Max Bruch
Romantic · 1838–1920
Max Bruch spent his career as a working conductor and teacher, holding posts around Germany, spending three seasons leading the orchestra in Liverpool, and finally teaching composition in Berlin for two decades. Born in Cologne in 1838, he lived long enough to watch musical fashion move away from his warm Romantic style, and he grumbled about it.
One piece dominates his reputation: the Violin Concerto no. 1 in G minor, completed in his twenties with advice from the violinist Joseph Joachim. It became so popular that Bruch grew tired of hearing about it, all the more because he had sold the publishing rights for a flat fee and never shared in its success. Kol Nidrei, his meditation for cello and orchestra on Jewish melodies, came from his Liverpool years, though Bruch himself was Protestant.
The First Violin Concerto is the place to begin, with the Scottish Fantasy close behind.
44 works in the catalog, across 4 genres. Log what you listen to with Opus, the classical music journal for iPhone.
Chamber
- 4 Pieces for Cello and Piano, op. 70
- 8 Pieces for Clarinet, Viola, and Piano, op. 83
- Octet for Strings
- Romance for Viola and Piano, op. 85
- String Quartet no. 1 in C minor, op. 9
- String Quartet no. 2 in E major, op. 10
- String Quintet in A minor
- String Quintet in E flat major
- Swedish Dances, 15 pieces in 2 books for violin and piano, op. 63
Orchestral
- Kol Nidrei: Adagio on Hebrew Melodies, for cello and orchestra, op. 47
- Scottish Fantasy, for violin and orchestra, op. 46
- Violin Concerto no. 1 in G minor, op. 26
- Adagio appassionato, for violin and orchestra in C sharp minor, op. 57
- Adagio on Celtic Themes, for cello and orchestra, op. 56
- Ave Maria, for cello and orchestra, op. 61
- Canzone, for cello and orchestra in B major, op. 55
- Concerto for 2 Pianos in A flat minor, op. 88a
- Concerto For Clarinet, Viola, and Orchestra, op. 88
- In Memoriam, adagio for violin and orchestra, op. 65
- Konzertstück, for violin and orchestra in F sharp minor, op. 84
- Romance, for viola and orchestra in F major, op. 85
- Romance, for violin and orchestra in A minor, op. 42
- Serenade, for string orchestra in C minor
- Serenade, for violin and orchestra in A minor, op. 75
- Serenade nach schwedischen Melodien
- Suite on Russian Folk Melodies, op. 79b
- Symphony no. 1, in E flat major, op. 28
- Symphony no. 2 in F minor, op. 36
- Symphony no. 3 in E major, op. 51
- Violin Concerto no. 2 in D minor, op. 44
- Violin Concerto no. 3 in D minor, op. 58
Stage
- Hermione,, op. 40 Opera
Vocal
- 6 Songs, for chorus, orchestra and organ, op. 86
- 9 Songs for Chorus, op. 60
- 12 Scottish Folksongs, for voice and piano
- Arminius, oratorio for soloists, chorus and orchestra, op. 43
- Christkindlieder, 6 pieces for soprano, alto, female chorus and piano, op. 92
- Die Flucht nach Ägypten, for soprano, female chorus and orchestra, op. 31, no. 1
- Gruss an die Heilige Nacht, for alto, chorus, orchestra and organ, op. 62
- Jubilate-Amen, for soprano, chorus and orchestra, op. 3
- Laßt uns das Kindelein wiegen, for chorus
- Moses, oratorio for soloists, chorus and orchestra, op. 67
- Song of the 3 Holy Kings, for 3 voices, male chorus and orchestra, op. 21
- Welsh folk songs, for mixed chorus
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