Felix Otto Dessoff

On November 16, 1853, a symphony of his was performed by the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra; the following day he met Johannes Brahms, with whom he formed a lasting friendship and artistic relationship.

The Vienna-based music critic, newspaper editor, and biographer Max Kalbeck wrote in 1908 that the fame and excellence of the Vienna Philharmonic resulted from Dessoff's "energy and sense of purpose.

"[2] Dr Clemens Hellsberg, the president of the Vienna Philharmonic, specifies that during Dessoff's tenure with that orchestra its "repertoire was consistently enlarged, important organizational principles (music archives, rules of procedure) were introduced and the orchestra moved to its third new home [in which it still performs].

At the beginning of the 1870/71 season it began playing in the newly built Goldener Saal in the Musikverein building in Vienna, which has proved to be the ideal venue, with its acoustical characteristics influencing the orchestra's style and sound.

[7] In October, 1876 (circa the 11th), Brahms wrote to Dessoff hinting that he would like him conduct the first performance of his long-awaited Symphony no.

Although it met with success in its premiere, Dessoff was still not sure it was worth publishing and sent the score to Brahms asking for his candid opinion and offering to dedicate to him.

"[2] Much gratified, Dessoff wrote back in a free and bantering way of the sort Brahms himself often penned, "...you will be relieved to see your name on the title page of the quartet preserved for posterity.