Here are some gems for your pleasure, featuring the esteemed Romantic, Johannes Brahms:
“I played over the music of that scoundrel Brahms. What a giftless bastard! It annoys me that this self-inflated mediocrity is hailed as a genius. Why, in comparison with him, Raff is a giant, not to speak of Rubinstein, who is after all a live and important human being, while Brahms is chaotic and absolutely empty dried-up stuff.”
– (Tchaikovsky‘s Diary, Oct. 9, 1886, from the “Lexicon of Musical Invective,” by Nicolas Slonimsky.)
When Bruch finished his first violin concerto, he played the score on the piano for Brahms, whom he admired. At the end he asked, “What did you think?” Brahms thought for a moment, then reached over to feel the paper it was written on. “Well, it is written on very nice paper…”
“I once sent him a song and asked him to mark a cross wherever he thought it was faulty. Brahms returned it untouched, saying ‘I don’t want to make a cemetery of your compositions.'” – Hugo Wolf
“I once told Wagner himself that I was the best Wagnerian of our time” – Brahms
“I apologize if there is anyone in this room I have not offended.” – Brahms
Gotta love this guy… oh, wait, someone already did… heh-heh…
“…On the other hand, Robert and Clara Schumann had something musical in common – Brahms.” (posted by Sandy on Violinist.com) If you don’t “get it”, try reading this…
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