Johannes Brahms (German: [joˈhanəs ˈbʁaːms]; 7 May 1833 – 3
April 1897) was a German composer and pianist. Born in Hamburg
into a Lutheran family, Brahms spent much of his professional
life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical
scene. In his lifetime, Brahms's popularity and influence were
considerable; following a comment by the nineteenth-century
conductor Hans von Bülow, he is sometimes grouped with Johann
Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven as one of the "Three
Bs". Brahms composed for piano, chamber ensembles, symphony
orchestra, and for 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. Many of his works
have become staples of the modern concert repertoire. Brahms, an
uncompromising perfectionist, destroyed some of his works and
left others unpublished. Brahms is often considered both a
traditionalist and an innovator. His music i