Brahms wrote his First String Quintet in F, Op. 88, in Bad Ischl, near Salzburg, where he spent no fewer than 10 full summers.
Critical Reception
Despite its qualities, Brahms's First String Quintet in F, Op. 88, never became popular, though Brahms himself was very pleased with it, calling it 'one of my best works'.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Brahms, a self-critical composer, discarded many of his early compositions but sometimes saved ideas for recycling in later works.
Composition History
Brahms's string quintets are 'viola quintets,' meaning the string quartet is reinforced by an extra viola, unlike Schubert's string quintet which uses two cellos.
Composer Biography
Johannes Brahms, the composer, started his musical career by playing violin and cello in dance bands in his native Hamburg to help his family's finances.
Compositional Technique
The second movement of Brahms's First String Quintet in F, Op. 88, takes the form of a double variation on two related subjects, alluding to Haydn, whose music Brahms knew well.
Composition History
After completing his G major String Quartet in 1890, Brahms believed he was finished as a composer, suffering from 'writer's block,' but his inspiration later returned.
