Classical Music Diary No. 10
Barely any way into Johannes Brahms’ “Ein deutsches Requiem” (1869), an exceedingly beautiful piece, there are two bars of ugliness (starting at about 4:27 in this recording). Three diminished chords in a row that almost sound like a mistake. Then the chorus enters with a soothing major chord, and there is virtually no dissonance in the remaining 70 minutes of music.
Why put that ugliness up front?
I’m reminded of that aphorism about Persian rugmakers intentionally weaving imperfections because only Allah is perfect. (As some have pointed out, it’s pretty arrogant to believe your work would otherwise be perfect.)
Maybe the dissonance is the inciting incident. Death is ugly. It’s the loss that the rest of the piece works to console.
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