# Who's greater, Brahms or Stravinsky?



## Bach (Jun 2, 2008)

Here's a completely useless question that just smacked me in the face. I know it's pointless - different era, different style, different purpose. Thoughts, and why.


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

Both were equally great. A dead draw in my opinion. Brahms defined that romantic Germanic movement in the latter half of the 19th century and Stravinsky re-defined the new music of the 20th century.Rather cut and dried.

I like both.

Jim


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## Bach (Jun 2, 2008)

Yes, and I came to a similar conclusion - hence the silly thread!


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

Sibelius is greater.


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## Bach (Jun 2, 2008)

No, Sibelius is an insignificant peasant next to either of those two..

PS. I think I prefer Brahms, however, whether he's greater or not is debatable I'm quite certain..


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

If one were to ask which composer I appreciate more I would say Brahms. I like his work.

Jim


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## bassClef (Oct 29, 2006)

I'm not qualified to say who's greater, I can only say that Stravinsky's music moves me and Brahms' doesn't ! But, I must admit I haven't heard much Brahms - perhaps I'm missing out.


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## JTech82 (Feb 6, 2009)

I would say they both impacted classical in a profound way. Both are equally satisfying composers who I enjoy listening to.


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

I own the Stravinsky box set with his complete works and confess I have not listened to it all. Brahms I have listened to many times and admire more. Maybe after listening to the complete box of Stravinsky i will come to a different conclusion. But from what I have heard so far, i doubt it.

Jim


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## bassClef (Oct 29, 2006)

I own that Stravinsky complete works box set and I've been dipping into it every evening for the last month or so. His ballets and symphonies move me the most but the diversity of his other works is pretty impressive.

I should give Brahms another chance though - I know how highly regarded he is. What should I try?


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Sravinsky looks taller but if we would count greatness in wideness, older Brahms would win.


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

Ha, I can't believe there is now going to be the Brahms vs. Stravinksy thread, as people are honestly responding to the question.

Bach, you genius!


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## Taneyev (Jan 19, 2009)

Brahms without doubt. He was rather tall and fat. Igor always was thin.


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## Bach (Jun 2, 2008)

jezbo said:


> I own that Stravinsky complete works box set and I've been dipping into it every evening for the last month or so. His ballets and symphonies move me the most but the diversity of his other works is pretty impressive.
> 
> I should give Brahms another chance though - I know how highly regarded he is. What should I try?


Symphony No. 3 and No. 4 first.

This thread is amazing - Brahms, I think I love you.


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

The Brahms symphonies and the German Requiem are my favourites with the piano concertos and cello sonatas rounding it out.

Jim


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## Bach (Jun 2, 2008)

The string quartets are rather a treat too.. and the solo piano works, songs and motets..


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## EarlyCuyler (Mar 28, 2009)

Personally, I prefer more of Stravinsky's music to that of Brahms. But I don't really care for that much Stravinsky either, I personally really dislike his orchestration. Perhaps he should have spent some more time with Rimsky-Korsakov. Brahms has never spoken to me in ANY WAY. Too technical and regimented, and to me, boring. Try as I might to seperate the man from the music, its hard for me to do with Brahms. Who knows how much of Hans Rott's music would exist now had it not been for Brahms absolute nastiness to him. Plus Eduard Hanslick didn't do much to help Brahms image in my eyes. What a tool that guy was.


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## Lisztfreak (Jan 4, 2007)

Brahms tall? How tall was Brahms actually, are there any historical sources?


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## EarlyCuyler (Mar 28, 2009)

Lisztfreak said:


> Brahms tall? How tall was Brahms actually, are there any historical sources?


 Brahms was very short. 5'5" or less. At least that be what I hear tell frum dem foldouts with the words on em...


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## Bach (Jun 2, 2008)

Here he is standing next to Johann Strauss II

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/01/Johann_Strauss_and_Brahms_in_Vienna.jpg


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

After reading this thread I adjourned to my lunch hour to listen to the 4th symphony on my iPod. A delightful work.

Jim


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## Bach (Jun 2, 2008)

I'm listening to it as I type.


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

The piano quintets and quartets are among the best in the genre in my opinion. Very expressive. He knew how to write for chamber ensembles. I own the Vox box with the Eastman group and Frank Glaser. I have other recordings but feel this is a definitive set myself.

The violin concerto is not one of my favourites though. Not sure why i cannot get into this work. Maybe due to over exposure earlier in life.

Jim


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## Taneyev (Jan 19, 2009)

I've all Brahm's chamber instrumental works of historical recordings. IMHO, their are the most important chamber corpus of 19th.century. No sense comparing with Igor. They are totally different , live on different centuries and wrote totally different music. To me. Igor was a master craftsman, but Johannes was a genius.


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## Edward Elgar (Mar 22, 2006)

Brahms is my favorite composer so I feel obliged to say Brahms. The reason he is my favourite is because, in my opinion, he is exactly half and half popular composer and serious composer. Also his music always seems to instantly move me and keep on moving me until the end of a symphony, concerto or chamber work. Also, he's a comfortable bridge between the revolutionary antics of the two greatest musical innovators of all time, Beethoven and Schoenberg.

Now Stravinsky was a great serious composer, yet I find a fraction (a significant fraction but nonetheless a fraction) of his works have been touched by a divine hand if you will. I have not yet heard a second rate Brahms piece (probably because he burned them all!)

On an unrelated subject, don't you hate it when people say that Brahms lived in the shadow of Beethoven and never really lived up to his standard? I do! Firstly, who gives a rat's *** if this is the case, secondly, Beethoven wasn't the only composer Brahms got inspiration from. What about Shumann, Schubert, Haydn and perhaps most importantly, Bach? The mature works are merely Brahms! A god, no question!


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## Edmond-Dantes (Mar 20, 2009)

Brahms.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Depends on what you mean by "greater"...If you mean making the most out of the classical style laid down by Beethoven, finding new paths within those restrictions, then Brahms. But if you mean experimenting more with different styles and influences, eg. modernism, classicism, jazz, serialism, then Stravinsky.

I think that they were both the greatest composers of their respective generations.


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## Rondo (Jul 11, 2007)

Andre said:


> I think that they were both the greatest composers of their respective generations.


I agree. But, it also depends on my mood; on some days I would think Brahms is the best, while on other days I would prefer Stravinsky.


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## Lisztfreak (Jan 4, 2007)

To compare Brahms and Stravinsky is to compare cats and locomotives.


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## Lisztfreak (Jan 4, 2007)

And don't try to ask me which is what in the comparison...


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

I prefer cats.

Jim


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Hey, Lisztfreak, which is what in your comparison?


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## Lisztfreak (Jan 4, 2007)

Aramis said:


> Hey, Lisztfreak, which is what in your comparison?


  You had to ask, did you? Oh, I'd use a juicy word now, you, but I won't be getting obscene here... 

I dunno, I just wrote what first occured to me. Have what you prefer. Handlebar prefers cats. Me too.


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