In South Africa he discovered thirty out of his collection of forty-seven old and valuable violins. Most of them were probably the property of the Huguenots, who after the edict of Nantes went to Holland and thence to South Africa, to which place they were banished by the Dutch government. It was related by Remenyi that when he was a young man in Hamburg, in 1853, he was to appear at a fashionable soiree one night, but at the last moment his accompanist was too ill to play. Remenyi went to a music store and asked for an accompanist. The proprietor sent Johannes Brahms, then a lad of sixteen, who was struggling for existence and teaching for a very small sum. Remenyi and Brahms became so interested in each other that they forgot all about the soiree, and sat up till four the next morning chatting and playing together. Remenyi's negligence of his engagement resulted in the loss of any further business in Hamburg, and together with Brahms he set out for Hanover, giving concerts as they went, and thus earning sufficient funds to carry them on their way. At Hanover they called upon Joachim, who arranged for them to play before the court. After this they proceeded to the Altenberg to see Liszt, who received them warmly, and offered them a home. During all this time Brahms received little or no recognition, in spite of Remenyi's enthusiasm in his cause, neither did he find very much favour with Liszt, although the latter recognised his talent. He therefore returned to Hanover, where Joachim gave him a letter to Schumann, and it was Schumann's enthusiastic welcome and declaration that a new genius had arisen that established Brahms's reputation in musical circles. Remenyi said that Brahms, shortly after his arrival at the Altenberg, offended Liszt and his pupils by comfortably sleeping during one of the famous lessons, which were in the nature of a general class. This breach of manners Brahms justified on the score of being exhausted by his previous journey.