It is December 1871 and Johannes Brahms has finally established permanent residence in the music loving city of Vienna. Still, his thoughts remain in Hamburg for a time as his family slowly start to drift away from him...

He himself then drifted for a time, compositionally at least. He would begin his new position as Artistic Director of the Gesellschaft der Musik Freunde in Fall 1872 which made him so busy he hardly had time to compose. Except during the summers, when he would disappear from their sight, as it were, and work on his music. And what incredible music it would be: two string quartets, the Haydn Variations, the third piano quartet, plenty of music for the voice, and very nearly a first symphony. 

Works heard in this episode (all by Brahms):

- String Quartet in C minor op. 51, no. 1

1. Allegro

2. Romanze: Poco adagio

3. Allegretto molto moderato e comodo

4. Allegro

- Variations on a Theme (Said to be) by Joseph Haydn, op. 56a

Theme

Var. 1-3

Var. 4-6

Var. 7, 8

Finale

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