Johannes Brahms is one of the three great Bs of European classical music — the other two being Bach and Beethoven. He's considered an heir to both composers, to the extent that his first symphony has even been called Beethoven's 10th. But his music has a magic of its own. 

A Romantic composer, Brahms blended the era's focus on deep emotion with the meticulous structures of the Classical period that came before. The result was abstract, profoundly moving music that referenced only itself, unlike the more story-driven works of his contemporaries. This music for music's sake, so to speak, came to be known as "pure," or "abstract music."

Brahms' music is sort of like the castles of old Europe, yet undeniably, universally human, too. With this blend of timelessness, strength, and humanity, it's no wonder his pieces are so popular in film and television. We've collected some of our favorites below, including the world's best-known lullaby. You can learn to play them all with flowkey.

1. Allegro Vivace - "Hungarian Dance No. 5"

An amusing dance tune

While the piece is almost universally referred to as "Hungarian Dance No. 5," the performance mark allegro vivace means fast and lively, which fits perfectly. Like Liszt, Brahms took inspiration from Hungarian folk music, and this is his most famous example of it. It’s also the kind of song with a distinctly recognizable melody and flow, for which Brahms is known.  

This fast and snappy dance is pure fun, with a bouncing, fairly regular left hand and an active right. It's best performed with a playfulness in the heart. There are some slower passages where you can draw out the semi-hidden emotion and practice tempo changes, but for the most part this piece is the definition of "tickling the ivories" — a feast for the fingers!

2. Intermezzo No. 1, Op. 117

"Lullabies of my grief"

As opposed to the lively Hungarian dance above, Intermezzo No. 1, Op. 177 is Brahms at his saddest and most earthly. Grief pours out of every passage and resignation drips from its notes – few sadder pieces have ever been written. Brahms even called it, along with No. 2 and 3 (also available on flowkey), "lullabies of my grief."

This piece is all about emotion. When you play it, you might focus on drawing as much poignancy from the song as possible by really delving into the feelings it evokes. Everyone needs a sad song in their repertoire, and one could do little better than this.

3. "Brahms' Lullaby"

The soundtrack to a deserted winter landscape

You’ve likely heard "Brahms’ Lullaby," even if you didn’t know Brahms wrote it. You can probably already hum it even, if you were to hum the most basic lullaby that first comes to your mind. You'll have heard it in countless cartoons, TV shows, and films — The Simpsons, Looney Tunes, Stranger Things, and Star Trek, to name just a few. It also includes words, often omitted, which begin "Guten Abend, gut' Nacht…" or in English, "Good evening, good night…" 

Read: Famous Piano Composers Across the Eras

This song should be played like a parent's voice soothing a young child. Apart from helping children fall asleep, it's a great way to practice playing slowly and softly. It's available to learn in all levels on flowkey, and absolutely everyone can find a use for this song in their lives. If you learn one lullaby, make it this one. 

4. Intermezzo - Fantasie No. 5, Op. 116

Swelling, beautiful melancholy

Brahms thought his best work was behind him when he composed these "fantasies" late in life. They were likely dedicated to Clara Schumann — a talented pianist married to composer Robert Schumann. Upon receiving them, she described them in her diary as "a true source of enjoyment […] poetry, passion, rapture, intimacy, full of the most marvelous effects."

She went on to write that the pieces were "not difficult in terms of dexterity except for a few places. But the intellectual technique in them requires a fine understanding…" Fantasie No. 5 is no exception. This swelling piece is almost dissonant in places, and the challenge is keeping the rhythm while staying connected to it on an instinctive, emotional level.

5. Waltz No. 15, Op. 39

Sad songs and waltzes

Everyone can appreciate a waltz, but this one is unique for its melody that's both melancholy and heroic. As opposed to some of Brahms' more dissonant or experimental piano pieces, this piece offers lovely musical resolution, almost in each and every passage, and is often referred to as "sweet" and "lyrical."

Brahms' Waltz No. 15 is a great piece to practice arpeggiating chords. Here the left hand evokes a dreamy, rocking motion with arpeggios, while the right hand plays a strong melody. It's a solid choice if players are looking for musical resolution and beauty with an interesting technical challenge.

6. Romance No. 5, Op. 118

Dueling voices

Part of Brahms' Six Pieces for Piano suite, Romance No. 5 is often described as introspective — an apt word since he composed it toward the end of his life. This thoughtful piece has an interesting dueling-voices quality, where two distinct yet similar melodies step forward and recede and tumble over each other before finally resolving together.  

This is a good piece for practicing octaves, as pianists will often be playing the same note with both hands in different places on the keyboard. For those who wish to compose music, this song is a masterclass in entwining two or more ideas or feelings harmoniously into the same song. It's such a uniquely beautiful piece, we encourage everyone to at least give it a listen — and maybe even try playing it. 

7. Intermezzo No. 1, Op. 119

Pleasurable dissonance

One word that might begin to describe Intermezzo No. 1 is broken — although it may not seem like it at first. It starts with a brief, beautiful cascade of notes that then break away and flow in all different directions and rhythms. These dissonances, paired with the slow, intentional tempo, invite the player to explore the piano and uncover the piece's emotions.

As Brahms himself said, this little piece is exceptionally melancholic and "to be played very slowly". Every bar and every note must sound like a ritard, as if one wanted to suck melancholy out of each and every one, lustily and with pleasure out of these very dissonances!" Whether you follow Brahms' advice or find your own interpretation of the piece, you can't go wrong. 

Keep learning with the flowkey app

All these Johannes Brahms songs and more are available to learn on the flowkey app. With flowkey, you'll have access to a library of gorgeous piano music spanning classical, pop, film music, and beyond. Download the flowkey app and start learning today.