String Sextet No. 1 (Brahms)

The String Sextet No. 1 in B♭ major, Op. 18, was composed in 1860 by Johannes Brahms and premiered 20 October that year in Hanover by an ensemble led by Joseph Joachim.[1][2] It was published in 1862 by the firm of Fritz Simrock.

The sextet is scored for two violins, two violas, and two cellos.

The sextet has four movements:[3]

  1. Allegro ma non troppo, in 3
    4     time
  2. Andante, ma moderato, in D minor and 2
    4     time (and in variation form)
  3. Scherzo: Allegro molto in F major and 3
    4    , with a central Animato trio section
  4. Rondo: Poco allegretto e grazioso, in 2
    4

The outlines of the main themes of the first movement and finale are similar (the first four notes of the cello theme of the first movement are almost identical with those of notes two to five of the finale, and there are other similarities more easily heard).

In the same year of its composition, Brahms transcribed the second movement for solo piano, dedicating the arrangement to Clara Schumann.

  1. ^ L. Auer, My Long Life in Music, New York, Stokes, 1923
  2. ^ Swafford, Jan (1997). Johannes Brahms: A Biography. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. p. 216. ISBN 0-679-42261-7.
  3. ^ For instance, see pages 1–44 of the 1968-published Dover Publications reprint of the Vienna Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde Edition: Complete chamber music for strings and clarinet quintet (originally edited by Hans Gál). ISBN 0-486-21914-3.