Brahms gewidmet

This volume provides an extensive survey on a topic which has been largely neglected by musicological research until now.

The study analyses possible implications of a dedication of musical scores, which composers used as a sophisticated approach to manipulate the reception of their work. Furthermore the phenomenon of dedication is put into context with social and musical life during the second half of the 19th century, taking into account current academic research on Johannes Brahms, as well.

Between 1853 and 1902 Brahms received almost 100 dedications of musical scores from renowned friends (such as Robert and Clara Schumann or Joseph Joachim) as well as from composers unknown today who hoped to benefit from the radiance of their prominent dedicatee.Biographical studies retrace the relations between the dedicators and Brahms to describe and explain the different ways a dedication was used to contact a prominent contemporary and respectively extend the personal and professional network. Analytical observations of selected works trace features of a specific Brahms reception in the dedicated musical scores and complete the study.