Diary Entry of November 18, 1875
R. spent the day in separate rehearsals and kept returning in a worse temper, clearly dissatisfied with the progress. That evening I met Herr Brahms at a soiree with the Hellmesberger Quartet; he played one of his own quartets, but both the man and the music struck me as severe and heavy.
Thursday, November 18:
R. is holding individual rehearsals and returns home more discontented each time.
In the evening a soiree with the Hellmesberger Quartet; I make the acquaintance of Herr Brahms, who plays a piano quartet of his own composition, a red, crude-looking man, his opus very dry and stilted.