Four serious Songs ( Vier Ernste Gesaenge ) by Johannes Brahms (1833 – 1897) Edited for Tenor or Bass Trombone and Piano by Brian Bindner.

Between 1865 and 1868, as a young man, Brahms had composed Ein deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem), dealing with death, based on a compilation of biblical quotations in Luther's translation. He wrote Vier ernste Gesänge late in life, again on words from the Bible. His friend Clara Schumann had suffered a stroke on 26 March 1896. Brahms completed the composition of this set of songs, his last, by his birthday on 7 May that year, in anticipation of her death.These romantic songs contains vast beauty, that will touch everyone in the audience. This edition can be played by either a tenor or bass trombone player, since the range is from low F to high G, very comfortable range for both instruments.The original titles:

1.  Denn es gehet dem Menschen wie dem Vieh Prediger Salomo, Kap. 32.
2. Ich wandte mich, und sahe an Prediger Salomo, Kap. 43.
3. O Tod, wie bitter bist du Jesus Sirach, Kap. 414.
4. Wenn ich mit Menschen- und mit Engelszungen S. Pauli an die Corinther I., Kap. 13