Brahms - The Music of the Living

Brahms pays homage to beethoven in character, while also creating a slightly stern and gnarly imitation that couldn't be one else's. This is more music for the living, more music almost encouraging us to let our grief out and to embrace it. Jan swawford writes that by the middle of the first movement at the brayman premier, much of the audience was already tears. In the next passage, brahms uses the words mit freud with joy. He that goes forth and weeps bearing cious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.