Let's just go all-out.

I'd like to see how people rank the main works - according to "best" or "favorite" or "most important" or "most powerful" or however you'd prefer to rank them.

Here is a list meant to be helpful, not binding (of course you can omit anything from your ranking, or if you think another work deserves mention in your ranking, you can substitute that instead):

• Hungarian Dances (in any arrangement you want)
• Piano Trio #1 (op. 8, revised version)
• Piano Concerto #1 in D minor (op. 15)
• Piano Quartet #1 in G minor (op. 25)
• Piano Quintet in F minor (op. 34)
• Paganini Variations (op. 35)
• String Sextet #2 (op. 36)
• Cello Sonata #1 in E minor (op. 38)
• Horn Trio in E flat (op. 40)
• A German Requiem (op. 45)
• Haydn Variations (op. 56)
• Symphony #1 in C minor (op. 68)
• Symphony #2 in D (op. 73)
• Violin Concerto in D (op. 77)
• Academic Festival Overture (op. 80)
• Piano Concerto #2 in B flat (op. 83)
• Symphony #3 in F (op. 90)
• Symphony #4 in E minor (op. 98)
• Violin Sonata #3 in D minor (op. 108)
• Clarinet Quintet in B minor (op. 115)
• Seven Fantasias for Piano (op. 116)
• Three Intermezzi for Piano (op. 117)
• Six Pieces for Piano (op. 118)
• Four Pieces for Piano (op. 119)
• Four Serious Songs (op. 121)

 

You left out the a-minor Double Concerto, Op. 102.

 

I also think that it is quintessential Brahms, so I like it more than his violin concerto. Esp, the first movement.

His Requiem is maybe not his Magnum Opus, but it is my favorite Requiem at that moment. Esp: "Herr, lehre doch mich dass ein Ende mit mir haben muss, und mein Leben ein Ziel hat und ich davon muss". I like it much more than Verdi's. No special effects. Just the Lord and a human being.

 

Brahms has more than just one "magnum opus". The 4th symphony is surely a huge masterpiece, perhaps really the greatest. I personnally put on the first place the Piano Quintet and the Piano Trio in B (both on the first place... they won't fight there). Therefore:

1. Opp. 8 & 34.
2. 4th symphony.
3. String Quartet in A minor.
4. Piano Concerto in D minor.
5. Clarinet Quintet.
6. 2d symphony.
7. Double Concerto.
8. Variations on a theme of Haydn.

 

One thing I'm not seeing are solo piano pieces. I think that op. 118 should probably be in the mix here; it's one of Brahms' most well-known and frequently performed works, and contains probably his best piano music.

 

The 2nd cello sonata for me. It's a chamber work yet symphonic in it's scope (4 movements) & textures. & it is very gratifying for both of the players as well as for the listener...

EDIT: Oops, I chose the 1st sonata (in the poll) but I meant the 2nd sonata. Oh well, close enough?...

 

I second that.
Great work and no one mentioned it, (I forgot either) but really should be on the list

 

taking up my own challenge -

A top 10:

1. A German Requiem (op. 45)
2. Symphony #4 in E minor (op. 98)
3. Symphony #1 in C minor (op. 68)
4. Piano Quintet in F minor (op. 34)
5. Clarinet Quintet in B minor (op. 115)
6. Piano Trio #1 (op. 8, revised version)
7. Piano Concerto #1 in D minor (op. 15)
8. Violin Sonata #3 in D minor (op. 108)
9. Cello Sonata #1 in E minor (op. 38)
10. String Sextet #2 (op. 36)

 

To everybody:

The title of the thread should be corrected. "Magnus opus" is incorrect, since in latin "opus" is a grammatically neutral name (its gender is neutral). It should be: "Magnum opus".

 

I have been an unflinching “Brahmin” - Brahms-addict - for more than 50 years, being fond of about two dozens of his works and listening sometimes to another dozen – including even both orchestral serenades -, but I frankly don’t like a lot of the others and not only his lieder, vocal quartets etc. (I don’t like Schubert’s, Schumann’s, Debussy’s either.) First of all I don’t like the string quintets and sextets, then the first piano sonata (in C), the sets of Variations on themes of Schumann, the clarinet sonatas and his last work, the 11 Choral preludes. In my ears the famous second movement of the first string sextet borders on kitsch, while the others are simply flat and uninteresting. The piano trios in C and c, the violin sonatas, the First Symphony, the third string quartet, the small piano pieces are good works and once in a few years I put them on the record-player but I can’t say that I really like them. With all their merits, something bothers me in them.

Nonetheless I have on records or CDs almost absolutely everything he wrote, even the first version of the Piano Trio in B, many pieces without opus number and the four-hand or two-pianos version (made by Brahms himself) of a large number of his works. (I can warmly recommend to everybody some volumes of the collection “Brahms – Four Hand Piano Music” of Naxos. Surprisingly even the string quartets and the three first symphonies are extremely enjoyable on piano! And the first piano concerto is also brilliantly played, even if you are accustomed to the best interpretations of its normal orchestral version.)

 

Intermezzo Op. 118, No. 2 in A major.

 

I can warmly recommend to everybody some volumes of the collection "Brahms - Four Hand Piano Music" of Naxos. Surprisingly even the string quartets and the three first symphonies are extremely enjoyable on piano!

That series is incredible, agreed. I almost prefer the 4 hands piano version of the second string quintet to the string quintet version! And I played the third symphony as a piano duet with my professor last year, and it was an awesome experience. I somehow managed to appreciate the work more playing it on the piano, learning all the neat things Brahms did with the material first hand, such as the hemiola that opens the first movement. Great stuff.

 

I almost prefer the 4 hands piano version of the second string quintet to the string quintet version!

Me too. And I not only almost prefer the first String Quartet on piano to the normal version but I prefer it, period! Even though I have it in an astonishingly beautiful interpretation, with incredibly colourful and expressive soundings (by the Bartok quartet, on an old Hungarian record).

And I played the third symphony as a piano duet with my professor last year, and it was an awesome experience.

I envy you... (In a positive sense, of course. Not so: :devil: but so: :tiphat:.)

 

my current favorites:

Piano Quintet in F minor (Op. 34)
String Quartet No. 1 in C minor (Op. 51/1)
Cello Sonata No. 1 in E minor (Op. 38)
Piano Quartet No. 3 in C minor (Op. 60)
Piano Trio No. 1 in B major (Op. 8 revised)

 

My single most favorite piece of music: Nänie Op.82.

If only it were performed more.

 

The violin Concerto has remained my favorite after hearing the vast majority of Brahms works. I place it along with Tchaikovsky as the best violin concertos ever written. The end of the cadenza in the first movement and just afterward is some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard.

I do adore the Third Symphony (1 and 4 are just behind). The Clarinet Quintet and the first Sextet are wonderful chamber pieces.

 

How come Symphony 3 isn't in the poll?

The Cello Sonata should not be listed amongst the top 10

a fair top 12 would be:

1. Piano Concerto No. 2 (my opinion his greatest work...and the greatest of all Piano Concertos)
2. Symphony 4 (the obvious choice, though I put it in second place)
3. Symphony 1
4. Symphony 3
5. Violin Concerto
6. Piano Concerto 1
7. Clarinet Quintet
8. Piano Quintet
9. Op. 116
10. German Requiem
11. Symphony 2
12. Violin Sonata 3

 

Of the late piano works, why do you single out Op. 116?

 

These comments have been interesting. Apparently I've connected with much of Brahms' music and agree with the pieces voted for, but I still don't consider myself enough of an informed fan to vote for a magnum opus.

However, the motet Opus 74, Warum is das Licht, was an inspiration to me in a crisis several years ago, so however someone views it, it still holds a special place for me personally.

 

It's really hard for me to respond to a "magnum opus" question, because usually, the work I would have to call the 'greatest' is not actually my own personal favorite.

The Alto Rhapsody has always had the top spot in my heart, and lately some previously undiscovered works like the Zigeunerlieder and the Piano Trios (thanks to the Brilliant Complete Brahms box set) have become personal favorites.

Among the warhorses, nothing beats the Piano Concerto #1 for me - though its early composition date probably disqualifies it for most peoples' choice.

 

The Hungarian Dances. hehe j/k

I, like Manxfeeder, don't feel like I'm quite informed enough on Brahms yet, but I think the PC #2, Symphony #1, and Requiem are worthy to be mentioned. All Brahms chamber music is very good, at this point I have a hard time singling out works there...

 

Blah, I hate when old threads of mine return. I apologize for the typos and silly poll options that younger me created. If I had done this again, there would be different choices. I have since listened to the Clarinet Quintet, and it's now my favorite piece by Brahms.

 

Blah, I hate when old threads of mine return. I apologize for the typos and silly poll options that younger me created. If I had done this again, there would be different choices.

I know the feeling. I'm not talking specifically about here on this forum, just in general I hate looking back over things I wrote more than a couple of months ago...

 

Surprising results. I was expecting the 2nd piano concerto to be doing better.

 

I don't think many would necessarily vote for them as his 'magnum opus' but his violin sonatas are pretty much perfect. Symphonies #2 and #3 definitely should have been included on that list, though. In any case, I voted for the Requiem though the second piano concerto, either string sextet, third and fourth symphonies, late works for solo piano and violin concerto are all contenders.

 

Going by the definition of the word "magnum opus," I voted the Requiem, since it is his largest-scale piece, and an excellent work. My personal favorite, however, would be the Symphony 4 or Piano Concerto 2.

edit: looks like I already replied to this 2 1/2 years ago, I forgot how easy it is to raise topics from the dead here