He was a perfectionist – he used to destroy the manuscripts of the works he wasn’t pleased with. Representing the Romantic style, at the same time he was a master of Baroque counterpoint (just as Bach had been) and he was considered the artistic successor of Beethoven. He wrote piano works (being the virtuoso of the instrument), choral and vocal compositions, chamber and symphonic music. His oeuvre was stretched between the traditionalism and innovations: it was criticized by his contemporaries as too academic, yet it was also praised by a composer as progressive as Arnold Schönberg.

The Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Kraków presents the Brahmsodia – a series of events on the occasion of the 190th birth anniversary of Johannes Brahms, one of the Three B’s, a group of German composers who had a major impact on the history of music. The Brahmsodia includes concerts at the Saski Hotel, where Brahms himself played durong his visit to Kraków.

17 February 2023, 7pm
Saski Hotel

J. Brahms (1833–1897) Variation on the Theme by Paganini Op. 35, Book II
Grzegorz Witkowski piano

J. Brahms (1833–1897) Hungarian Dances (selection)
Le Quang Sinh, Weronika Gardziel piano
Emanuel Manuch, Lily Phee piano

J. Brahms (1833–1897) Piano Quartet in G minor Op. 25
Mateusz Kaspszak-Łabudziński violin
Maria Dębina viola
Jan Kalinowski cello
Marek Szlezer piano

18 February 2023, 1:15pm
Dominican Church

M. Reger (1873–1916) Introduction and Passaclaglia in D minor
Jakub Stanuch organ

J.S. Bach (1685–1750) Herzlich tut mich verlangen BWV 727
J. Brahms (1833–1897) Herzlich tut mich verlangen Op. 122 No. 9
M. Reger (1873–1916) Herzlich tut mich verlangen Op. 67 No. 14
Krzysztof Marucha organ

J. Brahms (1833–1897) Herzlich tut mich verlangen Op. 122 No. 10
Marek Wolak organ

J.S. Bach (1685–1750) Fantasia and Fugue in G minor BWV 542
Daniel Prajzner organ

18 February 2023, 6pm
Saski Hotel

J. Brahms (1833–1897) Allegro non troppo and Scherzo from Symphony No. 4 in E minor Op. 98
Tomasz Romanek, Jarosław Duda piano

J. Brahms (1833–1897) 4 Works for Piano Op. 119
Kinga Kaczmarczyk piano

J. Brahms (1833–1897) Trio in C major Op. 87
Maria Polaczok violin
Mikołaj Adamczak cello
Csanád Barbarics piano

19 February 2023, 6pm
Florianka Recital Hall
Chamber concert – final event of the student workshop

J. Brahms (1833–1897) Von ewiger Liebe Op. 43 No. 1
J. Brahms (1833–1897) Die Mainacht Op. 43 No. 2
J. Brahms (1833–1897) Meine Liebe ist grün Op. 63 No. 5
J. Brahms (1833–1897) Vergeblisches Ständchen Op. 84 No. 4
R. Schumann (1810–1856) Widmung Op. 25 No. 1
H. Berlioz (1803–1869) La spectre d’une rose
E. Grieg (1843–1907) Solveig’s sang
E. Granados (1867–1916) El tra la la y el Punteado
Anna Radziejewska mezzo-soprano
Paweł Kubica piano

J. Brahms (1833–1897) Spanisches Lied Op. 6 No. 1
J. Brahms (1833–1897) Alte Liebe Op. 72 No. 1
J. Brahms (1833–1897) An den Mond Op. 71 No. 2
J. Brahms (1833–1897) Gold überwiegt die Liebe Op. 48 No. 4
Zuzanna Hwang soprano
Ai Guen piano

P. Perkowski (1901–1990) Uty japońskie Op. 4
J. Brahms (1833–1897) Wie Melodien zieht es mir Op. 105
R. Strauss (1864–1949) Zueignung Op. 10 No. 1
Mariola Siepak soprano
Lenka Polláková piano

J. Brahms (1833–1897) 4 Songs Op. 96
Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht
Wir wandelten
Es schauen die Blumen
Meerfahrt
Karolina Michniak soprano
Wiktoria Latos piano