07/05/1833, Heide, Germany – 03/04/1897, Vienna, Austria
German composer, pianist, and conductor of the Romantic period. Brahms composed for symphony orchestra, chamber ensembles, piano, organ, voice and chorus. A virtuoso pianist, he premiered many of his own works. He worked with some of the leading performers of his time, including the pianist Clara Schumann and the violinist Joseph Joachim (the three were close friends). Many of his works have become staples of the modern concert repertoire. An uncompromising perfectionist, Brahms destroyed some of his works and left others unpublished.