JOHANNES: The Boy With a Giant Behind Him

Before Johannes Brahms became one of the most celebrated composers of the nineteenth century, he was a talented young pianist from a modest family in Hamburg, trying to discover where he belonged in the world of music.When twenty-year-old Johannes met Robert and Clara Schumann, everything changed. Robert immediately recognized his remarkable talent and introduced him to the musical world as a composer destined for greatness. But with that recognition came an enormous challenge. Johannes admired Beethoven so deeply that the great composer's legacy seemed to follow him everywhere, making the thought of writing his own symphony almost overwhelming.For years, Johannes worked, doubted, revised, and waited. He formed a lifelong bond with Clara Schumann, built friendships with other musicians, encouraged young composers such as Antonín Dvořák, and gradually learned that respecting the giants who came before him did not mean becoming them.Johannes: The Boy With a Giant Behind Him is an engaging true story about music, friendship, perseverance, self-doubt, and finding your own creative voice. Through Brahms's journey, readers discover that there is room to admire someone extraordinary while still becoming completely, unmistakably yourself.