Richard Todd <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>I'm a great, if not uncritical, fan of the Ives Second Symphony.  I've
>read that the opening is a nearly direct quote from Brahms, but I can't
>place it.  My familiarity with Brahms is fairly good but if this theme
>is really by him, it's something I've managed to miss.

The opening vaguely suggests the beginning of Dvorak's 8th to me, but
the entire symphony is replete with fragments of Brahms' 1st and 2nd
symphonies, among other things.  A good CD may provide liner notes which
point these out (try Bernstein's Sony recording).

 - seb