds to repeat the prior music with slight modifications. This then passes into a second subject in the key of the relative major. From a hushed sotto voce, the new theme builds with ever-growing vigor and excitement, and ultimately modulates into the key of B-flat minor. As it reaches its fortissimo climax, the opening theme makes an unmistakable return, drawing back into the tonic key at its reappearance, and then bringing about the heartrending music of the opening following a second statement. Though developed along somewhat different lines, the reprise comes to the same ominous octave statement of the theme, now reinforced by an additional doubling, before the piece dies away in a conclusive, drawn-out tonic arpeggio.
Brahms, 6 Klavierstücke, op. 118
While the first collection of the late piano pieces, op. 116, displayed a structured tonal progression that gave it the semblance of a sonata, op. 118 does not possess such unity. Yet, the order of its pieces is not without its own internal logic. Comprising six pieces—four intermezzi, a ballade, and a romanze—the collection divides neatly into two halves, with each subset of three consisting of a minor/major pair followed by a third piece in a minor key a whole step below. For instance, the first two intermezzi, in A minor and A major, respectively, are followed by the Ballade in G minor. Furthermore, the succession of keys from beginning to end progresses downward by whole tones from A to E-flat, an ominous trek downward that culminates quite powerfully in the portentous final intermezzo. The character of the collection as a whole also continues the inward progression begun by op. 116. Of the six pieces, only the Ballade returns to the extroversion of the op. 76 and op. 116 capriccii.
The first piece, a passionate Intermezzo (here), opens with Brahms’s signature motif of descending thirds. Appearing in the treble, the thirds are filled out by the intervening tone, which also functions as an appoggiatura against the underlying harmony. As the melody descends, it gradually becomes enveloped in the harmonic texture until it is forced into an inner voice by the time the first major cadence is reached. Within this opening section, Brahms also obscures the eventual A minor tonality with the initial feint towards F major in the opening measures. While the harmonies of the fifth measure, particularly the D-sharp of the melody, strongly suggest A minor, Brahms then sidesteps into C major to close the opening section. With the start of the next section, the key of A minor is more than eluded to as the principle motif is placed beneath an ascending chromatic line, which then kicks off a terse development section. While the bass follows an ascending chromatic line clearly in the key of A, Brahms once again sidesteps a definitive cadence as the music of the opening measures returns. However, after only the first statement of the descending third motif, Brahms alters the remaining portion of the melody to lead into the long expected cadence in A minor at its conclusion. A comparatively lengthy coda dwells on the now firmly established tonality before a final poignant statement of the descending third motif brings about a final cadence into A major.
The following Andante teneramente (here) is one of the most lyrical creations among Brahms’s final compositions for the piano. In a warm A major, its sentimental melody unfolds gently in the treble with a characteristic inverted escape tone that begins each phrase, and which provides the energy for the following leap upward of first a third then a seventh. The melody is then repeated with modest embellishments to harmony and melody. After this second statement, a related idea is introduced—a neighboring-tone motif that accentuates a beautiful augmented fourth against the underlying harmony—which will ultimately return to close out the first section of the piece. For its remainder, Brahms develops the material already presented in the manner of Wagner’s “endless melody,” eventually coming to a breathtakingly beautiful dolce passage in which the opening measures of the melody is inverted, and the changing tone now becomes an affectionate perfect fifth appoggiatura against the underlying first inversion tonic chord. In the central episode, Brahms introduces a new melodic idea. As this F-sharp minor melody sings out from the pianist’s right hand, woven into the broken chords of the left is an imitation two beats later. Contrapuntal imitation proves to be the unifying feature of the episode, as the theme and its imitation is next rendered in block chords. The opening statement is then repeated later with slight embellishment, but with the theme now subordinated to the middle voice while the imitation is placed in the treble. Following the episode, a near literal reprise of the opening completes the piece’s ternary form.
Though possessing some of the vigor of the Capriccii of op. 116, Brahms titled the third piece a “Ballade” (here), hearkening back to the character of the op. 10 Ballades of his youth. The principal melody, with its characteristic ascending third, is presented over a well-marked bass in octaves and a lively accompaniment of full-voiced staccato chords. Though Brahms unwavering maintains this texture, a great amount of variety is achieved in the subtle changes to melody, articulation, and harmony—particularly, in the dissonances that arise during the middle portion of the melody. An uncertain end is reached as the melody concludes in G major while the accompaniment introduces an obstinate F natural. Transforming this tonic chord into the first inversion of a dominant seventh in C major, Brahms quite deceptively transitions into an episode in a radiant B major. A new melody, in thirds and sixths, and with a stately dotted rhythm, emerges pianissimo over an accompaniment of broken chords. Like the opening, this melody as well comes to a close with the tonic chord unsettled by a minor seventh. With a subtle harmonic change, Brahms deftly passes into a brief espressivo reminder of the principal melody in D-sharp minor. After four measures, this false reprise is cut short and a return is made to the B major melody with equal ease. Once again, however, a definitive cadence is avoided at the melody’s conclusion as the unresolved dominant seventh resolves deceptively into G major and initiates a four-measure transition back into a verbatim reprise of the opening section. Instead of the uncertain conclusion of before, the principal melody now definitively ends in the tonic key of G minor. As its energy gradually dissipates, a brief restatement of the melody from the central episode, transplanted into the tonic key and over a tonic pedal, brings the piece to a quiet end.
The F minor Intermezzo (here) which follows next is perhaps the most enigmatical of the collection. Its pulsating triplets, thrown back and forth between the pianist’s hands, disguise a rather simple motif of oscillating octaves. A secondary idea, employing one of Brahms’s favorite rhythmic devices of juxtaposing triplet and duple rhythms, emerges at the cadence. Overall, the peculiar texture of the opening is an eloquent disguise for a strict canon at the octave. With the second statement of the theme, the octave motif is brought to the fore as the already sparse texture is made even more severe. While the strict canon is for the time being abandoned, contrapuntal imitation remains a critical element of the music. In particular, contrary motion results in a harmonically curious passage in E minor a few measures before a final statement of the canon itself. Even more interesting is the A-flat middle section of the piece. Similar in manner to before, Brahms achieves wonderful harmonic effects and a remarkably delicate texture as chords and isolated tones in the bass overlap, requiring persistent hand crossings and the utmost refinement of pedal technique. While most of this episode passes by in a hushed pianissimo, it eventually builds into an agonizing forte climax in which the canon once again reappears, and serves as the catalyst for an altered and harmonically richer reprise of the opening theme. The canon continues to drive the piece through the coda until a two measure passage of quasi-Baroque figurations leads to the concluding F major chords.
Like the A major Intermezzo, the F major “Romanze” (here) has a wondrous melodic appeal, yet is imbued with a sense of the archaic not only in its rather simple construction but also with its tendency to venture into the Aeolian mode. The melody appears in octaves in the middle of the harmonic texture. A simple tune of only four measures, Brahms develops the theme through three successive variations, each adhering strictly to its formal structure and graciously adorning it with melodic or harmonic embellishments. The second and last are similar, with the last measures of the latter altered to bring about a half close in the key of D minor. The central episode in D major adopts the same technique. A tonic pedal persists throughout the entire section, over which the initial theme of running eighth-notes is varied first by subtle changes to the harmony, then in succession with triplets, sixteenth-note figurations, and ultimately arpeggios. A curious feature of the episode is the borrowed dominant harmony from A major which supplants the expected cadence at the end of each variation. Not until the conclusion of the last variation, which first deceptively moves through the subdominant, is the awaited dominant seventh achieved. A brief transition of trills leads the music from D major, through the parallel minor, back into F major for an abbreviated reprise of the opening melody.
Closing op. 118 is the E-flat minor Intermezzo (here), one of the most haunting of Brahms’s late piano works. While the previous pieces possessed their own sense of introspection, none approach its severe pathos and depth. Clara Schumann mistook the piece for the opening movement of a sonata, and Kalbeck thought it was intended to be part of a symphony. Yet, both are justified in their assumptions—the music of this final piece is as far removed as one can get from the often “lighter” music so often typical of the intermezzo, and ventures instead into the weightier discourse of the larger forms. Furthermore, Brahms’s writing here certainly conjures within the mind of the listener the richer and more varied textures of the orchestra. A pale and unadorned turn-like figure opens the piece, which bears a passing similarity to the opening theme of the roughly contemporaneous Clarinet Quintet. As the theme winds to a close and then repeats again in a lower octave, arpeggios swell up from the bass outlining predominantly diminished seventh harmonies. Against this ominous harmonic background, the theme undergoes development until it reaches the key of the dominant, where the arpeggios disappear and it is suddenly given an even more tragic statement than the monophonic opening. From there, Brahms proceeds to repeat the prior music with slight modifications. This then passes into a second subject in the key of the relative major. From a hushed sotto voce, the new theme builds with ever-growing vigor and excitement, and ultimately modulates into the key of B-flat minor. As it reaches its fortissimo climax, the opening theme makes an unmistakable return, drawing back into the tonic key at its reappearance, and then bringing about the heartrending music of the opening following a second statement. Though developed along somewhat different lines, the reprise comes to the same ominous octave statement of the theme, now reinforced by an additional doubling, before the piece dies away in a conclusive, drawn-out tonic arpeggio.