A German Requiem (Brahms) A German Requiem (Brahms) A German Requiem, to Words of the Holy Scriptures, Op. 45 () by Johannes Brahms, is a large-scale work for chorus, orchestra, a soprano and a baritone soloist, composed between 1865 and 1868. It comprises seven movements, which together last 65 to 80 minutes, making this work Brahms's longest composition. "A German Requiem" is sacred but non-liturgical, and unlike a long tradition of the Latin "Requiem", "A German Requiem", as its title states, is a "Requiem" in the German language. Brahms's mother died in February 1865, a loss that caused him much grief and may well
Ballade (classical music) Ballade (classical music) A ballade (from French "", , and German "Ballade", , both being words for "ballad"), in classical music since the late 18th century, refers to a setting of a literary ballad, a narrative poem, in the musical tradition of the "", or to a one-movement instrumental piece with lyrical and dramatic narrative qualities reminiscent of such a song setting, especially a piano ballad. In late 18th century German literature, the term "ballade" was used to describe folklike narrative poetry (following Johann Gottfried Herder), some of which was set to music by composers such as Johann Friedrich Reichardt,