Johannes Brahms, agnosticism and some other wisdom

Abstract

The use made of the biblical text in the cycle Vier ernste Gesange by Johannes Brahms is investigated. The German text of Qohelet, Ben Sira and 1 Corinthians and the impact of their reciprocal relationship as Opus 121 are shown to illustrate the aspect of creativity on the hermeneutical level and a possible meaning of agnosticism on the theological level.