Brahms' Lullaby

Brahms' Lullaby (Wiegenlied), Opus 49, Number 4, is a children's song in E-flat major written in 1867 or 1868. The lyrics of the first verse are from a collection of German folk poems called Des Knaben Wunderhorn, and the lyrics for the second verse were written by Georg Scherer in 1849. Brahms' Lullaby is the most famous of all lullabies, or cradle songs, and is used by parents worldwide to sing their babies to sleep. Dedicated to Brahms' friend, Bertha Faber, on the occasion of the birth of her second son, it was first performed in public on 22 December 1869 in Vienna by Louise Dustmann (singer) and Clara Schumann (piano).

Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), was a great German composer, virtuoso pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. He wrote for piano, chamber ensemble, symphony orchestra, and for voice and chorus. He was a traditionalist and an innovator, as well as an inspiration for subsequent composers. His output includes masterpieces of Beethovenian power, of subtle emotion, and of great beauty. The music of Johannes Brahms is one of humanity's greatest treasures.