Origins of Brahms's Structural Control

Author(s): Charles M. Joseph

Source: College Music Symposium, Vol. 21, No. 1 (Spring, 1981), p. 7
Published by: College Music Society
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40375155
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Viewsand Viewpoints

OriginsofBrahms's
Structural
Control
Charles M.Joseph
SouthernMethodist
University
the manystylistic featuresone associateswithBrahms'smusic,
noneis morepowerfulthanthearchitecture
ofhismusicaldesigns.
coherencewas thegenesisof hiscreativeprocess,notmerely
Structural
thegoal. The alluringidea of creativeinspiration
assumingprecedence
over the creator'sconsciouscontrolwas a romanticnotionforeignto
therefore
thatin hispersonalcopyofJahn's
Brahms.It is notsurprising
ofMozart,Brahmsshoulddoublyunderlinethepassage"In all
biography
forcecannoteven foran inthecreative,inventive
artisticproductivity,
one."1
divorcedfromtheconstructive,
stantbe completely
organizing
in
his
celebrated
and
even
essay
Tovey,Evans,Reti,
Schoenberg
are among a host of authorswho have ad"Brahmsthe Progressive,"
dressedthe meansby whichBrahmsarchitecturally
develops,balances,
unifieshisvariedforms.We are wellacquaintedwiththe
and ultimately
to
undertaken
ofsuchworksas theFourth
dissection
byanalysts
Symphony,
Thus
Brahms'sprowessinthearea ofmotivic
demonstrate
manipulation.
ofa mastermusicalengineer,
thematureBrahmsstandsas thearchetype
buildinghis impressive
designsby the mosteconomicalmeans.Yet the
aboveallelse
his
as
a
of
study
origins composerwhoemphasizedstructure
The purposeof this
is an area whichhas notbeen exploredsufficiently.
whichconarticleis threefold:(1) to examinethevariouscircumstances
ofBrahms'searlyawarenessofformal
totheinitialestablishment
tributed
coherenceas a compositionalpriority,
(2) througha briefhistoricalinEpianowork,theScherzo
analyticstudyof Brahms'searliestsurviving
flatMinor,Opus 4, to suggestan earlylinearresourceas a nucleartech(3) to projectthisyouthful
techniqueas a vitaland
niqueof unification,
in
from
laterperiodsof his
of
structural
control
works
means
continuing
creativeactivity.
Brahms
^ans Gal,Johannes
(NewYork:Knopf,1963),p. 155.

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COLLEGE MUSIC SYMPOSIUM

I

a sharphistorical
in whichto placetheearFormulating
perspective
liestof Brahms'sworksis a difficult
task.Chronologicaluncertainties
abound.However,one mayjustifiably
yearsto
assignBrahms'sformative
a periodlastinguntil1853,theyeartheSchumannsspiritually
adopted
ofhiscompotheunknownyouthintotheirhousehold.Sincethemajority
and Harsitionalattempts
worksreleasedbyBreitkopf
precedingthefirst
telin 1853weredestroyed,
how
itisimpossible
toascertain
"youthful"
just
hisearliestworksactuallywere.Thereforeinexamining
Brahms'sorigins
as a musical architectwe must relyalmost solelyupon eventsand
influences
knowntohaveaffected
himin thatinitialstudentperiod.
In varying
detailKalbeckand otherearlyscholarstellofBrahms'sinterestin orderliness
and structure
evenas a smallchild.Raisedin theimof Hamburg,Brahms'searlypenchantfororder
poverishedGangeviertel
rebellion
as a not-so-latent
surelywouldbe viewedbytoday'spsychologists
his
with
unordered
environment.
His
against
toysoldiers,
youthful
play
is
his
of
them
into
various
formations,a favorite
especially arrangement
anecdoterelatedby manybiographers,
some primorperhapsimplying
dial typeof geneticurgeto structure
mattersand createorder.On less
tenuousgroundBrahms'sunquenchablethirst
traceable
forscholarship,
to his days as a schoolboy,is firmly
documented.Geiringerreports:
'Brahmsalwaysused his pocketmoneyfora subscription
to thecirculatand whenas a youth,he playeddance-music
inlittlepubsand
inglibrary;
pothouses,he would set a book beforehimon the musicrack,eagerly
reading while his fingersmechanicallyperformedthe long familiar
tunes."2We have some knowledgeof the bookshe read and musiche
knew.The regularpurchaseof suchtheoretical
manualsas thosebyMatof hiscomtheson,Marpurgand othersis germaneto an understanding
with
is
his
positionalbeginnings.
Especiallypertinent
familiarity theconof
Fux.
withsuch scholarly
The
trapuntalmethodology
familiarity
treatisesat an earlyage atteststo Brahms'sdevotionto seriousinquiry.
Evenas a youngpianistin theearly1840shisprogramming
of a fugue
fromtheWell-tempered
Clavierforpublicrecitalwashighlyirregular
and
indicativeof his musicaltastes.These signalsrevealan exceptionally
sober-mindedyouthabsorbedin theoretically
orientedmaterials,all of
whichstemfroma senseoforder,disciplineand logic.Indeed,theseare
the same qualitiesusuallyassociatedwithBrahms's"severe"composi2Karl Geiringer,"Brahms as a Reader and Collector,"TheMusical Quarterly,
XIX,
No. 2 (April 1933), 158.

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BRAHMS'S STRUCTURAL CONTROL

tionalstyleand theparallelis clear.Yetan evenmoredirectand formidable influenceon the impressionable

boy may be seen as a resultof
Brahms'sapprenticeship
withEdwardMarxsenbeginning
in 1843.
The primacyof thisstudent-teacher
it
associationas pertainsto the
origins of Brahms's structuralcontrol can scarcelybe overstated.
Murdoch'sassertionthat"theyearsof Brahms'sstudentship
withMarxwhichunfortunately
sendo notcallformuchcomment"
offers
an estimate
3A
and misinformed.
isbothprevalent
ofMarxsen'sowncomknowledge
and pedagogyis needed,foritprovidesthesingle
positionalphilosophy
mostimportant
clue towardunderstanding
Brahm'searlycognizanceof
musicalstructure
and thefundamental
meansbywhichto achievesuch
formalcoherence.
withthehighlyrespectedHamburgmusician
Brahms'sinstruction
in
his
to
desire
originated
develophistechniqueas a pianist.Marxsenat
a shared
first
refusedtoacceptBrahmsas hisstudent.However,following
most
studied
Brahms
instruction
arrangement
lastingtwoyears(wherein
oftenwithMarxsen'sownprotege,Friedrich
Cossel),Brahmsin 1845won
fora careeras a
a regularplace in Marxsen'sclass.Brahms'saspirations
concertpianist(or morehonestlystated,his father'saspirationsforhis
son) weregraduallypreemptedbytimespentcomposing.Marxsenhimaccount regardingthe originof
self has leftus withan interesting
with
him:
Brahms'sregularcompositional
study
I was captivated by his keen and penetratingintellect,and yet,
to
when he came lateron to originalcomposition,itwas at firstdifficult
from
me.
of
a
deal
and
Still,
him,
encouragement
required good
though his firstattemptsproduced nothing of consequence, I perceived in thema mindin which,as I was convinced,an exceptionaland
deeplyoriginaltalentlaydormant.. . . I thereforespared myselfneither
pains nor trouble to awaken and cultivateit, in order to prepare
a futurepriestof art,who should proclaimin a new idiom throughhis
works,itshigh,true,and lastingprinciples.4

thistalentmaybestbe apThe methodofawakeningand cultivating

own
musicaldictates.Being
if
first
seen
in
the
of
Marxsen's
light
preciated
of
his
own
teacherSeyfried,
in
the
trained
rigours counterpointby
at an
Marxsen'sown tastesand techniqueshad been tailoredcarefully
3WilliamMurdoch,Brahms(London: Rich & Cowan, Limited,1933), p. 25. For one
of the few summaryaccounts of Marxsen's associationwithBrahms,see R. A. Dietrich's
article"Brahms' Lehrer Edward Marxsen, Zeitschrift
fur Musik,Vol.114 (May 1953), pp.
284-5.
4FlorenceMay, TheLifeofJohannesBrahms(London: Arnold, 1905), 1,68.

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10

COLLEGE MUSIC SYMPOSIUM

oversixty,espousea Menearlyage.5His owncompositions,

numbering
delssohnian
classicism
ofwhichBrahmswastheeventualheir.Perhapshis
bestknownwork,Beethoven's
decided
Schatten
Marxsen's
(1844-5),suggests
forBrahms'sspiritualpredecessor.That Marxsenhad orchestraaffinity
tedtheScherzo
fromtheOpus 106Hammer
klavier
Sonatawithgreatpopufurther
indicates
his
an attitudewhichwas
attitude
larity
compositional
fostered
and
to
transmitted
Brahms.
surely
Marxsenemphasizedtwoareasinhisteaching:Linearinvention
and
itslogicalelaboration,and a thoroughfamiliarity
withtheprinciplesof
classicalform.FlorenceMay,perhapsthemostinformative
commentator
this
method:
describes
Marxsen's
regarding particular
point,
He began by training(his students)in the art of developing a
theme. Taking a figureor phrase fromone or mother of the great
masters,he would desire the pupil to exhibitthe same idea in every
imaginablevarietyof form,and would make him perseverein thisexerciseuntilhe had gained facilityin perceivingthe possibilitieslyingin
a given subject,and ingenuityin presentingthem.Pursuingthe same
method withmaterialof the pupil's own invention,he aimed at bringing him to feel,as byintuition,whethera musicalsubjectwere or were
not suitable for whateverimmediatepurpose mightbe in view. The
next step was thatthe idea should be pursued not arbitrarily,
but logically,to itsconclusion- a conclusionthatwas not,however,allowed to
be hard-and-fasttermination.Marxsen's pupils were taughtto aim at
making theirmovementsresemblean organic growth,in whicheach
part owed its existence to somethingthat had gone before. "Unity
clothedin variety"
mighthavebeen hismotto.b

This markedemphasison thelineand itsdevelopment

wasundoubta
result
of
Marxsen's
owncontrapuntal
studieswithSeyfried.Moreedly
in partover,Marxsenso stressedthislineardimensionthatassignments
were
excluded.
Marxsen
the
writing
virtually
Perhaps
ignored detailing
of harmonicproceduresbecausehe himself
was(accordingto May)"not
inthisparticular
area.Howparadoxicalthisseems,giventhe
trustworthy"
factthatMarxsenwassucha taskmaster
in all otherdisciplines
ofelementhatin his
tarytraining.It wouldseemreasonableto assume,therefore,
or
teachingMarxsenmusthavecreatedtheimpression,
unintentionally
that
was
to
be
considered
almost
as a by-product
of
otherwise, harmony
5Ignaz XavierSeyfried( 1776-184 1), a studentof Haydn and composerof numerous
is perhaps best rememberedforhis contributionsas an author. He
operas and Singspiele,
was theeditorof Albrechtsberger's
completeworksand Beethoven'sStudiesin Counterpoint
(1832).
6May, I, 149.

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BRAHMS'S STRUCTURAL CONTROL

11

theindividualline.It isa pedagogicalstancewhichimplicitly

arguesthatif
willrelinearcontrolis skillfully
exercised,firmharmonicunderpinnings
This is not to suggestthatMarxsenwas not fully
sultalmostnaturally.
ofharmonically
structural
awareofthenecessity
pillarsin histeachingof
thetraditional
forms;ratheritservesto illustrate
just howhighlyvalued
wereprizedin hisinstruction.
thelineand itssubsequentDurchfiihrung
The depthofBrahms'sacceptanceofMarxsen'steachingconcerning
thisspecificaspect is revealedin the studyof Brahms'searlyworks.
itshouldnotbe conceivedas a merepatronizing
Furthermore
acceptance
tobe quicklydiscardedoncethestudentcompletedhisapprenticeship
(as
willbe seenin thelattertwosectionsofthisstudy).Long afterhe had left
Marxsen,BrahmsregularlysolicitedJoachim'scriticismabout a new
work.Joachim'sreactions,sometimesnegativeat first,oftenstemmed
of Brahms'spolyphonically
fromhismisunderstanding
inspiredwriting.
In Joachim'sopinion,the resultantharmonywas too harshbecause of
Brahms'sclashingof individualvoices.7Such evidencesuggeststhat
ReMarxsen'sinfluenceon Brahmswasverypowerfuland far-reaching.
Brahms's
to
crucial
as
on
this
linear
emphasis being
centlycommenting
composingmethod,BernardJacobsonhas at thesametimegivenus an
of Marxsen'sprimary
pedagogicaltenet:"It is the
appropriatesummary
oftheindividualline. . . thatseemstoleap clear
on theintegrity
insistence
backovertheprevioustwocenturiestoa timebeforethemonodicrevolufromthehorizontalto thevertionhad shiftedcomposers'concentration
of
music."8
ticalaspects
ConcerningMarxsen'ssecondpedagogicalemphasis,a thoroughunour knowlofclassicalstructure,
of thetraditional
principles
derstanding
laterdethen
time
this
Brahms
of
works
several
composedduring
edge
The
advice.
mentor's
to
his
adherence
indicates
his
close
further
stroyed
efforts
of thesescholastic
lamentabledestruction
preventsan assessment
of the scope and qualityof workaccomplishedduringthis novitiate.
werecompleted
Schauffler
casuallyassertsthathundredsofcompositions
and unproinflated
both
that
While
this
time.9
estimate
appears
during
ven,thereis evidenceto suggestthatBrahmsemployeda varietyof formal procedures in these lost works. For example we know from
Schumann'sNeue Bahnenthatby the timeof Brahms'sarrivalin Diisseldorfin 1853,thereweresonatas,trios,pianopiecesand quartets.Even
ed. AndreasMoser(Berlin:Deutsche
7SeeVolumes5 and 6 ofBrahms
wechsel,
Brief
Brahms-Gesellschaft,
1908-14),whichcontains
Joachim's
correspondence.
Brahms
TheMusicofJohannes
8Bernard
Press,1977),p. 38.
(London:Tantivy
Jacobson.
Brahms
9Robert
H. Schauffler,
TheUnknown
1933),p. 39.
(NewYork:CrownPublishers,

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12

COLLEGE MUSIC SYMPOSIUM

earlier there is documentationof Brahms's 1849 public performanceof

his own Fantasieon a FavoriteWaltz,severalstudentsonatas writtenunder
the pseudonymG. W. Marksand accordingto the pianistLouise Jappa (a
contemporaryof Brahms) a piano sonata of 1844,writtenduringtheearly
days withMarxsen.
In the aftermathof Brahms'sdecisionas to whichpieces wereworthy
for publication, most of thisjuvenilia was destroyed.10Even so, from
worksknown to be destroyedwe can conjectureas to the substantialdewithclassicaldesigns.Brahms'schoiceof whichof these
gree of familiarity
works
were
to
be released and whichwere to sufferdestructionwas
early
a
difficult
task.His cautionand agonyin reachingthatdecision
apparently
are reflectedin his letterto Schumann,dated November 16, 1853:
The publicpraiseyou havedeignedto bestowupon me willhave so
increasedtheexpectations
ofthemusicalworldregardingmy
greatly
workthatI do notknowhowI shallmanageto do evenapproximate
caution
justicetoit.Aboveall itwillcompelmetoexercisethegreatest
in mychoiceof piecesforpublication.
I am thinking
thatI shallnot
publishanyofmytriosbutshallselecttheSonatasin C and F sharpto
be myOpus 1 and 2. Opus 3 willbe thesongs,and Opus 4 willbe the
Scherzoin E flatminor.You willreadilyunderstandthatI am strain1
ingeverynervetobringas littledisgraceas possibletoyourname.1
These remarksimplythatbecause thechoice was difficult
the quality
of at leastsome of thediscarded scoresmightnothave been muchinferior
to thoseselectedforpublication.Of thisfirstpublishedsetthe ScherzoinEflatMinor,althoughit carriesthe Opus 4 number,was actuallythe firstof
the piano worksto be written.In the shadow of the more imposingtriptychof sonatas composed about thistime,itis oftenforgotten.The design
of this early publicationis in itselfsignificant,for it shows Brahms's accomplished handling of a formwhichwas to undergo a continual metawrittenat 18 years
morphosisthroughouthiscreativecareer.This Scherzo,
of age, presentsthe earliestopportunityto examine Brahms's youthful
conceptof structuralcontrol.
1Therearetwodocumented
The survival
ofa PianoTrioinA Minorwas
exceptions:
unintentional.
A discussion
ofthisworkanda defenseofitsauthenticity,
probably
appears
inArnoMitschka's
DerSonatensatz
indenWerken
vonJohannes
1961), pp.
Brahms
(Gutersloh,
355-6.Alsoa SonataforViolinandPiano,originally
intendedforpublication
byBrahmsas
did survivebutwaslater
Opus 5 (a numberwhichthePianoSonatainF Minorinherited)
lost.Foran excellentcompilation
of thefactswhichsurroundthiscuriouswork,see William Newman'sTheSonataSinceBeethoven
of NorthCarolina
(Chapel Hill: University
Press,1969),p. 327.
uLetters
andJohannes
Brahms1853-1896ed. BertholdLitzmann
ofClaraSchumann
(NewYork:ViennaHouse,1973),pp. 1-2.

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BRAHMS'S STRUCTURAL CONTROL

13

II
Marxsenexerteda steadyinfluenceon theyouth's
Unquestionably
thatthis
growthas a composer.It seemsreasonabletoassume,therefore,
withit.
Scherzowas not a radicaldeparturefrompiecescontemporary
same
time
of
the
it
is
other
works
written
about
Verylikely representative
Brahms
butdestroyed.
Whatare thecircumstances,
that
then,
prompted
workto serveas thedividinglinebetweenwhat
to permitthisparticular
lostand whatwastobelongtoposterity?
wastobe forever
The Opus 4 Scherzo
enjoyeda favoriteplace in Brahms'searlypertoJoachimin Hanover,this
When
he wasintroduced
repertoire.
forming
Likewisein
confidant.
wastheworkthathe firstplayedto hissoon-to-be
totheSchumanns.In a letitservedas Brahms'sintroduction
Dusseldorf,
and Hartelof November3, 1853,Robertdescribedthe
terto Breitkopf
workas "great"askingeightlouisd'orforiton Brahms'sbehalf.Evenmore
when RemenyiintroducedBrahmsto Liszt in Weimar
interestingly,
(duringtheirconcerttourof 1853),Liszthimselfplayedtheworksince
it.12Lisztwasso takenbythe
Brahmscouldnotbe persuadedto perform
his
work'svigorthathe immediately
Surelyall of
repeated performance.
theseincidentsswayedBrahmsto includethisworkin hisfirstpublished
of the
eventhen,musthavebeen confident
set.Yet Brahms,self-critical
it
is unotherwise
to
these
Scherzo
of
the
events;
reinforcing
prior
quality
eminent
to
such
his
introduction
have
it
would
offered
as
that
he
likely
musicians.
Also in viewof his aforementioned
trainingwithMarxsenin the
thatBrahmswouldfeel
not
it
is
of
classical
surprising
design,
principles
Gal
with
this
form.
For
as
at
ease
suggests,thescherzo,more
especially
fewer
than mostnormativestructures,
compositionalproblems
posed
imsince"thequintessenceof the formis that,froma singlerhythmic
material."13
thematic
confined
with
it
can
narrowly
develop
pulse,
verified
to thescherzoas a viableformis further
Brahms'sattraction
by
first
Brahms's
for
this
severalotherefforts
employing design: example,
publishedchambermusicwas the violin-pianoScherzoof 1853. That
movement
as hispersonalshareofthejointly
Brahmschosethisparticular
to hisassurednessin this
F.A.E. Sonata,lendsfurther
written
testimony
costructural
the
exhibit
sonatas
The
three
form.14
strongest
earlypiano
with
whenBrahmsin 1890,
scherzos.Finally,
herencein theirrespective
inB Major,Opus 8, itwas
Trio
his
1854
revised
in
hand,
drastically
scalpel
alonewhichescapedradicalsurgery.
theScherzo
12Schauffler,
p. 33.
13Gal,p. 159.
tnbutetoJoachim.Schumann
as a birthday
14Thiswork,withopus number,was written
and Dietrichweretheothercontributors.

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14

COLLEGE MUSIC SYMPOSIUM

It hasbeensuggestedthattheOpus 4 Scherzo
maybe thesolesurvivor
of an earlypiano sonata.Ehrmannreportsthattheautographof theC
MajorPianoSonata,releasedas Opus 1,carriesthetitle"VierteSonata."15
froma
This at leastallowsforthe possibility
extraction
of theScherzo's
earlier
six
work.
of
because
its
enormous
Still,
larger,
length(over hundred measures)comparedto itscounterparts
fromthethreepublished
pianosonatas,sucha prospectseemsunlikely.
such
ThoughBrahmswasa faithful
discipleof Marxsen'steachings,
devotiondid notprecludetheyouth'sattention
to theideasofothercomformalconventions
posers;nor did his knowledgeof traditional
impair
hisownexperimentation
in constructing
hisowndesigns.The relatively
unorthodox
toincludea secondtriois noted
expansionofthemacroform
in thisScherzo(whichalso strengthens
a case forthework'sindependent
conception). The temptationto credit this formalenlargementto
Schumann'sinfluencemustbe resisted,for Brahmsknewnothingof
Schumann'scompositions
in 1851. Moreapparentis theoverallspiritof
which
Brahms
Chopin
adamantlydenied whenquestionedabout the
of
elan.16Yetwhatever
similarity styles especiallyin thework'spianistic
eclecticfeaturesare to be observed,aboveall else itis Brahms'sconcern
withand controlof thelineardimensionof thisworkthatare mostimpressive.A specificand traceablelineartechniqueservesas thegerminal
idea ofthecomposition
and organically
linksall subpartstothewhole.
Considerfirstthe veryopeningof theworkas seen in Example 1.
The pervasiveness
of theinitialrhythmic
figureis clear(markedx in exEx. 1.Scherzo,
Opus 4 measures1-9
(*)

' X. ^
Ihtov
wyF|fb
mm.1 i

(y)

J ) .]
I H=h
rJ *J "J
J u

n
1x

From EditionPetersNo. 3300a; reprintedbypermission.

15AlfredEhrmann,JohannesBrahms:Weg,Werk,und Welt(Leipzig: Breitkopfund

Hartel, 1933), p. 116.
Brahms's knowledge of Chopin in 1851 remains somewhat mysterious.When
pressed about the Chopinesque characterof the Scherzo,Brahms disavowed any knowledge of Chopin's music.Both Dietrichand Kalbeck have attestedto this.Neverthelessthe
Chopin literaturewas widelycirculatedby 1851 and Marxsen regularlyused these piano
worksin his teaching.

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BRAHMS'S STRUCTURAL CONTROL

15

construction
ofthepassageis thecrucial
ample).Centralto thethematic
conjunctlineardescent,whichbeginsat the highpointof the section's
pacing (based on the strengthof texturaland harmonicfactors,and
directionof
marked);).One mightevenspeculateas to thesubstructural
to
which
seems
theopeningrhythmic
presagethis
figure'spitchcontent,
of
a reduction
descent.Allowingforoctavedisplacement,
overallthematic
to
thecompletemelodicgesturerevealsa basiclinearunityfundamental
thework'sconstruction.
This linearlyinspiredgesture,observableat theoutsetof thepiece,
contourfortheremainderof thework.This kingeneratesthethematic
debe
seen
bycomparingtheaboveexamplewiththesimilarly
shipmay
first
the
climax
of
the
marks
18
and
which
at
measure
line
begins
scending
of thissamematerial(measures22-25)
section.The lefthand statement
thatfollow(measures26-30),
and overlapping
truncation
and themotivic
an earlyexampleof
all foundedupontheopeninglineardescent,furnish
Brahms'sadoptionof a developmental
techniqueusuallyassociatedwith
the
section
as
laterworks,such
(in pianoreduction)quotedfromtheSyminC Minor,Opus 68 (Ex. 2b).
phony
Ex. 2a Scherzo,
Opus 4 measures15-31 ,

w ^p1 iff;
o
b 11^|j'jir^
i'mi
r iriti["
fyi^r^^M
. i .

f f tjf r

frJ i.-i -4) i

11 *--

Ex. 2b.Opus 68, 1,measures236-238(pianoreduction)

Even Brahms'sborrowingof a popular themefromMarschner's

conceivedpitchcontent.ExamoperaHansHeilingis builtupona linearly
as extenidea and itsderivative
Marschner
the
3a
ple reproduces original

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16

COLLEGE MUSIC SYMPOSIUM

sivelyused byBrahmsin theb sectionoftheoverallbinaryform(Ex. 3b).

three
thepercussive
as Geiringerhas observedpreviously,
Furthermore,
thisb
from
in
as
extracted
seen
quarter-note
accompaniment
Example3,
observedinthea sectionofthework(see righthandfigurasection,is first
tionin Example2a above).This figuration
servesan analogousfunction
forbothpartsof thebinarystructure
Thus bothpartsof
of theScherzo.
thisfirstprincipalsectionoftheentirecomposition
are integrated
bythis
figurarhythmic
specificlinearlyformedmaterialand accompanimental
tion.
thelinear-rhythmic
bondbetweensubpartsof a binary
Admittedly,
formis notentirely
But
unexpected. Brahms'ssenseof formalintegrity
extendsbeyondthissectionof the overallmacroform.
As seen by comparingthepreviousexampleswiththeopeningofTrio I (Ex. 4), Brahms
exerciseda consciouscontroloverthelargerpartsofthedesignthrough
thissamebasictechniqueoflinearunification.
relationand texturaldifferences
thethematic
Despitetherhythmic
whencomshipbetweenscherzoand triois obvious,perhapsevenblatant,
to
the
later
almost
subliminal
links
Brahms
uses
as
pared
organicconnectionsthroughout
a work'ssubdivisions.
Even in thisearlyworka more
Ex. 3a, Scherzo,
measures46-53(Marschner
theme)

i J,U J|J.IjnJ-|J pi'^#31

y'Alf
Ex. 3b.Scherzo,
measures68-77

dMfe=

v.

y.

JT.poco a poco piu sostenuto

~]

'

measures1-9
Ex,4. Trio I (fromScherzo),

i
Eg] Trio

s. - .

i??Vn.;i

From EditionPeters3300a; reprintedbypermission

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BRAHMS'S STRUCTURAL CONTROL

17

subtlebutequallysignificant
structural
linkis seenin theopeningofTrio
in
II, reprintedbelow Example5a. The subsequentextensionof thedescendinglineis observedin Example5b as itis statedoverthetexturally
Chopinesquefiguration.
Althougha measure-by-measure
analysisof theentireworkwould
tobe representative
ofthescopeofthistechprovetheaboveillustrations
material
stems
from
an
some
intervalically
disjunctorigin,perhaps
nique,
The passagequotedbelowand excerptedfrom
as a purposefulcontrast.
Trio I appearsto be unrelatedto thelinearideasseenin thepreviousexengenderedmotivereappears
amples.Yetevenwhenthisindependently
withtheopeningthemeand
inthesecondpartoftheTrio,itiscompatible
absorbedintothelineardescent(Ex. 6b).
iseventually
idea is at best
of purposeto a specific
The attribution
compositional
speculativeand nearlyalwayssuspectwithoutthe benefitof primary
of materials
sourcematerialssuch as sketches.Yet sucha compatibility
and overtusage of linearunityas mentionedabove mustbe morethan
purecoincidence.Notonlydo Marxsen'smethodssupportsucha possibilhasaddressedtheissue.In his
ityofconsciouscontrolbutBrahmshimself
Ex. 5a. Trio II, measures1-9

faoTl

TrioII
Moltoespressivo

-^

I"Wh> IJla JiQJ ' J^rr^' 1t

Ex. 5b. Trio II, measures 18-27
Gun
,

dtfrrj
wi
ir
[3831

^~

,-^^-Tf-r^
n
p

_,

^_v

n ^:

From EditionPeters3300a; reprintedbypermission

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COLLEGE MUSIC SYMPOSIUM

18

Ex. 6a. Trio I, measures39-49

UJ

I,

-r '&>

ck

-^st

a* /r St

Ex. 6b. Trio I, measures122-139

fawi

^1r*rTrlr*i*Tr
Br^^ffyTrr*rTr
T rfnTr~
tegatoescherzando

F^-Plf

' t' I I I | "?1 * H

HH] ^i"-; ;

jQf

>

' I' 1 I I i r? I ^ #I ' JII [ * I

' I' 1"*y

i . .

(l^t|'jUjj^ffWjljalcn
Tf3

'

FromEditionPeters3300a;reprinted
bypermission

own diaryentryin 1855 of Lessing's maxim,Brahms surelywas alluding

to the typeof structuralconcernswhichoccupied him in a worksuch as
the Scherzo:"Withoutinner cohesion, withoutthe most intimateconnexion of each and everypart,musicis nothingbut a sandheap, incapable of
any lastingimpression.Inner cohesion alone can make of it the solid marble, on whichthe hand of the artistmayimmortalizehimself."17
Ill
That such "connexions" exist in the Scherzoat least is clear. But to
whatextentis thislinearunificationrepresentativeof Brahms'sstructural
controlin other earlyand even laterworks?If thistechniqueis to be perceived as a kind of recurringUrlinie,then its use mustbe demonstrated
beyondthissinglework.Althoughsuch a studyobviouslyrestsbeyondthe
provinceof thisarticle,I submitthatthislinearlystructuredtechniqueis
consistentlyapplicable throughoutBrahms's compositionalproductivity.
In thisconcludingsectiona briefexaminationof threeadditionalworksis
offeredin the hope of drawingattentionto thisaspect of Brahms's structuralmastery.I have alreadysuggestedthattheScherzoexhibitsa unifying
technique which in all probabilityis typicalof Brahms's control to be
17Schauffler,
p. 301, referringto GottholdEphraim Lessing.

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BRAHMS'S STRUCTURAL CONTROL

19

foundin otherworksof thatperiod,perhapseven in some of the decoherence

stroyedworks.If thisis truethenthesametypeof structural
should be demonstrablein the publishedcompositions
contemporary
Of theotherpianoforte
withthe1851Scherzo.
worksreleasedin theearly
Evansarguesfor
1850stheSonatainF Minor,Opus 5 is themostfamiliar.
of
workthroughan investigation
thecyclicnatureof thefive-movement
bondsbetweenmovements,
the
Scherzo
commonthematic
(third
especially
These "subtleallusions"as he termsthemmaybe
in order)and Finale.18
matterof thepitch
defensiblebutfailto addressthemorefundamental
contentand orderused tocreatetheselinks.Considerthelinearcontour
ideasdrawnfromtheOpus 5
ofthefollowing
principalmotivic/thematic
Scherzoand Finale:

materialis
The seminalresourcefromwhichall theabovethematic
is
contour
derivedis clearlylinearlyinspired.In some cases the pitch
treated
as in theinversion
of Example7b or contrapuntally
transformed
as in thecanonicpassagebuilton themotiveofExample7e. Nevertheless
in everyinstancethe musicalgesturespringsfromthe germinalidea
notedabove.
in A Major,Opus 26, completed
A passage fromthePiano Quartet
a relsinceitaffords
is
morethantwenty
later,
years
especially
interesting
rather
This
is
in
a
sketch
which
rare
case
preserved.
preliminary
atively
on the
waswritten
atypicalsurvivalstemsfromthefactthatthefragment
coverpage of theHandelVariations,
Opus 24, ratherthanamidstother
The finalform
sketchesof theQuartet,whichwereroutinely
destroyed.
itforthepublishedscoreisreprinted
ofthispassageas Brahmssubmitted
inExample8. The lineardescentofthepianoisevident.
aloneone cannotdeducethatthe
Yeton thebasisofthisobservation
linewas thecreativeimpetusforBrahms'sconceptionof thistransitory
sketch(see Plate
ofExample8 withthepreliminary
section.A comparison
inthisphase
linear
it
least
a
for at
1) isenlightening,
pre-eminence
implies
ofBrahms'sactualcompositional
process.The samedescendingline,fully
Conrealizedin the draft,remainsunalteredin the printedversion.19
Deelements.
other
of
outlines
shows
the
skeletal
the
sketch
only
versely
and
focused
less
much
and
are
at
a
tailsofharmony,
stage
rhythm texture
undergoconsiderableelaborationbeforetheversionseen in
ultimately
Example8 iscompleted.20
AccountoftheEntireWorksofJoand Analytical
18EdwinEvans, Historical,Descriptive,

Brahms
hannes
(London:Reeves,1912-1936),IV, 96-100.
on whichthissketchappearsis held
19TheholographcopyoftheHandelVariations
of
the
by Library Congress.
of thiskindare notunusualforBrahms.Forexamplethedraftsof the
20Sketches
linoftheSonatainF Minor,Opus 120,No. 1,also showa wellformulated
movement
first
at
an
harmonic
earconcept(without
detail)
earlystage.

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20

COLLEGE MUSIC SYMPOSIUM

Ex. 7a.
Opus 5, Schcr/.o,measures1-4
a

r 7Fr17Frr i*rr I i My
J J
p
fyvi
j 7jj h^j i[* Jif^
TZ.

r0-

-0-^

inversionmeasures17-20 y

Ex. 7b.
Opus 5, linale, measures7-8

Ex. 7c.
Opus 5, T'inale,measures39-44

I-

I-

F"Pp^m^^

(?)

'

'

Ex. 7d.
Opus 5, linale, measures140-147

Ex. 7e.
Canonic treatment,
measures253-255

|>J

> IJ- i

ir r

i-'i-lj-l-lLt
*i'rrrfi^i rirn
diminution

Opus 5, linale, measuies323-341

|tF7ffif7ff if in ir is^p
Even in theworksof hislateryearsBrahms'srelianceupon thislinear
agent in the attainmentof structuralunityis demonstrable.The openings
of threeof the Klavierstucke,
Opus 118, composed in 1892 (fortyyearsafter the Scherzo,Opus 4) exhibitthe same technique. The Intermezzo
employsa descending line whichencompasses the entirefirstsectionof the
piece (Ex. 9a); the well-knownBallade also begins witha complete statement of a fallingscale (partiallyas a consequence of the harmonic sequence, see (Ex. 9b); and finallythe initialphrase of theRomanzerevealsa
similarlinear pattern(Ex. 9c).

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BRAHMS'S STRUCTURAL CONTROL

itfp
ill

Lj...
11i tin

CM
00

l>
l>

HH
HH

o ^ ! > //" r V[**

oo
IJ ._i| 11,, v,;:;| 5;\v)

**

CD
(M

g.
o

I
i

i .

1
a,

00

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21

22

COLLEGE MUSIC SYMPOSIUM

Holograph in the GertrudeClark WhittallCollectionin the Music Divisionof the Libraryof Congress: reproduced bypermission.

Fig. 1. Preliminarydraftof measures 75-88

To compare the overall structuralcontrolexercised in an autumnal

worklike Opus 118 withthe youthfulScherzoOpus 4 is in manyrespects
unjust.The creativeexperience gained fromthe naturalmaturationof a
composer who continuallyrefinedhis craftseparates the two works.Yet
while the musical environmentsof the two pieces are distinctlydifferent,
in bothcases thecentrality
of theline as a means of achievingunificationis
remarkablysimilar.Historiansseem to delightin the pigeonholingof a
insularperiods.Such a categorizationin
composer'sworksintostylistically
Brahms has always been more elusive. Perhaps one reason is the consistencyand emphasis of the specificlinear resourceaddressed here which
permeatesworksat all stagesof his compositionalevolution.
For most composers the command of musical architectureevolves
slowly.It is an earned technique,a competencewhichis almost measurable fromone workto the next.The rate at whichitis attainedmighteven
reliablyserveas one barometerof a composer'sdevelopment.To some extent at least, Brahms is an exception. Structuralunity,the verycornerstone of his musical designs, is already evident in his earliestsurviving
works. Furthermore the evidence of this linear unity surpasses the

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BRAHMS'S STRUCTURAL CONTROL

23

Ex. 9. Opus 118 Klavierstiicke

measures1-10
Ex. 9a. Opus 118,No. 1,Intermezzo,
Allegro non assai, ma moltoappassionato

^ dim,rit.-

Ex.9b.Opus 118,No. 3, Ballade,measures1-4

Allegro energico

Ex. 9c. Opus 118,No. 5, Romanze,measures1-3

Andante

__^

^^

Vol.11(G.Sthirmer,
Works
FromJohannes
Int.,1949);reprinted
Volumes,
Brahms,
bypermission.
forPianoSoloinThree
Complete

motivictracingoftenassociatedwithanalysesof hiscomposisuperficial
tions.For hislinearusage is pervasive,
cogent,and is theverynucleusof
of hisstructural
hisconstructive
conceptof
process.It is theprogenitor
beforehis
music.Moreoverthiscontrolwas apparentin workswritten
into
the
unaltered
remained
and
twentieth
masterpieces
essentially
year
ofhismaturity.

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