Vier ernste Gesänge (Four Serious Songs), Op. 121, is a cycle of four songs for bass and piano by Johannes Brahms. As in his Ein deutsches Requiem, the texts are compiled from the Luther Bible. Three songs deal with death and the transience of life, while the fourth has an outlook of faith, hope and charity. Brahms composed the work in Vienna in 1896 and dedicated it to Max Klinger. The songs were premiered there in the presence of the composer by baritone Anton Sistermans and pianist Coenraad V. Bos. They have been recorded often by both female and male singers.
Original Name | Vier ernste Gesänge |
Librettist | Martin Luther (from the Bible) |
Date of composition | 1896 |
Premiered | 1896, November 9th in Vienna, Austria |
First published | 1896, N. Simrock in Berlin, Germany |
Type | Song(s) |
Catalogue | Op. 121 |
Spoken language | German |
Instruments |
Voice (Bass)
Piano |
Autotranslations beta |
Johannes Brahms: Four Serious Songs, Op. 121 Johannes Brahms: Four Serious Songs, Op. 121 Johannes Brahms: Four Serious Songs, Op. 121 |