'My friend Julius Spengel joined me in Hamburg and we went together
to Berlin,' says Dr. Jenner. 'There I was present for the first
time at a Joachim Quartet evening. Immediately after the concert we
travelled with the Quartet to Leipzig, arriving in the middle of
the night at the Hôtel Hauffe. Never shall I forget the feeling
that came over me as I read in the visitors' list, "Johannes Brahms
from Vienna." He had already retired. By a strange chance I was
shown into the room next his and as I entered it a sound of healthy
snoring proclaimed the proximity of the mighty one. Moving about
quietly, I went to rest with a strange mixed feeling of awe, pride
and anxiety. When I came down the next morning Brahms had already
breakfasted. Comfortably smoking, he was reading the papers.... He
received me with pleasant, simple kindness, intimated that he knew
why I had come, and took pains to help me over my first
embarrassment and shyness by every now and then putting to me some
short, direct question, so that I was soon convinced of his
good-nature and felt unlimited confidence in him....
'It was past 3 o'clock when we returned that night to the Hôtel
Hauffe. How delighted but also astonished I was when Brahms, as he
said good-night, announced that he would expect me in his room at
7 o'clock in the morning to speak to me about my compositions. I
presented myself punctually at the appointed time and found him at
breakfast, fresh, rosy and the picture of equanimity....
'I had brought a trio for pianoforte and strings, a chorus with
orchestral accompaniment, unaccompanied choruses for women's
voices, and songs; and found that he had made himself acquainted
with them down to the smallest detail, and, indeed, later he never
looked through work with me which he had not thoroughly examined
beforehand. After a few introductory remarks, in which he said that
he had formed a generally favourable impression of my compositions,
he gave me back the accompanied chorus with the words "Pity for the
beautiful little poem." It was Claus Groth's "Wenn ein müder Leib."
The _a capella_ choruses met with the same fate; I received them
back with the remark "Such things are very difficult to make...."'
For the sequel the reader must be referred to the article itself, which
amusingly describes the tranquil and ruthless methods by which the
master reduced his young friend to the verge of despair. All ended well,
however, and the middle of February saw the arrival in Vienna of Herr
Jenner and his introduction to Mandyczewski, under whom he was to go
through a course of study in strict counterpoint, whilst his work in
free composition was to be carried on under the master's personal
supervision. After making Mandyczewski's acquaintance,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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