Composers on composers

[Roehre]

Debussy over Grieg (string quartet op.27): ice covered in chocolate

[EdgeleyRob]

I see my Tchaikovsky example has already been quoted.
This one is much better.

The classical composer par excellence of the present day, who free from any provincialism of expression or national dialect... writes for the whole world and for all time -- a giant, lofty and unapproachable -- Johannes Brahms
-- Edward Elgar, 1886

[Nick Armstrong]

Great thread this. I particularly like the Elgar-Stravinsky quotes.

The following always make me chuckle. I'm not sure if there is any truth in it at all, and if there is it was probably a tease rather than a barb: Satie's well-known comment after hearing Debussy's La Mer (specifically about the first part, From Dawn to Noon on the Sea)

"I liked the bit about quarter to eleven."

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Here's a classic Rossini line:

'Mr Wagner has some wonderful moments . . . and some perfectly dreadful quarters of an hour!'

[mercia]

Beethoven on Bach
"He schouldn't be named Brook (Bach) but Sea (Meer)"

I hadn't realised LvB was such a wit

I can't guarantee the accuracy of this one:-
"For me Wagner is impossible...he talks without ever stopping. One can't just talk all the time." - Schumann

likewise this may not be accurate
"I am not a fascist. I hate Tchaikovsky and I will not conduct him. But if the audience wants him, it can have him." - Pierre Boulez

[mercia]

Here's a classic Rossini line:

'Mr Wagner has some wonderful moments . . . and some perfectly dreadful quarters of an hour!'

oh that was Rossini was it
why did I think it was Bernard Shaw ?

is this one accurate? - also Rossini
"One can't judge Wagner's opera Lohengrin after a first hearing, and I certainly don't intend to hear it a second time."

[Nick Armstrong]

likewise this may not be accurate
"I am not a fascist. I hate Tchaikovsky and I will not conduct him. But if the audience wants him, it can have him." - Pierre Boulez

I hope it is true. It's exactly how I felt after the last Tchaik I heard live, the Francesca da Rimini that ended the Philharmonia/Salonen prom last summer: audience going mad, me wondering how anyone could be bothered with such a load of rubbish

*Ducks for cover*

[John Skelton]

likewise this may not be accurate
"I am not a fascist. I hate Tchaikovsky and I will not conduct him. But if the audience wants him, it can have him." - Pierre Boulez

it comes from Joan Peyser's book on Boulez.

I rather liked Eric Sams' review for New Statesman

The text has four damaging flaws: it tends to be self-conscious, gossipy, tasteless and humourless.

Apart from that it's OK .

[Nick Armstrong]

A slight tangent, but spinning off from Boulez's comment: I loved this quote (mentioned by Donald Macleod in COTW) from Bizet about his "Toréador's Chorus" in 'Carmen' (which always provokes a groan from this listener, or the sound of an 'off' switch):

"So they want trash? I'll give 'em trash!"

(Seems like a prescient commentary about dumbing-down influences at Classicradio3FM... )

[Boilk]

Bouolez on Shostakovich, (cited from R3OK)...

"Don’t speak to me about this man. [Laughs] I really cannot understand the success of it, because that’s so trite.
That’s a kind of collection of clichés which is really embarrassing sometimes."

[Nick Armstrong]

Bouolez on Shostakovich, (cited from R3OK)...

"Don’t speak to me about this man. [Laughs] I really cannot understand the success of it, because that’s so trite.
That’s a kind of collection of clichés which is really embarrassing sometimes."

Everyone gets it wrong sometimes!

[Boilk]

It came back to me listening to Rinaldo. What a masterwork. And how disappointing and silly was last year's Carsen production at Glyndebourne.

You'll have an opportunity to relive that disappointment and silliness this coming Friday on BBC Four.