Mikael Rasmusson wrote:

>Liszt said something like "B.  is a great composer, but he's lacking
>Schumann's spontaneity."
>
>As I said before, I don't think B:s musical material is so well suited for
>the development he subjects it to.  He's lacking Beethoven's dramatical
>impact.  And sometimes I just find his musical material boring (middle
>sections of 2nd and 3rd movements of the Double concerto).

With regards to the orchestration being deficient, would you care to
justify this? If you are saying that Brahms' orchestration is boring, you
are incorrect.  If you are saying it is unimaginative, you are incorrect.
If you are saying it is understated when next to Liszt or Berlioz or
someone, you are correct.  But I don't think understatement deficiency.

It seems that you either get Brahms or you don't - no halfway house.
I couldn't understand the fuss before I had a revelation, but now I am
here...  I just pity those that aren't.  Everyone should love Brahms.  Only
bit of Brahms I don't like is the first subject of the third symphony.  It
irritates me.  My problem of course...

Mozart seems to cause a similar problem.

David Stewart
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