The Artful Counterpoint in Brahms’ Intermezzo Op. 118 No. 2 | EP 3

Johannes Brahms’ Intermezzo in A Major, Op. 118 No. 2 is one of his most exquisitely written piano works of late Romanticism, written during a period of profound personal introspection. Composed in 1893, this piece highlights Brahms' exceptional skill in blending lyrical beauty with intricate musical structure. The intermezzo stands out for its delicate use of counterpoint, where multiple melodic lines weave together seamlessly. In this video, I explore the masterful interplay between melody and harmony, showing how Brahms creates the composition from a single motive: a descending second followed by an ascending third.

This piece was requested by my composition student Elijah Diaz who is currently working on his Baroque composition studies. Please, check Elijah's music composition on this channel @user-el9ne3iq8m Recently, he has uploaded a Minuet in B minor, which you can listen here    • Elijah C. Diaz - Minuet No. 3 In B Mi...  

Timestamps
00:00:00 Introduction and welcome
00:02:40 Performance and first segmenting of the piece
00:14:37 Section A1 + A1' (with four open phrases)
00:44:39 Section A2 (modulating phrases and standing on the dominant)
01:01:58 Section A1 (culmination and modal contrapuntal development)
01:11:35 Section A2 (on tonic with perfect cadence)
01:18:19 Overview of recapitulation A' (melodic and harmonic variations)
01:20:16 Middle section B1 (Brahms' most beautiful melodic counterpoint)
01:38:56 Middle section B1' (Melodic extension and invertible counterpoint)
01:45:13 Core of the piece B2 (Most distant place and enharmonic chords)
01:58:31 Closing thoughts

I would like to build a community of people interested in music composition and analysis so please feel free to introduce yourself to other viewers by telling a bit about your musical background and interests.

I’m Dr. Bohdan Syroyid and if you would like to study music composition with me, feel free to leave a comment or send me an email to [email protected]

If you want to listen to my music, check out @syroyid If you like counterpoint, you might like my composition Ricercare    • Bohdan Syroyid - Ricercare [Full Score]