Issue 1 - Why an all-Brahms Lent?

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) composed so little for the organ - the handful that exists is a great treasure for organists. Of a total of fifteen short compositions for the organ, Brahms wrote his Elf Choralvorspiel (Eleven Chorale-Preludes) all in the last year of his life. The death of his dear friend Clara Schumann prompted the composition of the first seven chorale preludes and the remaining four were written in the midst of his battle with cancer that he lost soon after the completion of his organ works.

In looking at the chorales (hymns) on which Brahms chose to base these compositions, it’s easy to see why scholars agree that he was contemplating death. Some of these hymns include the passion-chorale Herzlich tut mich verlangen (My Heart is Filled with Longing), the Good Friday hymn Herzliebster Jesu (Ah, Holy Jesus) and O Welt, ich muss dich lassen (O World, I now must leave thee).

So, why choose the season of Lent to highlight the handful of Brahms’ organ works? After all, Lent should not be a season of sadness during which we constantly contemplate death. Instead, we are called to spring into a season of growth as we contemplate our lives as baptized disciples.

Well, one reason is that, as organist, it’s nice to take a break from the brightly colored Epiphany postludes and have some more contemplative and grave postludes. It provides quite a contrast to the joyful postludes to come during Eastertide.

But the second reason is that the chorale preludes you will hear do not sound sorrowful at all. Brahms transforms these sorrow-filled hymn texts into works that instead communicate sometimes peacefulness and, at other times, triumph. I, personally, like these pieces for Lent because their beauty helps me contemplate these traditional Lenten hymns in a new and fresh way, thus helping my growth during the Lenten season. I hope that as you hear them while preparing for worship and while leaving worship to go out into the world, it will help your growth, too!

(Image: Johannes Brahms, portrait)