Music TheoryPrint

Johannes Brahms

Piano Sonata No. 1 (Brahms)

The Piano Sonata No. 1 in C major, Op. 1, of Johannes Brahms was written in Hamburg in 1853, and published later that year. Despite being his first published work, he had actually composed his Piano

Music#

The sonata is in four movements: The first movement is in conventional sonata form with a repeated exposition. The opening of the first theme has been compared to the opening of Beethoven’s “Hammerklavier” Sonata. The second movement is a theme and variations inspired by the song Verstohlen geht der Mond auf. Brahms was to rewrite it for female chorus in 1859 (WoO 38/20). The third movement is a scherzo and trio. The fourth is a loose rondo whose theme is noticeably changed at every recurrence. It is highly technically demanding on the performer, with toccata-like intensity and rapid thirds throughout. The form of the rondo is a palindrome ABACACABA.

  • Full text of Verstohlen geht der Mond auf
  • Full text with translation
  • Detailed listening guide using a recording by Martin Jones
  • , Piano soloist: Juan Carlos Fernández-Nieto
  • , Pianist: Alexander Promyslov
Composer
Johannes Brahms