“I shall never write a symphony! You can’t have any idea what it’s like to hear such a giant marching behind you.”

Johannes Brahms stood for seriousness and tradition, and valued the legacy of his predecessors; and yet the shadow of Beethoven weighed heavily on the shoulders of the young Brahms. It took years of preparation and hesitation before he overcame his uncertainty and let the world hear his First Symphony.

The influence of his illustrious predecessor can be heard very clearly – and that was his intention, for Brahms resolutely opted to render homage. But with this symphony he also emerged definitively from the shadow of ‘his giant’.

Discover this concert on Podium 19.

This event is broadcasted on Podium 19, a free culture channel that you can watch on

• Proximus Pickx (channel 19 in Flanders, channel 269 in Brussels & Wallonie)
• Telenet TV (channel 99)
• Orange TV (channel 20)
• the VRT NU website and app

Podium 19 offers virtual performances and concerts from the Flemish culture houses. More info at www.podium19.be.

concert recorded at Flagey on 19 December, 2020
in collaboration with Evil Penguin TV
with the support of the Belgian Tax Shelter and Belga Films Fund