Johannes Brahms was a personal friend of Strauss. A story is told in biographies of both men that Strauss's wife Adele approached Brahms with a request that he autograph her fan. It was usual for the composer to inscribe a few measures of his best-known music, and then sign his name. Brahms, however, inscribed a few measures from the "Blue Danube", and then wrote beneath it: "Unfortunately, NOT by Johannes Brahms." Johann Strauss II (October 25, 1825 - June 3, 1899) was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas and a ballet. Johannes Brahms (May 17, 1833 - April 3, 1897) was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. He composed for piano, chamber ensembles, symphony orchestra, and for voice and chorus. A virtuoso pianist, he premiered many of his own works. No photographer credited, dated September 2, 1894 .