Anyone else dislike Brahms' music?

[Ronja]

We're just back from a concert of classical songs - the tickets were MiM's mom's xmas present to us - and I feel like blowing off some steam.

This was one of the most uneven concerts, program-wise, that I have ever attended (Shumann, Mozart, Grieg, Strauss, Sibelius, Bizet, Bernstein...). Especially the Brahms that they started with was nothing short of appalling. I'm not faulting Monica Groop, who is a very capable mezzo soprano with a warm, strong and flexible voice, but IMO Brahms Zigeunerlieder (at least those four we got to hear) are artificial, vulgar, both contrived and overdone, and IMO outright ugly.

For choir versions of nr 9, 10 and 11 to shudder at, click on this (you have been warned - on top of all the above these versions are also oscillate between pompous and overly sentimental, IMO) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ4Wy-OP ... re=related

I knew from before that I have never been too impressed with Brahms, but Zigeunerlieder heightened my dislike and now, after trying to listen to various pieces by Brahms on the Net, my dislike is cemented. I simply can't stand any music of his that I have thus far tried, with the one exception of Hungarian Dance nr 5.

Regarding Zigeunerlieder specifically: try as I might, I cannot shake the first thought that came to my mind when "He Zigeuner" started: "Too many notes!"

[hadespussercats]

Brahms isn't my favorite-- he tried really hard (too hard) to be Beethoven, and didn't really succeed. What's there that's his seems... schmaltzy.

I do have a fondness for "Von Ewiger Liebe" (hope I spelled that right)-- sang it back when I was a mezzo, at my senior recital. But for lieder I really prefer Schubert, and Schumann. Schubert in particular. I like my lieder full of as much honest pathos as I can get, and he lived it.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

"artificial, vulgar, both contrived and overdone, and IMO outright ugly."

That pretty much sums up my onion of all "classical" vocal music, both chamber lieder and opera - with very few exceptions.

As for Brahms, I can't say he's a composer that I ever noticed. Beethoven-lite.

[tattuchu]

The only Brahms I like:

[Ronja]

tat, even behind the whimsical fun of Yes I hear a pompous "romantic" composer not at all to my liking.

Sowwee muchly!

[Ronja]

"artificial, vulgar, both contrived and overdone, and IMO outright ugly."

That pretty much sums up my onion of all "classical" vocal music, both chamber lieder and opera - with very few exceptions.

Would Schubert's Winterreise happen to be one of the exceptions?

For me, Jorma Hynninen's interpretation of Winterreise gives cold shivers all over, but in a strangely good way. A few of the songs by him are available online:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7oHoQEHgG0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R35KRmCVsi0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8HZWZpeH_Y

If you don't, maybe hades will enjoy these?

[Svartalf]

I have no dislike for Brahms... so long as he stays instrumental.

When it gets to bel canto, religious stuff, opera, and other "classical" varieties of using human voice like a musical instrument, see XC's comment above.

[orpheus]

Can I take six and a half minutes to try to change your minds?

[Tero]

He is in my list of "I dont get it" more that dislike
I listen to it and there was sound and I do not "live" the music

Brahms
Mahler

there is more

[Svartalf]

It's not unpleasant, but give me traditional/folk music most days.
Or if we're into classic, Bach, or baroque harpsichord stuff, like Couperin or Rameau.

[Tero]

I'm sort of selective about 1880-1950 composers, only a handful I listen to. Sibelius lately, Janacek, Stravisnky.

[Hermit]

"Too many notes" is a pretty good way of describing those songs.

My taste in music is fairly pedestrian. I'm not keen on Lieder of any sort. Brahms is not a composer I listen to a lot, but his piano concertos are OK. Whenever his name is mentioned I somehow think of Françoise Sagan's Aimez-vous Brahms?. There are some composers I positively dislike. We have excellent radio networks that broadcast predominantly classical (in the broad sense of the word). As soon as they play something by Lehar, Offenbach or the Austrian Strausses, I turn the radio off. Mahler, and to some extent Bruckner, just bore me, though Bruckner at least had a sense of humour.

[orpheus]

"Too many notes" is a pretty good way of describing those songs.

My taste in music is fairly pedestrian. I'm not keen on Lieder of any sort. Brahms is not a composer I listen to a lot, but his piano concertos are OK. Whenever his name is mentioned I somehow think of Françoise Sagan's Aimez-vous Brahms?. There are some composers I positively dislike. We have excellent radio networks that broadcast predominantly classical (in the broad sense of the word). As soon as they play something by Lehar, Offenbach or the Austrian Strausses, I turn the radio off. Mahler, and to some extent Bruckner, just bore me, though Bruckner at least had a sense of humour.

Bruckner had a sense of humor? Odd; of the two, I'd have said Mahler.

[Hermit]

"Too many notes" is a pretty good way of describing those songs.

My taste in music is fairly pedestrian. I'm not keen on Lieder of any sort. Brahms is not a composer I listen to a lot, but his piano concertos are OK. Whenever his name is mentioned I somehow think of Françoise Sagan's Aimez-vous Brahms?. There are some composers I positively dislike. We have excellent radio networks that broadcast predominantly classical (in the broad sense of the word). As soon as they play something by Lehar, Offenbach or the Austrian Strausses, I turn the radio off. Mahler, and to some extent Bruckner, just bore me, though Bruckner at least had a sense of humour.

Bruckner had a sense of humor? Odd; of the two, I'd have said Mahler.

Maybe it was just the mood I was in at the time. I hopped into my car to go home from work. The radio was playing something I could not identify. It amused and fascinated me. Then I actually had to laugh. I pulled over, so I could listen to the piece properly. It turned out to be one of Bruckner's scherzos.

Nothing beats Chopin's self-parody, though.

Oh, and earlier I forgot to include Wagner with the composers I don't like. Wagner's music is