Castalia 359

Brahms' Ballade in G Minor

Dear Friends,

I’m so happy to share with you…

the Ballade in G Minor, opus 118 no. 3 (1893)

by Johannes Brahms (1833 — 1897)

performed by Ishmael Wallace, pianist

A knight of that company whose horses, richly caparisoned, move ever through the two worlds, the worlds of the living and the dead — the iridescence of his music, the iridescence of the real.¹ Near and far, united in a single thought!

One may think, as I often do, of Orpheus — how, when he sang before the king and queen of the dead, the two worlds vanished; only song remained.

The light:

standing for:

(much in the being of a piece of music is not present in its notes — is only there in our understanding of these notes!)

And the dark:

Here again, the contrast of two forms of the minor scale — that contrast at the heart of the Intermezzi I shared last week; Brahms is remembering these two pieces, continuing to ponder what took place in them.

The conflict of light and dark, and their oneness in this conflict, reaches through the entire Ballade; in a Castalia for Founding Members — God willing — I will trace it further!

Thank you so much.

With every good wish,

Ishmael

Music as a Path:

I coach musicians online, guiding composers and performers alike to deeper connection with the Muse. For details, please see my website:

1. “Angels (they say) often can’t tell whether

they move among the living or the dead.

The eternal torrent hurls all ages through

both realms forever and drowns out their voices in both.”

Rilke, Duino Elegies, 1 (lines 82 — 85); translation by A. Poulin, Jr.