Perhaps more than any composer in the Western tradition, the music of Johannes Brahms is informed by memory. If Brahms is taken to be the conservative historicist among his late nineteenth century peers, his music looks backward to classical traditions and aesthetics. If, conversely, he is lauded as a “Brahms the Progressive” per Arnold Schoenberg’s famous locution, his musical ideas unfold through constant reference backwards to initial motives and themes, drawing on listeners capacity for musical memory. Finally, as one of the last great representatives of the era of European tonality, Brahms has been a prism through which several ensuing generations of musicians and music lovers have looked back on the musical past. Brahms and Memory is a one day symposium presenting contributions on that theme from a wide range of scholars who will speak to all of the issues enumerated above, turning their focus to Brahms’s music, his biography, the culture in which he worked, and to twentieth century reception of Brahms and his music. The event is free and open to the public.

Brahms and Memory is co sponsored by the University of New Hampshire with generous support from the Center for Humanities, College of Liberal Arts, and Music Department, along with the American Brahms Society

Directions to the University of New hampshire

The symposium will be held in the Paul Creative Arts Center (PCAC) on the UNH Campus.

From Boston, MA (Driving Time: ~90 minutes)
Follow I-95 North to Exit 4 for in N.H. (N.H. Lakes and Mountains/Spaulding Turnpike). Continue North to Exit 6W and follow Route 4 west. Exit at Route 155A and turn left towards Durham. Follow 155A past a short stretch of field to the UNH campus. Follow directions below to parking and the PCAC.

From Portland, ME (Driving Time: ~60 minutes)
Follow I-95 South to Exit 5 in N.H. (Spaulding Turnpike). Continue North to Exit 6W and follow Route 4 west. Exit at Route 155A and turn left towards Durham. Follow 155A past a short stretch of field to the UNH campus. Follow directions below to parking and the PCAC.

From Concord, NH (Driving Time: ~45 minutes)
Take Route 4 east to the Route 155A exit and turn right towards Durham. Follow 155A past a short stretch of field to the UNH campus. Follow directions below to parking and the PCAC.

From Manchester, NH (Driving Time: ~45 minutes)
Take Route 101 east to Exit 7 (Epping/Route 125). Continue north on Route 125 to the Lee Traffic Circle. Drive east on Route 4 to the Route 155A exit. Turn right towards Durham. Follow 155A past a short stretch of field to the UNH campus. Follow directions below to parking and the PCAC.

TO PCAC
Route 155A becomes Main Street as it runs through the campus into the town of Durham. In town, take the first right at Mill Street. From Mill street take the first right on to College Ave. The first left on College Ave is Lot B, where parking is free to visitors on Saturday. After parking, continue on foot along College Ave to PCAC (30 College Ave.) and follow signs in the building to the symposium in Room M-222.

Click here for a zoomable pdf campus map