Johannes Brahms, one of the most significant composers of the Romantic era, was born on May 7, 1833, in Hamburg, Germany. His father, Johann Jakob Brahms, was a musician who played double bass, violin, and horn, while his mother, Johanna Henrika Christiane Nissen, was a seamstress. Brahms showed an early interest in music, and his father provided him with his first musical instruction.
Brahms's talent was evident from a young age, and he began performing publicly as a pianist by the age of 10. His skills as a performer soon caught the attention of Eduard Marxsen, a well-known pianist and composer, who became Brahms's mentor and provided him with thorough training in composition and music theory. Under Marxsen's guidance, Brahms developed a deep understanding of the classical forms and techniques of composers such as Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart, which would greatly influence his own compositions.