Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was one of the most representative Austro-German composers from the Romantic period. While most composers during his time based their writings on the expression of personal emotions, Brahms, combining Romanticism with intricate Classical forms, developed a brand new musical style. Among the seven variations Brahms wrote for solo piano, the Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Handel, op.24, was the most representative one. Combining mature counterpoint technique, Beethoven-like symphonic sound and Brahms’s own unique musical language, the work displays the composer’s great confidence in writing Variations.

The essay is divided into four parts. With a brief biography and discussions on various representative works from different periods, the first part demonstrates how Brahms’s compositions and his life experiences are related to each other. The second part explores and discusses the compositional background of the Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Handel. The third part analyzes Brahm’s compositional technique on four aspects: motive, harmony, rhythm, and style. To concludes, the last part is the author’s personal interpretation of the work. It is based on the chart “Four High Points of the Dynamics” that divides the structure of the twenty-five variations, a separate discussion on the fugue, and the composer’s markings on the score.