MINUET (Quasi Minuetto, moderato, A minor, 3/4 time)

0:00 [m. 1]--Part 1. The cello plays a distinctive upbeat with a turn, then lands
on a held “drone” fifth. The other instruments enter, mezza voce, with the very
melancholy minuet melody, a descending line in rich harmony. Grouped in three-bar
phrases, it is punctuated by upbeat triplets, echoed by the cello in double stops,
joined in the second phrase by the viola. In the third phrase, a heavily accented
upbeat held over a bar line leads to two more strongly accented upbeats leaning
into
downbeats. These mark the fourth phrase. Finally, the unit is closed off by a
lighter,
almost skipping descent beginning in the first violin and echoed by the viola,
coming
to a close on the “dominant” minor, E.
0:26 [m. 1]--Part 1 repeated. The cello upbeat emerges from the E-minor arrival.

0:51 [m. 16]--Part 2. The first passage is a unit of three three-bar phrases that
venture away from the home key. The first two phrases resemble the first two from
part 1. The harmony moves steadily upward, beginning with the related major, C,
then moving up through D minor to E-flat major, where it lingers for the beginning
of the third phrase. This isolates the triplet upbeat and steadily builds. The
harmony quickly moves back through D minor and back to the “dominant” harmony in
the home key.
1:05 [m. 25]--Once again, the original cello upbeat seamlessly emerges. What
follows
is a variant of Part 1 that rounds off the minuet. The first two phrases of that
unit are presented. The outline of the theme is clearly recognizable, but it is
highly embellished. With shorter note values, the melody is decorated, and all
instruments
except the cello (which plays its original drone) are marked staccato for an
especially
light and delicate presentation.
1:15 [m. 31]--The remainder of the Part 1 material is further varied. The heavily
accented upbeats are still used, but the triplet rhythm is more heavily emphasized.
The harmonies are higher in the third phrase, but suddenly plunge lower than the
original for the fourth. The closing descent is also recognizable, but instead of
becoming lighter, it slows down, using longer notes, and omits the viola echo. The
minuet section ends unresolved, with a long sustained “dominant” chord (although
unlike Part 1, there is no actual motion to E minor or major). The suspense is
dispelled
by the extreme contrast of the “trio” section.
TRIO (Allegretto vivace, A major, 2/4 time)
Part 1
1:34 [m. 40]--While not labeled explicitly as a “Trio” section, the function is
clear.
The minuet rhythms are replaced by a rapid, light major-key diversion in duple
meter.
It is characterized by a held first note followed by scurrying staccato
figuration.
The second violin enters late, about halfway through the first phrase, at about
the point where there is a strong motion toward the “dominant” key of E. At the
same time, wide leaps in a dotted (long-short) rhythm encroach upon the steady
staccato
motion, and there is a brief buildup.
1:44 [m. 48]--The high point marks the beginning of a second phrase, which starts
with another held note an octave higher than the opening. Here, Brahms wrenches
the harmony up another level, to B major, which is primarily used to help confirm
the first motion to E (as that key’s own “dominant”). The volume quickly recedes
again. The cello briefly drops out and is reduced to short interjections.
Syncopation
is also introduced. The upper instruments largely move in nearly parallel
harmonies.
After a descent, there is another rapid ascent and buildup. This culminates in
a plunging arpeggio passed from first violin to viola to cello, extending the
phrase
by a bar and quickly receding again.
1:55 [m. 57]--The first violin begins the next phrase with a new version of the
figuration
that works steadily and decisively upward. The decisive character is enhanced by
slower motion in the other instruments, which seems almost march-like. Following
the upward motion, the first violin reaches another cadence in E major, but this
is quickly diverted by more of the marching variant. The fast scurrying motion is
now given to the viola, and the other instruments suddenly break the steady
accompaniment
to provide short and isolated chords.
2:05 [m. 65]--The final phrase of the first part has the opening gesture played
twice,
the second time an octave lower, in the first violin. The viola overlaps with its
scurrying motion from the previous phrase. Then all the instruments become heavily
syncopated in a forceful downward plunge as a cadence gesture is repeatedly stated.
After they reach the bottom, with the first violin briefly dropping out, they
quickly
shoot back upward with octave leaps on the cadence gesture before a sudden motion
to the related C-sharp minor on the last upward leap. There is a strong buildup
during these leaps, but the volume quickly recedes again as the second violin and
viola trail after the climax.
2:15 [m. 73]--Interruption/Transition. Suddenly and unexpectedly, the minuet tempo
and the 3/4 meter return. In a six-bar interruption that acts as a transition to
Part 2 of the “Trio,” the first violin, then the viola, play a winding, almost
mournful
line in the key of C-sharp minor. The viola imitates the first violin in a strict
canon. This is reminiscent of, but not clearly related to the main minuet. The
second violin and cello provide harmonic accompaniment, also in canon, but with the
cello adding a “pedal point” low E. The first violin and viola add a delicate
decoration
as the music slows to a suspended chord.
Part 2
2:29 [m. 79]--Back in 2/4, the first phrase begins as at 1:34 [m. 40], but after
four measures, instead of moving toward the “dominant,” the upper three instruments
suddenly pause on an unstable “diminished seventh” chord. Under this held chord,
the cello keeps the pulse moving with an ominous figure whose repeated first note
completes the harmony of the chord. After two measures of this unstable harmony,
all four instruments resume the rapid motion, moving toward the realm of D minor,
but this is also interrupted by another “diminished seventh” chord, this time with
the viola providing the ominous pulsation.
2:41 [m. 89]--Having moved to G minor, the rapid motion takes on a “hammering”
character
for two bars, with the viola trailing after on the “ominous” figure. Then there
is a plunging arpeggio passed down through each instrument. It is heard twice,
first
in G minor, then, reversing the harmonic direction, in D minor.
2:48 [m. 95]--Now the scurrying figuration begins again as the harmony slowly re-
establishes
the Trio’s home key of A major. The two violins lead, harmonized in thirds. The
viola and cello follow, also harmonized in thirds, and moving in the opposite
direction.
This breaks after two measures, and the first violin again takes the full lead on
the opening gesture. The other three instruments alternate between upward
arpeggios
and variants of the opening figure. The first violin steadily moves downward.
2:58 [m. 103]--A major now having fully arrived, the first violin finally stops on
a murmuring dotted rhythm. The other instruments also adopt this rhythm, the cello
moving with the first violin, the second violin and viola offset by a beat (with
notes held across bar lines). After two measures of this holding pattern, a
descending
arpeggio on the “dominant” chord is passed from first violin to cello.
3:03 [m. 107]--From this point, the music is largely parallel to the first part,
but set in A major instead of E major. The phrase from 1:55 [m. 57], with the
first
violin moving steadily upward, is almost exactly analogous except for a
substitution
of viola for second violin in the first two measures.
3:13 [m. 115]--Analogous to 2:05 [m. 65]. In the syncopated passage, the two
violins
reverse roles, and neither drops out at the bottom. In the upward surge with
octave
leaps, the motion to minor at the end is subtly changed. Instead of a shift to the
“relative” key (which would be F-sharp minor), the final leap remains in A, with
a simple change to minor. The trailing motion afterward is preserved.
3:23 [m. 123]--Interruption/Transition, Tempo di Minuetto in 3/4, as at 2:15 [m.
73]. The six-bar passage is almost exactly analogous to the previous statement,
now in A minor, complete with the imitations in canon. The second violin and
cello,
however, reverse roles, with the second violin following. The cello pedal point
is now on C. The passage now serves as a true transition to the “Minuetto”
reprise.
To the six bars are added five more. These extend the “suspended” chords, holding
them over bar lines. Colorful, but physically close chords exploit half-step
motion
and briefly touch back on major. Finally, there is a clear lead-in back to the
Minuet
theme with its upbeat.
MINUET REPRISE
3:47 [m. 134]--Part 1, as at the beginning and 0:26. It is not repeated.
4:12 [m. 149]--Part 2. Three three-bar phrases, as at 0:51 [m. 16].
4:27 [m. 158]--Variant of Part 1, first two phrases, as at 1:05 [m. 25].
4:37 [m. 164]--Continuation of variant. The first five measures are as at 1:15 [m.
31]. At that point, the previous slowing is replaced by four measures of lighter
skipping motion similar to that heard at the end of Part 1. The first violin takes
the lead with leaps up and back down, the other instruments punctuating with chords
on downbeats and upbeats. There is a hint of motion toward the “dominant.”
4:54 [m. 173]--The first violin becomes smoother and merges into the new closing
phrase. It holds notes over bar lines, sliding up and back down. The cello now
plucks wide leaps centered on A and E, including downward octaves. The second
violin
and viola play an echo of the main minuet theme harmonized in sixths and thirds.
At the very end, the first violin briefly alternates with the other instruments
on chords (the cello again taking the bow). They join together on the last A-minor
chord.
5:08--END OF MOVEMENT [178 mm.]

4th Movement: Finale – Allegro non assai (Sonata-Rondo form). A MINOR, 3/4 time.

EXPOSITION
0:00 [m. 1]--Theme 1 (Rondo Theme). The first violin launches into the passionate
gypsy-inspired theme with an ascending three-note upbeat. It is set quite high.
The theme has several distinctive characteristics, most notably its consistent
division
into three-bar phrases. Also, while the other three instruments steadily mark the
3/4 meter in solid chords on the first two beats, the first violin melody begins
each phrase by undermining it. Its first two measures are really grouped into
three
sets of two beats, prominently holding a note over the bar line. The first three
phrases are all similar, each beginning with the three-note upbeat and ending with
a three-note descent. The second one shifts down a step. The third moves up
again,
replacing the jagged motion of the first two phrases with a new arching contour.

0:10 [m. 10]--The fourth and final phrase of the theme isolates the three-note
descent
and is completely built upon it. The accompanying chords move to an upbeat-
downbeat
pattern. There is then a plunge down toward the cadence, with the lower
instruments
joining at the end in unison.
0:13 [m. 13]--The theme is now presented in full by the viola. The cello drops
out,
and the violins provide a pulsating accompaniment. The initial three-note upbeat
overlaps with the cadence of the opening statement. The third phrase is subtly
altered
to change the harmonic direction and move more strongly toward the “subdominant”
area of D. The fourth phrase is similar, but the first violin takes over in a high
octave and avoids the precipitous downward plunge. The intensity builds in this
last phrase, and the cello rejoins.
0:26 [m. 25]--The instruments come together in block harmonies for a powerful new
idea that serves as both an emphatic close to the presentation of the main rondo
theme and the beginning of a transition to the secondary theme. As with the theme
itself, there are four three-bar phrases, each beginning with a longer note leading
into a series of zigzagging chords. These chords are harmonically unstable. There
is much motion through the “circle of fifths,” along with “leading tone” half-step
motion in the top voice. The third phrase “stalls,” heavily accenting the second
beat of the bar. Finally, the last phrase adds the typical syncopation over the
bar line before descending to a powerful cadence asserting the home key of A minor.

0:39 [m. 37]--Overlapping with the cadence, the volume suddenly recedes into a
brief
transitional passage. There are two phrases, now four bars, anticipating the more
regular structure of the secondary theme. The violins reiterate the keynote A in
octaves while the two lower instruments march downward. At the end of the first
phrase, the violins slide down. In the second phrase, the viola and cello lead,
the former playing syncopated harmonies and the latter playing a flowing line that
emerges into an ascending arpeggio. The cello slides upward. The second violin
joins the viola on syncopated interjections. The key shifts to the “relative” C
major for the secondary theme.
0:48 [m. 45]--Theme 2 (C major). It is much smoother than the rondo theme. The
first violin presents it, beginning with a leap after an upbeat. A swaying
character
pervades the melody, which is largely organized in two-bar units, each beginning
with a longer note. The second violin and viola alternate on undulating figures,
and the long cello notes remain quite high. At the fifth bar, there is strong
dissonance.
After eight bars, all instruments pause except the viola, which continues its turn
on the undulation. Then everything is suspended on the “dominant” harmony in two
quiet pulses. After a four-beat pause, the pulses are repeated, inflected to minor
and without the cello. Another four-beat pause follows.
1:06 [m. 59]--With sudden force, all four instruments break into a powerful
arpeggio
on G minor. It arches down in the violins, up in the viola and cello. It is
immediately
stated again, this time on a “dominant” chord suggesting F. But then things settle
down, and the next eight bars smoothly lead back into C major, albeit with several
colorful chromatic notes. The viola and cello are briefly grouped in two-beat
units,
the latter making wide leaps, but they quickly merge into the smoother motion.
1:21 [m. 71]--Closing material. Merging with the C-major cadence, the violins and
viola reach upward in yearning harmonized arpeggios while the more active cello
works
its way downward in a characteristic zigzag undulation. The slower yearning
arpeggios
are briefly played in two-beat notes that cross the meter.
1:25 [m. 75]--The upper three instruments briefly pause. A pattern begins with
upward
arpeggios in the cello followed by oscillations, on neighbor notes or octaves, in
the other three instruments. After four measures, the pattern breaks, and the
upper
instruments melt into the downward zigzag undulation in the next phrase. At the
same time, the cello takes over the yearning arpeggio in meter-crossing longer
notes.
There are many chromatic notes throughout the passage.
1:35 [m. 83]--The previous pattern returns, now with the first violin leading on
the upward arpeggios, the viola and cello following on the oscillations. The
second
violin drops out for nearly five measures. When the pattern breaks as expected,
all four instruments (led by the cello) now merge into the downward undulation, but
this now turns around and works back upward.
1:44 [m. 91]--Over a steady buildup, the top three instruments begin a strongly
syncopated
peroration to close off the exposition. The first violin reaches very high. The
cello alone keeps the regular pulse with a heavily chromatic marching motion.
After
seven bars, the syncopation breaks, the volume recedes, and the first violin
emerges
into a descending arpeggio supported by interjecting chords. Although this
arpeggio
has one inflection to the note C-sharp, it reaches a full and satisfying cadence
in C major.
1:56 [m. 100]--Re-transition. This passage emphasizes the “rondo” character rather
than the “sonata” one. The exposition is not repeated, and there is no direct
motion
to a “development” section. Instead, there is a transition back to a new
presentation
of the main rondo theme. Right after the cadence, the second violin and viola play
strong upward octave leaps on E, almost immediately heralding a move back to A
minor.
The cello and first violin dovetail on repeated statements of the three-note
figure.
The cello plays the descending version, the first violin the ascending one. These
are very dynamic and highly chromatic. The octaves move, and the second violin
separates
from the viola, its octaves becoming syncopated over bar lines. The first violin
breaks into breathless two-note gestures, the cello into descending octaves.
2:05 [m. 108]--In unison, the upper three instruments isolate the descending
gesture
and begin to plunge downward. The passage is reminiscent of the fourth phrase from
the main rondo theme, but it is much longer (eight measures), and the descending
gesture is now four notes instead of three. The meter is thus totally obscured.
 After four measures, the gesture is reduced to the more familiar three-note
version,
and the cello joins. Still, the placement of the three-note figures crosses bar
lines, continuing to obscure the meter. The first violin drops out long enough to
restore order with the three-note upbeat to the rondo theme. The other
instruments,
in a final five-note descent, arrive strongly on A minor with the downbeat.
DEVELOPMENT
2:14 [m. 116]--Theme 1 (Rondo Theme). Although very similar to the first
presentation,
there are important alterations. Most notably, the first two phrases add trailing
lines passing down from second violin to viola to cello. These expand the phrases
from three to a more regular four measures. The third phrase is as it was before,
in three measures. So are the first two measures of the fourth phrase (from 0:10
[m. 10]), but the last plunging descent is cut off, as it was in the viola
statement
at 0:13 [m. 13]. The phrase is reduced to two measures, shorter than either
exposition
presentation.
2:28 [m. 129]--The block harmonies arrive, similar to 0:26 [m. 25]. Because the
statement of the rondo theme remained at the same level in the third phrase (which
the viola statement in the exposition did not), the chords begin a fourth lower.
Now only one three-bar phrase is followed by two shorter two-bar units. These
latter
decrease in volume. A harmonic motion through the “circle of fifths” is followed
by a direct juxtaposition of E minor and F major, two harmonies a half-step apart.

2:35 [m. 136]--A smooth transitional phrase emerges from the block harmonies. This
places a chromatic first violin line against a more active second violin
counterpoint,
with support from the lower two instruments. More emphasis on F and E (now major)
is followed by another progression through the “circle of fifths” that lingers on
G minor. The first violin comes to a rest, as do the viola and cello as the second
violin plays a “diminished” arpeggio. This leads to a suspended half-close in F
major.
2:45 [m. 144]--Theme 2 (F major). The presentation in an unexpected new key
closely
follows the C-major version from 0:48 [m. 45]. The cello and second violin reverse
roles. The cello alternates with the viola on the undulating figures. The second
violin plays longer notes. The viola/cello alternation is disrupted a bit at the
end, so that the last four measures are all played by the cello. The closing
pulses
on the “dominant” and their repetition with minor inflection are retained, but two
more statements of the pulses are added as an extension. These are more dissonant
and move to the “dominant” in D minor (“relative” to F major).
3:08 [m. 162]--The forceful arpeggios from 1:06 [m. 59] are used as the gateway to
a developmental passage of great intensity and instability. Instead of all four
instruments playing together in harmony, they now each begin the descending
arpeggio
in close succession a measure apart, then continue with similar (but not identical)
material. The cello begins alone, and is quickly followed by viola, first violin,
and second violin. The cellist begins on the original level of the arpeggios, G
minor. But the subsequent entries move rapidly through minor and major harmonies,
both via the “circle of fifths” and by ascending steps. The cello immediately
begins
a second round of imitation closely following the second violin. This round is a
step higher in all instruments. The pattern is broken, but the counterpoint is
extended
in a brief buildup to a “dominant” chord in the remote key of C-sharp major.
3:21 [m. 174]--The climax arrives as the instruments come together on a series of
chords derived from the third phrase of the transition passage heard at 0:26 [m.
25]. This third phrase had heavily accented the second beat of the bar, as does
this passage, and it was omitted in the transition from 2:28 [m. 129], making its
“delayed” appearance here striking. The original three-bar phrase is extended to
four. It is in C-sharp major. A second phrase (also four measures) keeps the same
basic level, especially in the high first violin notes, but altered harmonies
suggest
a shift to D minor (though there is no firm arrival there). Finally, a third four-
bar
phrase introduces a cello bass line moving up by half-step and a shift toward the
downbeat.
3:34 [m. 186]--Re-transition. The last chord in the previous passage is an
unstable
“diminished” chord on D-sharp, which slides up to E in the first violin. The cello
also leaps down to a low E to begin a pulsating bass. This low E serves as a long
“pedal point dominant” in preparation for the strong arrival of the home key, A
minor,
and the return of the main rondo theme. The volume suddenly drops, but the
intensity
does not. Over the cello pulsation, the other instruments play material from that
main theme, emphasizing its metric conflict, superimposing three sets of two beats
onto two 3/4 measures. The viola leads the patterns, with the violins following a
beat later in harmony, the second often adding more active motion. All three hold
beats over bar lines. The volume rapidly builds and the violins reach higher over
four two-bar units.
3:43 [m. 194]--The cello ceases its pulsations and begins to churn in octaves with
the viola. The violins stall on two chords. Then they join the lower instruments
an octave above the viola, creating a massive unison over three octaves. In this
unison, the instruments strongly zigzag upward. In the second measure of this, the
second violin and viola shift their register down, placing the viola in pure unison
with the cello, but there is no departure from the three-octave unison spread. The
last three notes of the upward “zigzag” stand in for the upbeat to the rondo theme.

RECAPITULATION
3:47 [m. 198]--Theme 1 (Rondo Theme). The structure in three-bar phrases is as in
the exposition. The trailing lines from the development are absent. The novelty
is in the lower instruments, which replace the block chord accompaniment with more
active, driving and continuous figuration that includes some pulsations. The cello
line ranges wide, plunging down and rising again. The cello descents (partly
doubled
by viola) conceal a “diminution” of the theme itself in smaller note values. In
the first three phrases, only the first violin is the same as the first
presentation.
The second violin is rather interesting. It mostly doubles the first an octave
lower, but conceals this with the pulsations.
3:56 [m. 207]--The active accompaniment comes to a sudden halt as the third phrase
reaches its final downbeat. The three-measure fourth phrase follows with no
changes
from the exposition at 0:10 [m. 10].
3:59 [m. 210]--The viola statement from 0:13 [m. 13] is also presented in a more
elaborate version, albeit with less variance than the first statement. The
pulsations
were already there. What is added is a higher flying first violin line (which adds
another “diminution” in the third phrase), more supporting harmony in the second
violin, and most notably, a new plucked cello punctuation in descending octaves to
articulate the end of each phrase. That instrument had been absent from the
statement
before. Again, the fourth phrase subtly returns to the original layout, with the
exception of the continuing plucked cello before it takes the bow at the former
entry
point.
4:11 [m. 222]--The transitional block chords from 0:26 [m. 25] return. The first
three phrases are unaltered, but the fourth, with the syncopation, is changed so
subtly that it is almost unnoticeable. The phrase now points to an strong arrival
on the “dominant” chord instead of a full cadence.
4:25 [m. 234]--The two phrases from 0:39 [m. 37] are replaced by a single one. It
resembles the first of the two former ones. The first violin and viola reiterate
the “dominant” note E (instead of the keynote), and the second violin and cello
have
the “marching” lines, which now move upward. There is no key change away from A.
The reiterated “dominant” is a preparation for the statement of Theme 2 in A
major.

4:29 [m. 238]--Theme 2 (A major). The upbeat is omitted for this presentation in
the home major key. The main difference from the presentation at 0:48 [m. 45] (and
the later one in the development in F major) is that the melody is presented by the
cello instead of the first violin. The undulating figures are passed between the
two violins, and the viola takes the longer notes formerly played by the cello.
The transfer is not an exact correspondence, but the pause is reached as expected,
with the second violin trailing. The quiet pulses and their minor-key repetition
follow as expected.
4:46 [m. 252]--Forceful arpeggios in all instruments, analogous to 1:06 [m. 59].
They begin on E minor, then move to the “dominant” of D before settling back in
A major in the subsequent smoother motion.
5:01 [m. 264]--Closing material, analogous to 1:21 [m. 71]. Yearning arpeggios
against
downward undulating cello.
5:06 [m. 268]--Cello arpeggios, oscillations, then downward undulations with cello
statement of yearning arpeggios, analogous to 1:25 [m. 75].
5:16 [m. 276]--Return to pattern with first violin leading on arpeggios and second
violin dropping out, then downward undulation working back up, analogous to 1:35
[m. 83]. The cello and viola briefly reverse roles at the end of the passage, and
Brahms begins the crescendo here, earlier than in the exposition.
5:26 [m. 284]--Strongly syncopated peroration, analogous to 1:44 [m. 91]. The
second
violin and viola have variations in their orientation from the first presentation,
but the leading first violin and the marching cello are largely the same. The
sudden
receding in volume and downward arpeggios follow. The full cadence in A major now
leads into the tranquil, meditative first part of the coda, rather than a vigorous
re-transition.
FIRST PART OF CODA (Poco tranquillo, A major)
5:38 [m. 293]--The cello leads a transformed version of the main rondo theme, now
presented as a gentle, rocking melody. It is grouped in two-bar units with notes
held over the bar line. The first violin imitates this a measure later. It begins
as a true imitation in canon, but subtle differences are introduced in the third
measure of the imitation. The other two instruments provide a background of long
sustained notes. In the sixth measure of the imitation (the seventh of the
phrase),
the pattern breaks in the first violin, and it joins the cello in an upward motion,
still in the prevailing rhythm.
5:51 [m. 301]--The first violin emerges into a graceful winding line still based
on the main rondo theme. The other instruments accompany in pairs of chords on the
first two beats of the measure. It begins on F-sharp minor, the “relative” key to
A major. After three measures in which the first violin line is repeated over
different
harmonies, it works its way downward as the other instruments hold a chord. The
following four measures intricately weave lines in the upper three instruments over
held cello notes. The viola takes over the winding line, the first violin plays
rising arpeggios, and the second violin has descending figures.
6:02 [m. 309]--Now all four instruments join in chords played on the first two
beats
of each measure. They are detached and marked pianissimo. The cello remains
rooted
to the “dominant” note, E. The top line of the chords creates a melody that seems
geared toward an arrival, with its rising half-steps and falling fourths.
6:08 [m. 313]--The four-bar pattern is repeated, but now the first violin largely
has the chords and melody to itself, as the second violin and viola pass simple
descending
lines back and forth. The viola begins these on an upbeat to the first measure.
The cello becomes more active, moving away from the E, then returning. After this
decorated repetition, the instruments break off for a full measure pause. The last
measure of the pattern is then repeated, but the last note of the first violin
melody
is wrenched up a half-step, creating a poignant dissonance. Another full-measure
pause follows.
6:19 [m. 320]--In a moment of ethereal suspension that seems out of place in this
mostly agitated movement, the instruments play a series of sustained chords,
pianissimo.
The pattern is derived from the main rondo theme. All the chords are two beats
long, completely obscuring the triple meter, and they include dissonances and half-
step
motion. Twelve of these chords over eight measures produce a reiterated six-bar
first violin line as the other instruments move more steadily downward.
6:33 [328]--There now follow six measures of chords that are held for the full
three-beat
measure. The harmonies of these subtly shift back toward A minor, and the last,
with a highly dissonant F-natural in the cello bass, is held with a fermata,
creating
an intense expectation.
SECOND PART OF CODA (Più vivace, A minor)
6:47 [m. 334]--In another transformation of the rondo theme, it is presented in
equal
fast notes (similar to the concealed “diminutions” in the recapitulation), without
the initial three-note upbeat. The phrases are thus condensed to two measures.
The first violin plays this condensed, fast version while the other instruments
accompany
with pizzicato chords on the first two beats of each measure. The cello continues
on the third beat, forming a rising arpeggio. In the third phrase, the melody
stalls
and the cello drops its third-beat notes. The first violin, winding up and back
down on the same notes, wrenches its top and bottom notes up a half-step, building
the tension.
6:53 [m. 342]--Now, with the utmost energy, the first violin reaches a high
“dominant”
note, which it forcefully and rapidly repeats in an octave. Meanwhile, the viola
and cello angrily play a further transformation of the “Poco tranquillo” version
from 5:38 [m. 293], which, it is now evident, is derived from the re-transition at
3:34 [m. 186]. They are harmonized mostly in thirds, with the cello above the
viola.
The second violin plays slow and wide leaps between the hammering first violin and
the feverish viola/cello harmony. The cello drops below the viola in a wide leap
at the end of the phrase, as the repeated first violin octave twice descends at the
outset of a measure, first a whole step, then a half-step.
7:00 [m. 350]--The first violin again breaks into the fast equal-note version, but
stalls on the first measure over chords from the other instruments. After that
measure
is repeated, the second violin joins the first an octave below (later moving up to
unison), and the two lower instruments rush up a scale against the violins until
they too are drawn into the powerful unison statement. Once the unison is reached,
there is a massive angular descent to the “dominant” note before the two loud
closing
cadence chords, which incorporate double and triple stops. The first chord is
short,
but the second is very briefly held before cutting off. This closing passage is
almost a complete directional inversion of the lead-in to the recapitulation at
3:43
[m. 194].
7:13--END OF MOVEMENT [359 mm.]
END OF QUARTET

BRAHMS LISTENING GUIDES HOMELIEBESLIEDER WALTZES FOR VOCAL QUARTET AND PIANO DUET,
OP. 52
Recording: Edith Mathis, soprano; Brigitte Fassbaender, alto; Peter Schreier,
tenor;
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, bass; Peter Engel and Wolfgang Sawallisch, piano [DG 449
641-2]
Recording of Op. 52a (without voices): Silke-Thora Matthies & Christian Köhn, piano
[Naxos 8.553140]
Published 1869. Op. 52a published 1874.

Brahms was effusive in his admiration of the “Waltz King,” Johann Strauss, Jr.
When
he turned to composing waltzes, however, he favored the simple binary structures
of Schubert’s keyboard waltzes over the large sectional forms of Strauss’s
orchestral
showpieces. The sixteen waltzes of Op. 39 were hugely popular, and a few years
later,
he again turned to the composition of waltzes for piano duet. In this case,
however,
they were inspired by and set to words from “Polydora,” a collection of alleged
translations
of small international love poems by Georg Friedrich Damuer. The diversity of
these
verses is given unity by the waltz forms. The setting for vocal quartet with piano
duet accompaniment was unusual, but had a precedent in a late Robert Schumann work.
It is a particularly felicitous combination, and the merging of two ensembles
typically
associated with domestic music making, or Hausmusik, brings the intent of the
waltzes
into relief. While Brahms had already set Daumer in some songs (particularly Op.
32), and devoted an entire contemporary song group (Op. 57) to his verses, it was
as the poet of the “Liebeslieder” Waltzes that Daumer became most known, despite
a rich and interesting background in religion, world cultures, and science as well
as poetry. It is comical that when Brahms visited him in the poet’s old age,
Daumer
had never heard of the man who had made him famous through the “love-song” waltzes.
The pieces were composed quickly, but Brahms did fret a bit about the ordering and
publication presentation. As it stands, the cycle falls neatly into four groups
of six, three, three, and six numbers. Eighteen is, incidentally, the largest
count
of individual numbers or movements in any Brahms opus number (edging out the 16
waltzes
of Op. 39, the 15 “Liebeslieder” of the Op. 65 companion set, and the 15 “Magelone”
Romances). There are only two solos (Nos. 7 and 17), in contrast to the seven of
Op. 65, but there are four duets grouped in two pairs--Nos. 3 and 14 for men and
Nos. 4 and 13 for women. In No. 1, the women enter more than halfway through the
song, and in No. 9, the soprano only enters for the (rather brief) middle section.
The first part of the cycle culminates in the large-scale (and utterly brilliant)
No. 6, the only one not in some sort of binary form (although one of its episodes
is an “enclosed” binary). No. 9, which seems like a Strauss “Danube” tribute, is
another extended form marking the halfway point. Nos. 11 and 12 are a clear pair
with their more defiant character, and they are more loosely connected to the
gentle
No. 10 through shared rhythms. Nos. 13-15 (with the second duet pair) flow
directly
into each other. No. 16 returns to the more defiant character. The final waltz,
No. 18, makes deft use of key relationships and “spellings” to provide a
sophisticated
conclusion. Hemiola, or cross-meter, is a common device (such as in Nos. 2 and 8),
and so is the figure of one long note followed by three short ones (which is even
more pervasive in Op. 65). Sometimes, new text is sung to repeated music (as in
No. 5). The cycle should ideally be performed complete. The version without
voices
for piano duet alone was published with some reluctance from Brahms as Op. 52a (to
help the publisher increase sales), and is vastly inferior. In the guides below,
the source nationality indicated by Daumer is given for each text. If a tempo
indication
is not given in the score, the indication for the first waltz, “Im Ländler-Tempo”
(speed of the “Ländler,” or German dance) is assumed and given in brackets. Primo
is used for the top piano duet part, secondo for the lower part.

Note: Links to English translations of the texts are from Emily Ezust's site at
http://www.recmusic.org/lieder.
For the most part, the translations are line-by-line, except where the difference
between German and English syntax requires slight alterations to the contents of
certain lines. The German texts (included here) are also visible in the
translation
links.

UPDATE (June 4, 2013): Timings for a recording of the version without voices (Op.
52a) have been added at the end of each segment. The very few alterations in the
piano parts are also noted. The most significant of these is the decorated primo
part in No. 7, Part 2 repeated.

IMSLP WORK PAGE

ONLINE SCORES FROM IMSLP (First Edition from Brahms-Institut Lübeck):
Main Version with Voices
Version without Voices, Op. 52a (Note that each primo page follows its
corresponding
secondo page. English text printed above secondo, German text printed above primo.
File also includes arrangement for voices with piano solo accompaniment, not
considered
here.)
ONLINE SCORES FROM IMSLP (From Breitkopf & Härtel Sämtliche Werke):
Main Version with Voices
Version without Voices, Op. 52a (Each primo page follows its corresponding secondo
page. German text printed above secondo and primo.)
ONLINE SCORE FROM THE CHORAL PUBLIC DOMAIN LIBRARY (Choral Wiki)--Note that measure
numbers are incorrect, as they count upbeats and first endings.

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