It no doubt afforded genuine satisfaction to the warm-hearted von Bülow to place his two friends on a passing footing of sociability. He had already begun, in his new position as capellmeister to Duke George of Saxe-Meiningen, to which he had been appointed the previous year, to use the increased influence at his command in the interests of our master's art, and before the close of this his first season of activity in the Thuringian capital, Brahms' first and second symphonies and other works had been performed under Bülow's direction before a highly sympathetic audience at the concerts of the court orchestra. The two Overtures, and 'Nänie,' to which we have yet to refer in detail, were published in the course of 1881.[64] [61] First published with others by Hanslick in the _Neue Freie Presse_ of July 1, 1897. [62] Hanslick, _Neue Freie Presse_, as before. [63] Claus Groth, in the Brahms Recollections to which we have several times referred, speaks of the festival banquet as having taken place at the Hamburger Hof, Hamburg, and 'as I think' after the performance of Brahms' symphony. Groth's articles were written in the year 1897, when he was at an advanced age--he was much Brahms' senior--and his memory has misled him in one or two of his details. As regards those here referred to, the author has, in the above description, followed the accounts given in the _Hamburger Correspondenten_ of the time, with which that of Hanslick, in his very interesting 'Essays on Music and Musicians,' is in strict accord. [64] See p. 29 of this volume. CHAPTER XIX 1881-1885 Second Pianoforte Concerto--First visit to the ducal castle of Meiningen--'Nänie'--Frau Henriette Feuerbach--Hans von Bülow in Leipzig--Brahms' friends in Vienna--Dr. and Frau Fellinger--Pianoforte Trio in C major--First String Quintet--The 'Parzenlied'--Third Symphony. A holiday taken with Billroth in Sicily in the early spring was succeeded by Brahms' removal to summer quarters, chosen this year at Pressbaum, near Vienna. Here he was occupied with the composition of Schiller's 'Nänie,' to which Feuerbach's death had moved him, and of a second concerto for pianoforte and orchestra in B flat. The manuscripts of 'Nänie' and of portions of the concerto were soon lent to Billroth, the concerto movements being handed to him with the words, 'A few little pianoforte pieces.' 'It is always a delight to me,' writes Billroth, 'when Brahms, after paying me a short visit, during which we have talked of indifferent things, takes a roll out of his paletôt pocket and says casually "Look at that and write me what you think of it."' The composer was pleasantly disturbed in August from his quietly busy life by a visit from Widmann, who was staying in Vienna, and who thus describes his meeting with the friend he had not met for three years: