Johannes Brahms

German composer Johannes Brahms was born on the 7th of May 1833 in Hamburg, Germany, into a Lutheran family. Brahms was a composer, pianist, and conductor during the Romantic period. Although he grew up in Germany, he spent a large part of his life in Vienna, Austria, which was a popular place to live with musicians at that time. Due to Brahms’ status as a composer, he has often been grouped with Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven as one of the ‘Three Bs’ of music, a trio of musicians that are regarded as having greatly contributed to the musical world.

Brahms composed for a number of different formats: symphony orchestra, chamber ensembles, piano, organ, and chorus. As a talented pianist, he premiered a number of his own works, alongside working with notable performers of his time, including pianist Clara Schumann and violinist Joseph Joachim. The three were close friends. Many of Brahms’ works are readily used for contemporary works, such as in films and television shows. Although not all of his works survive, as he was a noted perfectionist and would regularly destroy his own works if they did not meet his personal standards.