Lost Brahms materials rediscovered
Musicologists at the University of Bremen have rediscovered the sheet music from the premiere of Johannes Brahms' Triumphlied op. 55, which was previously thought to be lost, in the archives of the Philharmonic Society of Bremen.
Ulrich Tadday and Katrin Bock have succeeded in completely reconstructing the score of the first performance from 1871 on the basis of the historical copies of the choral and orchestral parts and in comparison with the known, later version of the large-scale work, writes the University of Bremen.
Well over 300 deviations, major and minor changes, characterize the composition: in contrast to the well-known later version, the Bremen version of the triumphal song is not in D major, but in C major.
It has fewer wind instruments, and the large choral parts are much more fluent in rhythm and articulation. Overall, the musical movement is much more delicate, less striking and martial.
The composition differs so much from the known, later version that it is justified to call it an independent work, the university continued: the "Bremen version of the Triumphlied" will be included in the Johannes Brahms Complete Edition and published as a study edition by Henle-Verlag.
