For Johannes Brahms, the symphony was the ultimate test of a composer’s abilities and the most suitable way of creating a legacy. It took him a long time to compose his First Symphony, though, mostly because of the “giant marching behind him.” That giant was Beethoven, whose symphonies intimidated Brahms to a degree that it took him 20 years to compose his own. The result is his Symphony No. 1 and it’s our Evening Masterwork tonight at 7 on Classical WSMR 89.1 and 103.9.
Evening Masterworks: Johannes Brahms' Symphony No. 1 in c Op. 68 for April 29, 2023
