4 Serious Songs, Op.121 (Brahms, Johannes)

		Movements/Sections 4 songs Denn es gehet dem Menschen Andante (D minor) (F minor) (C minor) Ich wandte mich und sahe an alle Andante (G minor–G major) (B♭ minor) (F♯ minor) O Tod, wie bitter bist du Bass Grave (E minor–E major) (G minor) (D minor) Wenn ich mit Menschen und mit Engelszungen redete Con moto ed anima (E♭ major) (G major) (D♭ major) Composition Year 1896 Genre Categories Songs; For voice, piano; For voices with keyboard; Scores featuring the voice; Scores featuring the bass voice; Scores featuring the piano; German language; For voice, organ (arr); Scores featuring the organ

Sheet Music

• Voice and Piano (12)
• Arrangements and Transcriptions (1)

Voice and Piano

Low Voice (Original keys)

 Complete score
*#23165 - 3.71MB, 20 pp. -  5.4/10 2 4 6 8 10 (7) - V/V/V - 5820x⇩

PDF scanned by Brahms-Institut
Ivdruiz (2008/10/14)

Editor:

First edition

Publisher Info.:

Berlin: N. Simrock, 1896. Plate 10679.

Copyright:

Public Domain [tag/del]

Misc. Notes:

Colour scan with digital watermark

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 Complete Score (scan) (Preview)
*#85424 - 2.26MB, 18 (#44-61) pp. -  7.1/10 2 4 6 8 10 (7) - V/V*/V - 2514x⇩

PDF scanned by piupianissimo
piupianissimo (2010/11/21)

 Complete Score (filter) (Preview)
*#85425 - 1.73MB, 18 (#44-61) pp. -  0.0/10 2 4 6 8 10 (0) - V/V*/V - 2348x⇩

PDF scanned by piupianissimo
piupianissimo (2010/11/21)

Editor:

Eusebius Mandyczewski (1857-1929)

Publisher Info.:

Johannes Brahms: Sämtliche Werke, Band 26
Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1926–27. Plate J.B. 168

Copyright:

Public Domain [tag/del]

Misc. Notes:

scan: score scanned at 600dpi
filter: score filtered with 2-point algorithm explained in High Quality Scanning
I provide the original scanned version and the filtered, because the filter does some changes (smoothening, sharpening borders) and some portions of the scan get lost sometimes (when they are too small e.g.) - so you can choose your favorite. You may ask me for a manually cleaned version.

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 1. Denn es gehet dem Menschen wie dem Vieh (Preview)
*#65445 - 0.53MB, 5 pp. -  0.0/10 2 4 6 8 10 (0) - V/V/V - 2036x⇩

PDF scanned by Hansenkd
piupianissimo (2010/5/29)

 2. Ich wandte mich und sahe (Preview)
*#65446 - 0.26MB, 3 pp. -  5.0/10 2 4 6 8 10 (4) - V/V/V - 1122x⇩

PDF scanned by Hansenkd
piupianissimo (2010/5/29)

 3. O Tod, wie bitter bist du! (Preview)
*#65447 - 0.24MB, 3 pp. -  0.0/10 2 4 6 8 10 (0) - V/V/V - 1440x⇩

PDF scanned by Hansenkd
piupianissimo (2010/5/29)

 3. O Tod, wie bitter bist du!
(with manuscript measure numbers) (Preview)
*#65448 - 0.24MB, 3 pp. -  0.0/10 2 4 6 8 10 (0) - V/V/V - 655x⇩

PDF scanned by Hansenkd
piupianissimo (2010/5/29)

 4. Wenn ich mit Menschen- und mit Engelzungen redete (Preview)
*#65449 - 0.48MB, 5 pp. -  0.0/10 2 4 6 8 10 (0) - V/V/V - 1174x⇩

PDF scanned by Hansenkd
piupianissimo (2010/5/29)

Editor:

Max Friedlaender (1852-1934)

Publisher Info.:

Leipzig: Edition Peters, No.3692b, n.d.(ca.1920?). Plate 10281. (pp.137-53)

Copyright:

Public Domain [tag/del]

Misc. Notes:

Scanned at 600dpi, cleaned with 2-point algorithm, additional manual cleaning.

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High Voice (Transposed)

 1. Denn es gehet dem Menschen wie dem Vieh
*#64768 - 0.58MB, 6 pp. -  0.0/10 2 4 6 8 10 (0) - V/V/V - 1009x⇩

PDF scanned by VARIATIONS
Hansenkd (2010/5/22)

 2. Ich wandte mich und sahe
*#64769 - 0.27MB, 3 pp. -  0.0/10 2 4 6 8 10 (0) - V/V/V - 548x⇩

PDF scanned by VARIATIONS
Hansenkd (2010/5/22)

 3. O Tod, wie bitter bist du!
*#64770 - 0.25MB, 3 pp. -  3.0/10 2 4 6 8 10 (2) - V/V/V - 642x⇩

PDF scanned by VARIATIONS
Hansenkd (2010/5/22)

 4. Wenn ich mit Menschen- und mit Engelzungen redete
*#64771 - 0.46MB, 5 pp. -  0.0/10 2 4 6 8 10 (0) - V/V/V - 558x⇩

PDF scanned by VARIATIONS
Hansenkd (2010/5/22)

Editor:

Max Friedlaender (1852-1934)

Publisher Info.:

Leipzig: Edition Peters, No.3692a, n.d.(ca.1920?). Plate 10280. (pp.137-53)

Copyright:

Public Domain [tag/del]

Misc. Notes:

The original low voice edition is specified for bass and notated in the bass clef. This high voice edition is a third higher and uses the treble clef.

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Arrangements and Transcriptions

For Low Voice and Organ (Keller)

	Complete Score	PDF file, Scanned by Russ. St. Lib.
	20 pages, 6.19 MB	Uploader: Caprotti (14 June 2011)

Arranger:

Hermann Keller (1885-1967)

Translator:

Paul England (ca.1863–1932)

Language:

German / English

Publisher Info.:

Berlin: N. Simrock, (1910). Plate 12619.
1896 copyright claim only

Copyright:

This file is public domain in the USA only!
It is not PD in Canada, the EU or elsewhere.

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General Information

Work Title	4 Serious Songs
Alternative Title	Vier ernste Gesänge

Composer	Brahms, Johannes
Opus/Catalogue Number	Op.121
Movements/Sections	4 songs Denn es gehet dem Menschen Andante (D minor) (F minor) (C minor) Ich wandte mich und sahe an alle Andante (G minor–G major) (B♭ minor) (F♯ minor) O Tod, wie bitter bist du Bass Grave (E minor–E major) (G minor) (D minor) Wenn ich mit Menschen und mit Engelszungen redete Con moto ed anima (E♭ major) (G major) (D♭ major)
Year/Date of Composition	1896
First Performance	1896-05-24, in the estate of Hagerhof at Bad Honnef
First Publication	1896 (July) – Berlin: N. Simrock
Librettist	Martin Luther (1483–1586), from the Bible
Language	German
Dedication	Max Klinger
Piece Style	Romantic
Instrumentation	Bass voice + Piano
External Links	Wikipedia article Classical Archives article The Lied, Art Song, and Choral Texts Archive KDH Listening Guide Brahms Society article about premiere

Misc. Comments

One article's typos "Hager Hof" (for "Hagerhof") and "Bad Honnuf" (it's "Bad Honnef" or Honeff in earlier accounts) about the place of premiere of this work have propagated here there and around and about.
Clara Schumann died four days before the day (Whitsunday) on which the work was premiered. See PDF. - Schissel