Brahms’ First is 150 years old today. Here’s how he grappled with ‘a giant on his back’ to write a masterpiece

Brahms’ first symphony was 21 years in the making. It was well worth the wait. Also, today, why Ivan Fischer and the Berlin Phil have parted company over a seating arrangement By any reckoning, 21 years is a very long gestation period. Beethoven wrote his first eight symphonies (and was stuck into the ninth) in less time. But it’s how long it took Brahms to complete his First Symphony. He initially sketched it in the mid-1850s, in his 20s, and he was 43 by the time it was premiered, exactly 150 years ago on 4 November 1876 in Karlsruhe. Earlier that summer had seen the premiere of Wagner’s Ring cycle in Bayreuth – another project that had taken more than 20 years to bring to fruition. But in contrast to the 15 hours and four operas of the Ring, all Brahms had to do was compose four movements, lasting about 45 minutes in performance. Why did it take him so long? Continue reading...