POLL Brahms or Wagner?

[madaboutmahler]

As GMG seems to be in a mood for many polls recently - here's another that was suggested and is bound to provide some very interesting results.

Brahms or Wagner?

I shall keep my vote to banana for now. Love Brahms but I would imagine Wagner would win once I have heard the complete Ring Cycle!

[TheGSMoeller]

This is tough, but I chose Brahms.
Another case of, not that one is necessarily better, just that I listen to one more than the other.

I do loves me some Ring Cycle though.

[Lisztianwagner]

I voted for Wagner

I absolutely love Brahms' music, but Wagner is unbeatable for me!

[DavidW]

This is easy... I choose Brahms.

[Lethevich]

Brahms, almost for the chamber and piano music alone

[North Star]

I vote Brahms - the symphonies, concertos, chamber music, piano music are all great, almost every piece.
That said, I don't know Wagner that well, I've heard some overtures and orchestral parts from the operas. There is a lot of good music in his works, too, but it's usually surrounded by a lot of music that isn't interesting.

[Karl Henning]

This is easy... I choose Brahms.

+ 1

[Karl Henning]

Brahms, almost for the chamber and piano music alone

My name is Karl Henning, and I approve this message.

[DavidW]

Brahms, almost for the chamber and piano music alone

And then throw in the requiem, piano concertos, symphonies, serenades and it's a done deal!

[Opus106]

As GMG seems to be in a mood for many polls recently - here's another that was suggested and is bound to provide some very interesting results.

Brahms or Wagner?

Not the first time these are happening in these parts.

[Geo Dude]

I like Wagner, but this is no contest:  Brahms wins.  And yes, the chamber music is a very strong argument in Brahms' favor.

[DavidW]

Not the first time these are happening in these parts.

And it won't be the last either!

[Opus106]

Can Wagner's music move a Vulcan?

[Opus106]

And it won't be the last either!

Sad but true.

[mszczuj]

Brahms is a fake.

I'm sorry I can't treat as a real composer the man who wrote Triumphlied.

[starrynight]

Brahms is always likely to beat out Wagner, the variety will appeal to more people.

[North Star]

Can Wagner's music move a Vulcan?

Sure, out of the concert hall.

[DavidW]

Can Wagner's music move a Vulcan?

Sure, out of the concert hall.

Great comeback!!

[Josquin des Prez]

Brahms is a fake.

I'm sorry I can't treat as a real composer the man who wrote Triumphlied.

Yeah, never-mind the dozens of masterpieces he also wrote. And what about Beethoven and his Wellington Victory? Not even the late quartets or sonatas can redeem that. Hacks, both of them! 

[mszczuj]

Yeah, never-mind the dozens of masterpieces he also wrote. And what about Beethoven and his Wellington Victory? Not even the late quartets or sonatas can redeem that. Hacks, both of them! 

Wellington Victory is music. You can despise it for some aesthetically reasons but you can listen to it.
Triumphlied is only notes. Without any sense. I don't know any other example of so weak composition. It is absolute zero.

Alas even in my favorite Brahms works there are  some passages which are only notes. Some melodies in bass line which makes no sense on its own.

I like to listen sometimes to his music and without any doubt I listen to him much more than Wagner. But now I'm just after relistening of his instrumental music and must say that this friend of my youth is not as interesting as I used to think.

Masterpieces? He was really good in quintets. Really very nice Hungarian dances in original version.  His trios and cello sonatas are not bad. Good violin concerto. But in fact there is nothing in his music which you can't find in Schumann, Schubert, Bruch or even Dietrich or Volkmann. Except of course these wooden bass lines and two note melodies.