Steve Schwartz:

>Schumann takes the Mendelssohnian symphony to its height.  Mendelssohn
>wrote one masterful symphony (the Italian) and one very interesting, though
>flawed symphony (the Reformation), but Schumann may have written the three
>finest symphonies between Berlioz and Brahms.  Nevertheless, he not only
>uses Mendelssohn's procedures, but to a great extent appropriates his
>idioms.  A draw, perhaps the edge going to Schumann.

Only one? What's the problem with the Scottish?  Possibly the end of the
final movement...

And what's so flawed about the Reformation (my favourite)? The final
movement which is a "choral" movement without voices?

"The romantic generation" by Charles Rosen is a useful book (but not as
good as I expected it to be).  From this (and other sources) I've learnt
that both composers were quite bold early in their life, but they reverted
to more classical principles later on.

Mendelssohn used Beethoven's late quartets as models for his first two
string quartets (when did he write these?). He tried to connect different
movements using cyclical principles. In "the Reformation" a fragment from
the first movement reappears in the third movement.

Schumann wrote piano and song cycles ("romantic fragments) where the
individual pieces lose some of their qualities if they are heard out of
context.  A sort of musical philosopher.  After 1840 he mainly focused on
large-scale forms (larger than previously).

Did Schumann use Mendelssohn's principles in his symhonies? I haven't
really analysed Schumann's Symphonies, but they do sound related to
Mendelssohn (and Berwald).

>Don't get me started on Liszt's symphonies.  Berwald I like quite a bit,
>but not as much as Schumann's set.  Berwald kind of reminds me of CPE Bach:
>a great innovator, a very interesting musical mind, but ultimately others
>used his ideas in better ways.

Is there a problem with Liszt's symphonies (and symphonic poems)? Both are
"true" symphonies.

Berwald a great innovator? A personal voice but nothing experimental about
it, except for the integration of Slow movement and Scherzo.  And CPE Bach'
reputation as a great innovator seems to overshadow his musical efforts.
I've played some perfectly "normal" but well-constructed flute sonatas.

Mikael
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