Charles Villiers Stanford tells how German composer Johannes Brahms, who did not like over-flattering fans, managed to rid himself of one who had accosted in Heidelberg. Brahms pretended that he had been mistaken for his own brother, and sent the cloying fan off in search of the imaginary sibling.

When Stanford met Brahms, he was keenly aware that Brahms did not like gushing eulogies from fans, so he made a point of being as cool as possible. After Brahms treated him a little discourteously, to test Stanford’s attitude, Stanford replied with spirit, and thereby won Brahm’s good humour and lasting respect.

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