Brahms in New York

In 1842, the Brahms family very nearly moved to the USA so that their 9 year-old genius son, Johannes, could become a touring child sensation. Forced to face the harsh realities of minstrel shows, civil war and the constant need for capital, who would this other Brahms have been? He would have escaped the trauma of harbour brothels, and wouldn’t be burdened by seeing himself as the successor to Beethoven, but what would he have accomplished, and what would these two versions of the great composer have to say to each other?