Thread: Schumann, Brahms, Dvorak or Sibelius?

I Put these four great (romantic era) composers in a single poll because they were somewhat related to each other and certainly I like their works

So who is overall better than the others in this poll?

Right now I'd have to say Dvorak, but I could easily go with Sibelius on another day.

Brahms, ahead of Dvorak and Sibelius. Schumann is less my taste.

I voted for Dvorák.

There is no 'best' there. I selected Brahms, because @poley isn't around to do it.

Hell, I'm a sworn Wagnerian but I have no problem recognizing that Brahms is the greatest of these composers.

When I'm in the mood for Schumann, Schumann is the best.
When I'm in the mood for Brahms, Brahms is the best.
When I'm in the mood for Dvorak, Dvorak is the best.
When I'm in the mood for Sibelius, Brahms is the best.

Hmmm, Dvorak is a gap in my knowledge of Classical Music, I only know his Stabat Mater a little...
Sibelius has some nice works, liek for example his second symphony, but Brahms rules them all.
For his brilliant chamber music, his great symphonies (among my favorite symphonies), and some of his great Choral works (Eines Deutsches Requiem, Missa Canonica).

Originally Posted by Bas

Hmmm, Dvorak is a gap in my knowledge of Classical Music, I only know his Stabat Mater a little...
Sibelius has some nice works, liek for example his second symphony, but Brahms rules them all.
For his brilliant chamber music, his great symphonies (among my favorite symphonies), and some of his great Choral works (Eines Deutsches Requiem, Missa Canonica).

Dvorak's last 5 symphonies qualify as members of the top-of-the-Romantic-heap. His tone poems are mostly excellent. Same deal with his chamber music. Mostly, his music doesn't 'descend into the emotional shadows', as Brahms' often does.

Dvorak.
And Brahms.

Originally Posted by Vesteralen

When I'm in the mood for Schumann, Schumann is the best.
When I'm in the mood for Brahms, Brahms is the best.
When I'm in the mood for Dvorak, Dvorak is the best.
When I'm in the mood for Sibelius, Brahms is the best.

When I'm in the mood for Schumann, Ligeti is the best.
When I'm in the mood for Brahms, Ligeti is the best.
When I'm in the mood for Dvorak, Ligeti is the best.
When I'm in the mood for Sibelius, Ligeti is the best.

No disrespect intended, Arsakes, but I'm not sure if I'd have included Schumann - great as he was - as he came from a whole generation before the others (and was actually dead some years before Sibelius was born). For such a small group I'd have replaced him with someone later like Tchaikovsky or Saint-Saens but even then I wouldn't be able to pick an overall favourite from them.

Originally Posted by elgars ghost

No disrespect intended, Arsakes, but I'm not sure if I'd have included Schumann - great as he was - as he came from a whole generation before the others (and was actually dead some years before Sibelius was born). For such a small group I'd have replaced him with someone later like Tchaikovsky or Saint-Saens but even then I wouldn't be able to pick an overall favourite from them.

Good point. Also, Schumann's forte was solo piano. In that regard he was at least the equal of Brahms; but the spec is "all around".

Mussorgskij.

Damn, good poll.

But I think Brahms is the best here, he is technically superior and overall has a higher percentage of great pieces compared to others.