It's worth noting that Jan Swafford, who wrote the Brahms biography,
also wrote a biography on Charles Ives.  We may be onto something relevant
here, in terms of the dynamic 19th century transitions from classical
music to the development of "modern music."

Brahms gave his blessings to Dvorak, but apparently couldn't abide
Bruckner.  I'll listen to Brahms and Dvorak over Bruckner anyday.

As for Ives, perhaps the bridge to America was crossed not only by
Mahler, but by the beauty of Dvorak's "New World" Symphony.  Perhaps
Ives amalgamated all of these transitional European composers, Brahms,
Dvorak, Bruckner and Dvorak into an entirely new American form of distinct
composition, analogous to what the Abstract Expressionists accomplished
in the mid-20th century world of painting?

Rosemary