Johannes Brahms

Brahms,
Johannes, German composer, *Hamburg 7.5. 1833, Wien 3.4. 1897;
important representative of the late Romantic Period.

Johannes Brahms took his first music lessons with his father, a double bass player. As a teenager, he became familiar with serious and popular styles, arranging music for his father's orchestra and playing piano in local dance halls. 

At the age of twenty he began touring as an accompanist for the Hungarian violinist Eduard Remény (1828-1898). During one of the tours with Remény he  met and became friends with the renowned violinist Jospeh Joachim, who introduced him to Franz Liszt as well as to Robert and Clara Schumann. Robert Schumann was fascinated by his piano playing and wrote an enthusiastic article about the young musician in 1853.   

From 1857 until 1859 Brahms earned his living as pianist and conductor at the court of Detmold. In 1859, he moved to Hamburg. From 1862 - 63 he lived in Vienna where he became director of the Vienna Singakademie. 

From the 1870s onwards Brahms remained a freelance composer - apart from temporary posts as conductor and several concert tours. He became well known all over Europe and he was decorated with numerous awards.