Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) is one of the central composer figures of the 19th century. In retrospect, many consider him the endpoint of an aesthetic-historical development, a figurehead who secured the global significance of German music for the last time. Arnold Schönberg, on the other hand, saw him as a starting point for musical progress. Apart from opera, the Hamburg-born, Vienna-based composer created exemplary works in all musical genres: in orchestral music (four symphonies, concertos, etc.), chamber music, piano music, oratorio and choral music ("A German Requiem"), as well as an extensive body of songs. The Brahms Handbook will be the most comprehensive and up-to-date compendium on the life, works, and reception of this composer. It combines the positive aspects of a reference work.