In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life and legacy of Johannes Brahms, the German composer and virtuoso pianist often ranked alongside Bach and Beethoven as one of music’s "Three Bs". Born in Hamburg to a musical family, Brahms navigated a career defined by both immense success and crippling self-criticism,.

Join us as we discuss:

• The Shadow of Giants: How the daunting influence of Beethoven caused Brahms to labor over his First Symphony for fifteen years before its release,.

• A "Free but Lonely" Life: His deep, lifelong devotion to Clara Schumann, his failed romantic engagements, and his decision to remain a bachelor to focus on his craft,,.

• The War of the Romantics: Brahms’s role as a "conservative" traditionalist in opposition to the New German School of Lis ...