Nodding off caused a war in Germany whose repercussions are still being felt.
Brahms in his later years. Photo: Unknown
John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out differently.
By falling asleep while Liszt was playing one of his piano works, Johannes Brahms committed a terrible social faux pas, and blotted his copybook with one of Europe’s most influential musicians.
The resulting 'War of the Romantics' split the musical world of Germany.
Supporters of Liszt argued that the future of music was theirs, while the supporters of Brahms opposed such a radical breaking away from tradition.
