Topic: "Sibelius, the Worst Composer in the World"

[Madiel]

It kind of shows, doesn't it? The writing of his Sonata feels somewhat crude compared to his usual fare. It's still rather fun to play, though, with its merry mood (is it me or does it feel rather Christmas-ish?).

If you mean the piano sonata, it's a relatively early work and much of his later piano work is better.

[André]

Swedish composer Allan Pettersson was a student of Leibowitz. Pettersson once remarked about his second symphony (1952-53) that he composed it ‘behind the back of Leibowitz’. I always wondered what he meant by that. That was 3 years before Leibowitz wrote his pamphlet on Sibelius. Did he (Leibowitz) detect ‘sibelian tendencies’ in his student’s work?

[hvbias]

This is my favorite comment from the comment section of the Hurwitz video, IMHO far more interesting than the people angrily mashing away at their keyboard

I only wish someone would take the pains of writing something as nasty about me for my 90th birthday.  Sibelius would have taken it as a great honour ... that's the Finnish spirit--take it from someone born in "Finlandia."  No one insults you unless you've done something Great.

Because I agree with it on every level. As a resident there used to be an absolutely miserable senior cardiologist that we loved to hate. But it wasn't simply because he was a miserable man, that would have been plain uninteresting. It was because he was one of the most brilliant physicians most people had ever met.

Sometimes with these kind of scathing takes there might be something to be learned, Boulez criticized his fair share of music but you'd often at least learn something from his writing, more often about his own music. I can't say I've gained any further insight into Sibelius from this.

[Symphonic Addict]

Someone who had the genius of creating something like Tapiola is far, but too far from being the worst composer in the world.

[Mirror Image]

Someone who had the genius of creating something like Tapiola is far, but too far from being the worst composer in the world.

I’d say if Sibelius only composed The Oceanides, he’d still be a genius in my book.

[Symphonic Addict]

I’d say if Sibelius only composed The Oceanides, he’d still be a genius in my book.

Indeed. There are plenty of works by him that easily put him in the major leagues.