In Lübeck, the life and work of the composer Johannes Brahms can be experienced in striking locations in the city. For example, the Brahms Institute, affiliated with Lübeck’s Academy of Music, shows its comprehensive collection at the Old Town gates, in the historical rooms of Villa Eschenburg, also known as Villa Brahms. Every year, vibrant musical experiences bring Lübeck’s Old Town alleys to life when professors and talented students at Lübeck’s Academy of Music together interpret the composer’s works during the Brahms Festival. Here we have compiled for you the most beautiful Brahmsian experiences and locations in Lübeck.
Composing isn’t hard. But it’s incredibly difficult to cut out the superfluous notes.Johannes Brahms
To collect, research and communicate – that is the aspiration of the Brahms Institute in Lübeck set up in 1991. Acquisition of the world’s largest private collection, the Hofmann Collection, saw the formation of today’s centre of excellence and documentation which is directly affiliated with Lübeck’s Academy of Music. This close link between the Institute and the University of Music has spawned a unique exchange between research and musical practice. The best example of this fruitful connection is the annual Brahms Festival in Lübeck.
The unique Brahms Collection has found a representative home at the gates of Lübeck’s Old Town. Villa Brahms, just a few minutes’ walk from Lübeck’s Castle Gate, is a museum and event location rolled into one. With its historical furnishings from the early 19th century, these former headquarters of Lübeck’s Academy of Music, offer a fitting setting for Brahms’ life’s work in text and images. Here, you can experience the Brahms Institute’s comprehensive collection in an ambience of north German / Danish classicism. This treasure trove of musical history shows you precious sources of musical works, manuscripts, first and early prints. Added to this, there is the composer’s stimulating correspondence with contemporaries in the form of letters as well as a large part of Brahms’ photo collection.
The opulent ballroom of Villa Brahms becomes an inspiring event location when concerts, theme nights and presentations delight the audience.
The Brahms Institute has been digitizing its collection since 2003. A mammoth project and at the same time an absolute treasure for musicological research. Around 41,000 digital exhibits are currently freely accessible to the public. The new “Brahms Inventory” represents a true milestone: This practical research tool makes it easier to find digitised manuscripts, photos, letters and much more besides. The entire inventory of the Brahms Institute can thus be explored from the comfort of your home.
