Within days of the 20 year old Johannes Brahms being introduced to Robert and Clara Schumann in Dusseldorf, Robert wrote an article declaring the young Brahms the next Beethoven, making him instantly famous. But Brahms felt intimidated by Schumann’s declaration. And with Beethoven’s shadow still looming over everyone, Brahms wouldn’t even TRY to compose a symphony before he had more experience. This reticence compelled Brahms to alter music he was writing for a possible first symphony into music for his own instrument, the piano, which he felt more secure to do. He changed the possible symphony’s first movement into a work for piano, then wrote two additional movements to create his Piano Concerto No. 1. It’s today’s Midday Masterpiece featuring the late American pianist
Leon Fleisher who first performed this Concerto at age 16 with the New York Philharmonic under conductor Pierre Monteux.
