Vier ernste Gesänge

Vier ernste Gesänge (Four Serious Songs), Op. 121, is a cycle of four songs for bass and piano by Johannes Brahms. He composed the work in Vienna in 1896 and dedicated it to Max Klinger.

History

Between 1865 and 1868, as a young man, Brahms had composed Ein deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem), dealing with death, based on a compilation of biblical quotations in Luther's translation. He wrote Vier ernste Gesänge late in life, again on words from the Bible. His friend Clara Schumann had suffered a stroke on 26 March 1896. Brahms completed the composition of this set of songs, his last, by his birthday on 7 May that year, in anticipation of her death.

The texts of the first three songs are taken from the Old Testament and deal with death, the transience of life and the oppression. The text of the fourth song is taken from the New Testament and is focussed on faith, hope and charity.

The original titles: