the Brahms Schumann triangle

Brahmn’s music speaks love. And the story goes:

[The story] has been pieced together from personal letters between Clara, Brahms, and friends. Robert Schumann was Brahms’ mentor. Brahms got close to Schumann’s wife Clara as Robert was drifting off into madness (likely related to syphilis). Clara and Brahms wrote letters to one another as if lovers, but after Schumann’s death, Brahms left Clara to move on with his career, although they still kept in touch, and were affectionate whenever the met. Brahms insinuated they never had sex, that Clara was more like a beloved mentor or muse. Letters show that Clara really thought Brahms would marry her after Robert’s death, but that didn’t happen. The story has circulated in musical anecdotes for ages, and several films have been based on the story.

[What for the so-called Brahms Schumann triangle—Reddit answer by nocountry4oldgeisha]

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Read more here:

Why Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms never married (Or why Johannes would’ve made a terrible husband.) by the Clara Schumann Channel

Classical Music’s Most Tragically Romantic Love Triangle by Douglas Pew