Brahms



5th March 2021

AIR, Goa FM 105.4 Khz

Livestream: https://onlineradiofm.in/goa/panaji/fm-rainbow

SIESTA TIME 2.30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

HIGHLIGHT

Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Muhseligen

[Why is light given to the weary]

Op.74, No. 1

Sacred Motet

A Cappella

Biblical sources:

Job 3: 20-23 (First movement)

Lamentations 3: 41 (Second movement)

James 5:11 (Third movement)

Composed: 1877

Duration: 8.21 mins. (approx.)

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was a German composer.  He is remembered for his German Requiem, his four symphonies, his chamber work, and his lullaby in D. He popularized the folk music of Hungary with his Hungarian dances.

Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Muhseligen / [Why is light given to the weary] is sung a cappella  in German. It is a motet based on the Book of Job in the Bible. Job is weary. He feels God is against him. If God is against him, he reasons, what is the point of living? Yet the motet reaches for God and ends in hope - with patience and endurance seen as virtues.

Brahms was a perfectionist. He burnt 20 of his string quartets (along with several other writings) because he was not satisfied with them.


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