Answer :
Final answer:
Johannes Brahms is most compared to Ludwig van Beethoven because both composers bridged the Classical and Romantic periods with their music, and Brahms was influenced by the classicists, especially Beethoven.
Explanation:
Johannes Brahms is often compared to Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the most influential and renowned composers in the history of classical music. While Brahms's early works reflect the Classical style, his later compositions embody the Romantic era, emulating the classicists like Haydn, Mozart, and especially Beethoven. Brahms continued the use of traditional forms like symphonies, concertos, and sonatas but also infused them with a distinct Romantic sensibility, which is why he is most frequently compared with Beethoven, who similarly bridged the Classical and Romantic periods in his own work.