German
romantic composer, as a young man befriended by
Robert Schumann and his wife, the pianist
Clara Wieck. He was the master
composer of the conservative wing of nineteenth-century music, harking back to
Beethoven, and being opposed to the adventurous new style of
Wagner.
He wrote four symphonies altogether. (Chorus: "He wrote four symphonies!") He also wrote a requiem with words in German and therefore called the Deutsches Requiem. His Symphony No. 1 was nicknamed Beethoven's Tenth. He said of it that they (composers of his generation) felt his footsteps behind them.
Other well-known works are the two overtures, the Academic Festival Overture, written for a university he was being given an honorary degree at (Breslau in 1879, I think), and which quotes the mediaeval student song Gaudeamus igitur, and the Tragic Overture. Another is the Variations on the St Anthony Chorale, originally known as Variations on a Theme by Haydn, though in fact Haydn did not write the original piece being varied. His violin concerto is one of the staples of the violinist's repertoire, and he wrote much chamber music and many songs.
Born Hamburg, 7 May 1833, son of a double bass player. At first he worked as a pianist, playing in sailors' taverns and dancing saloons to make a living. In 1853 his prospects took a turn for the better when on tour he met Liszt, Joseph Joachim, and the Schumanns. From 1864 he could devote himself to composition. He and Clara were very close, particularly during Robert's periods of madness, which was much of the time. His love for her is generally believed to be unrequited, though one noted critic did express a desire to write a book called Johannes Brahms and Clara Schumann: Did they or didn't they?. He died of cirrhosis of the liver in Vienna, 3 April 1897, less than a year after his beloved Clara.
Brahms is also Cockney Rhyming Slang for "drunk" (Brahms and Liszt, pissed).