g Detmold he successively
resided in Hamburg, Zuerich, and Baden-Baden, though most of his time has
been spent in Vienna, where he has directed the Singakademie and the
concerts of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde. Among his most famous
compositions are a funeral hymn for chorus and wind-band; the "German
Requiem;" "Triumphlied," for double chorus and orchestra;
"Schicksalslied," for chorus and orchestra; six symphonies; variations on
a theme of Haydn, for orchestra; the "Tragic" and "Academic" overtures;
besides several trios, quartets, quintets, sextets, concertos, and
sonatas.

Triumphlied.

"Triumphlied" ("Song of Triumph") was written by Brahms in commemoration
of the victories of German arms and the re-establishment of the Empire,
and is dedicated to "the German Emperor Wilhelm I." It was first
performed at the fifty-first festival of the Lower Rhine at Cologne in
1873. The text is a paraphrase of certain verses in the nineteenth
chapter of Revelation, and reads as follows:--

"Hallelujah, praise the Lord! Honor and power and glory to God!

"For in righteousness and truth the Lord giveth judgment.

"Glory be to God, all ye His servants, and ye that fear Him, all both
humble and mighty.

"Hallelujah, for the omnipotent God hath exalted His kingdom.

"O, be joyful, let all be glad, to Him alone give honor.

"Behold, the heavens opened wide, and yonder a snow-white horse, and on
him sat one called Steadfast and Faithful, who warreth and judgeth all
with righteousness.

"And he treads the wine-press of wrath of the Lord God Almighty.

"Lo! a great name hath he written upon his vesture and upon his girdle.

"A King of kings and Lord of lords! Hallelujah! Amen!"

The scriptural selections are divided into three movements, written for
double chorus (with the exception of two short barytone solos),
orchestra, and organ, and are introduced by a brief instrumental prelude
of a solemn but animated and exultant character, in the closing measures
of which both choirs break in with jubilant shouts of "Hallelujah! praise
the Lord!" The theme of the movement is the stirring old German song
"Heil dir im Siegerkranz,"[17] which is worked up with consummate skill.
The first part closes with a climax of power and contrapuntal effect
hardly to be found elsewhere outside the choruses of Handel.

The second movement ("Glory be to God!") is of the same general charact