Brahms in Vienna
The Viennese are notorious for the passion with which they can despise a composer one moment and lionize them the next. Here, for example, is one critic’s reaction to the 1886 Vienna premiere of the Fourth Symphony by Johannes Brahms: “Conspicuous is the crab-like progress in the output of Brahms. It has, to be sure, never reached beyond mediocrity, but such nothingness, emptiness, and hypocrisy as prevails throughout this E-minor symphony has not appeared in any previous work of Brahms in so alarmingly. The art of composing without ideas has found in Brahms its worthiest representative. Just like the good Lord, Herr Brahms is a master at making something from nothing.” And yet, 11 years later, on today’s date in 1897, when this same symphony was performed again in Vienna, each movement was greeted by prolonged cheers from the audience. Not only had the Viennese come to admire the music, but also the man–and they knew their beloved Herr Brahms was dying. And so, when the gaunt and sickly composer attended a matinee performance of his 4th symphony, at the Musikverein’s Golden Hall, the audience took the opportunity to acknowledge him and his music for the very last time.