Brahms, Johannes - Liebesliederwalzer - Rilling, Helmuth
As we know, the Rhinelander Ludwig van Beethoven had succumbed in his day to Vienna’s special charmand highly musical working atmosphere. After his first brief stay, he spent some 35 years in that city ofmelody. Something similar happened to JohannesBrahms. He initially went to the Austrian capital in1862 and spent two years conducting the Singakademie there. Afterwards, when in new positions in his home town Hamburg, in Zurich and in Baden-Baden, he did not feel at home.
German composer had familiarized himself with the sweeter and brighter sides of Viennese musical
tradition during his first stay, enriching his tonallanguage with two of its delightful features: the Viennese waltz and Gypsy music. He became friends with the »Waltz King« Johann Strauss the Youngerand greatly admired his works. It was as early as1865 that Brahms wrote his 15 Waltzes op. 39 forfour-handed piano – and they sounded more like Schubert's music than that of Strauss.
Klavierduo Jürgen Uhde & Renate Werner
Gächinger Kantorei/Helmuth Rilling
Johannes Brahms
Liebesliederwalzer Op. 52 & Op. 65