The clash of these two musical aesthetics ignited widespread debates in the music world during the latter half of the 19th century, known as the "War of the Romantics". In this debate, the opposition between the New German School and Brahms was not only a divergence of artistic styles but also reflected the differing societal views and expectations regarding the role of music. The New German School advocated for a closer integration of music with life, literature, and visual arts, while Brahms believed that music should be a pure art of self-expression. This article will explore the musical perspectives and aesthetics of the New German School and Brahms, and attempt to explain how they balanced the preservation of musical traditions with the pursuit of innovation!

The New German School and the Development of Program Music

The Beethoven-Admiring New German School

The origins of the New German School can be traced back to the mid-19th century, with key members including Wagner and Liszt. Their musical creations were inspired by the works of Beethoven, whom they idolized as a musical innovator. They aimed to challenge traditional musical forms and languages, paving the way for musical innovation. Their musical style was heavily influenced by Beethoven, especially his symphonic style, with their works bringing about significant innovations in structure, timbre, and harmony.

The Development and Promotion of Program Music

Program music, also known as descriptive music, is a form of music where the content is based on a story, scene, or idea. Composers of the New German School employed this method to push for musical innovation, incorporating narrative elements into their musical works to enable listeners to better understand and experience the music.

In this style, composers typically link their music with a non-musical theme, such as a poem, a narration, or a painting.

Here are a few ways they utilized program music:

1. Drawing Inspiration from Poetry: Many of Liszt's symphonic poems were created drawing inspiration from poetry. For instance, his "Les Préludes" was inspired by a poem of the same name by Victor Hugo. In this piece, Liszt aimed to depict the situations and emotions within the poem through music.
2. Drawing Inspiration from Visual Images: Some composers chose one or multiple visual images as their creative inspiration, attempting to depict these images through music. For example, the music in Wagner's opera "The Ring of the Nibelung" was aimed at illustrating the plot and characters of the opera.
3. Drawing Inspiration from Concepts or Ideas: Some program music doesn't directly depict a specific story or image but attempts to express a concept or emotion. For instance, Liszt's symphonic poem "Les Préludes" tries to depict the miserable conditions of humanity through music.

Although program music may relate to a non-musical theme, understanding and appreciating this music doesn't require the listeners to have an in-depth understanding of the theme. Composers usually convey the emotions and ambiance associated with the theme through their music. The conclusion will be provided later.

Brahms's View on Program Music

Brahms' Perception of Program Music as a Limitation to Musical Imagination

Johannes Brahms held a critical stance towards program music, as he believed it restricted imaginative engagement with the music. According to Brahms, when music is tightly tied to a specific story, image, or concept, its expressive potential and innovative capacity can be limited. In his view, the true power of music lies in its ability to evoke a variety of emotions and images in the listener's mind, which do not necessarily need to correspond directly with the composer's original inspiration. Hence, Brahms felt that program music in some way limited the listener's personal interpretation of the music, thereby reducing its artistic value.

Brahms' Critique of the New German School's Music

Brahms's opinion of the New German School was also quite radical. He regarded their music as too "sensationalist," overly reliant on flashy effects and sensory stimulation, and lacking in depth and structural rigor, all of which he believed detracted from the music's inherent value.

Brahms's own musical works, including his four symphonies and numerous chamber pieces, reflected his disciplined approach to music creation. Through his work, he conveyed that music could transcend concrete depiction, and that through the structure and form of the music, deeper emotional expression could be achieved.

These views of Brahms caused much controversy at the time. He had many ideological conflicts with the composers of the New German School, which influenced their respective compositional styles. From their opposition, we can see the various possibilities for musical innovation in the 19th century, as well as the diversity of musical expression.

Despite going against the grain of the mainstream trends of the time, Brahms remained steadfast in his musical philosophy and incorporated it into his own work, creating a clear contrast with the New German School and leaving a profound influence on later generations.

The Musical Aesthetics of Brahms

Brahms' Aesthetic Perspectives

Brahms's aesthetic perspective on music was rooted in a blend of respect for classical tradition and personal innovation. He believed music should be a pure art form, with an internal structure, harmony, and beauty that transcend any external narrative or symbolism. His works often feature intricate structures and innovative harmonic techniques, reflecting his deep admiration for Baroque and Classical masters such as Bach and Beethoven. Brahms's music is elegant, and compared to his more avant-garde contemporaries at the end of the 19th century, his style is more introspective, although this does not mean that his music lacks depth or passion.

Brahms's style is also evident in how he composed large-scale works within traditional structures. His early sonatas and the dance pieces of Op. 4 are huge and influential works that hold the same position in piano music as Bruckner's or Mahler's symphonies do.

Want to learn more about Brahms's piano works and life? Feel free to read:Johannes Brahms' Musical Journey: Unveiling the Artistic Essence of His Sonatas and Rhapsodies | JOHANNES BRAHMS

Brahms' Unique Insights into Music

Johannes Brahms distinguished himself in music history with a deep interest in the form of solo piano variations, despite his lack of fascination for flamboyant performance expressions. His early sonatas and middle-period variations contain some of the most challenging technical writings, which seem to be integrated with the musical structure rather than merely existing for performance sake.

As Brahms's musical thinking evolved, he gradually moved away from large forms and embraced the 19th-century character piece, further diminishing the virtuosic element, and traditional, canonical compositional techniques became increasingly apparent. Brahms rarely quoted literature in his works and avoided using descriptive titles, except for some like rhapsodies or impromptus that suggest a general mood.

Brahms' compositions tend to favor harmonic movement in fourths and fifths rather than chromatic motion in semitones. Counterpoint writing is evident in all his keyboard works, with this technique revealing surprising ingenuity in many instances in his late works. Although we can analyze the structure through segmentation, this method can't fully explain how Brahms ingeniously filled transitional sections or codas with inspiration, or how subtly he transformed thematic motifs.

In his later years (1890), Brahms conducted a major cleanup of his compositions, destroying what he considered substandard and unfinished projects. As a result, the works he left behind are remarkably consistent and excellent in aesthetics and inspiration. Therefore, today, when we play Brahms, we can often directly use scores from IMSLP, the differences usually aren't too significant, although one needs to be more cautious with certain composers.

Academic research has always been keen on studying Brahms' life and works. His interest in early music introduced him to leading musicologists of his time, including Eusebius Mandyczewski (1857-1929), who published the first complete edition of all Brahms' works. Moreover, Brahms' long-standing relationship with Simrock Publishing made it possible for the publisher to print all of Brahms' works starting from around 1860 (beginning with Op. 16). Today's pianists still often use the versions of Mandyczewski and Emil von Sauer (1862-1942), a renowned pianist who edited the complete works of Brahms for Peters Publishing Company.