Battle of the Birthday Twins: Brahms VS Tchaikovsky, the Follow-Up

Today, May 7, is the birthday of both Johannes Brahms and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. As we explained on Monday, they didn’t like one another’s music, with Tchaikovsky being especially virulent in his dislike for Brahms, declaring himself to be the superior composer. So we put Tchaikovsky’s assertion to the test by conducting a poll in which we put together ten pairs of works in which both composers took on similar challenges, and one in which we paired together two works that highlighted their distinct musical personalities. Here are the results:

Folk Dance: 
Brahms: Hungarian Dance no. 5 43%
Tchaikovsky: Russian Dance (Trepak) from The Nutcracker 57%

Lullaby:
Brahms: Wiegenlied, op. 49 no. 4 57%
Tchaikovsky: Lullaby, op. 16 no. 1 43%

Symphonic Slow Movement That Has Entered Popular Culture:
Brahms: Symphony no. 3, op. 90: III. Poco allegretto 38%
Tchaikovsky: Symphony no. 5, op. 64: II. Andante cantabile con alcuna licenza 62%

Variations:
Brahms: Variations on a theme by Haydn, op. 56a 67%
Tchaikovsky: Suite no. 3 in G major, op. 55: IV. Tema con variazioni 33%

Violin Concerto:
Brahms: Violin Concerto in D major, op. 77 47%
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D major, op. 35 53%

Chamber Music dedicated to the memory of a beloved friend:
Brahms: Piano Quartet in C minor, op. 60 40%
Tchaikovsky: Piano Trio in A minor, op. 50 60%

Major Liturgical Composition:
Brahms: A German Requiem, op. 45 67%
Tchaikovsky: Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, op. 41 33%

Final Symphony:
Brahms: Symphony no. 4 in e minor, op. 98 53%
Tchaikovsky: Symphony no. 6 in b minor “Pathetique”, op. 74 47%

Settings of Ophelia’s Mad Scene from Shakespeare’s Hamlet:
Brahms: 5 Ophelia-Lieder, WoO post. 22: I 33%
Tchaikovsky: Hamlet Incidental Music, op. 67a: Act IV, Scene 5 67%

Apples to Oranges:
Brahms: Horn Trio in E flat, op. 40 32%
Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet Fantasy-Overture 68%

Loudest:
Brahms: Academic Festival Overture, op. 80 28%
Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture, op. 49 72% 

Overall: Tchaikovsky 7, Brahms 4 

We will be hearing both composer’s Violin Concertos tonight on WETA Classical. Tchaikovsky’s, the winner, will receive pride of place in the 8:00 hour, while Brahms’ will be heard following NSO Showcase in the 11:00 hour (along with both composers’ Lullabies.)

Thanks to all who voted! We also got a few interesting comments on social media: 

"Brahms (according to oboists; and Brahms 2 is the greatest piano concerto, speaking as a cellist)"

"I love them both, so I don’t count."

“These are the only 2 composers whose music makes me feel sad for how lonely they must be.”

"Tchaikovsky! (But really: Mendelssohn)"

And our hosts weighed in as well: 

Linda Carducci:

The Brahms and Tchaikovsky violin concerti are thrilling examples of grand Romantic-era works.  I think each is representative of the composer's unique musical style that we also hear in their other works, such as their symphonies and piano concerti.  Brahms favored formal. classical structure and control; we might have the impression that Brahms approached each composition in a scholarly way.  Tchaikovsky, on the other hand, wore his passion on his sleeve with unabashed displays of emotion conveyed through masterful orchestration.  I don't favor one of these violin concerti over the other (although the finale of Tchaikovsky's never fails to grip us!), or one of these composers over the other.  Through many years of listening to their music, I've developed a deep appreciation of their accomplishments.  But I give a special nod to Tchaikovsky for his unparalleled, creative ballet music!   

Nicole Lacroix: 

In my freshman year of college, I had a professor who told us upfront that he disliked Tchaikovsky intensely and that we would not be studying any of his music. I found his attitude shocking. Tchaikovsky's gift for orchestral color and dance are unmatched. However, if I were on a desert island, I'd have to go with Brahms, whose symphonies, choral works, songs, piano pieces, and assorted works for clarinet or violin speak to my soul. Françoise Sagan famously asked in a novel "Aimez-vous Brahms?" My answer is a resounding yes! 

Bill Bukowski:

First, the Music:
Symphonies, symphonic works: Gotta give the edge to Tchaikovsky here. He knew a good tune when he had one, and he knew just what to do with it. There is a reserve to Brahms, which extends to his symphonic works by and large. His symphonies are well constructed and compelling, but you always come away with the impression of a composer who wishes he could be doing something else. (Although his two Serenades are quite lovely, more relaxed, and deserve to be heard more often.)

Concertos: Violin, piano, all good; a draw. The violin concertos, both in the key of D major, are grand romantic works in the 19th-century style which hit all the highs and make hay with all the lows. Same with the piano concertos. Grand, fabulous, hitting all the right notes and pushing all the right buttons.

Choral music: Brahms has the edge. Tchaikovsky's works, especially the grand ones in the Orthodox church style, are sublimely beautiful, but Brahms, especially in the German Requiem seems to have captured the hearts of most music lovers world-wide.

Solo piano works: Brahms again, especially his late works, where finally we see a bit of his heart and soul.  

Chamber music: a draw.

Ballets, Opera - Tchaikovsky excels, so maybe a more versatile composer? While Brahms did none of these, at least he recognized his limitations.

Now, Brahms vs. Tchaikovsky: the Men (or the Mensches):

Both could be rather prickly, and uncomfortable in crowded situations, typical among creative types, so a little compassion and a lot of leeway should be tendered. Both men would be considered handsome, perhaps even baby-faced, which brings up their overall comportment: Brahms was rather shlumpy in appearance and dress, indicating a man both comfortable with himself and not caring too much what other people think. But his bib-like beard I think, masked a certain insecurity about his pretty face, which you can see in early pictures of Brahms, before the beard. Tchaikovsky, in contrast, always appears stylishly attired, immaculately well-groomed from beard to boots. He may have been deeply insecure but loathe to let anyone see it. 

So, Tchaikovsky the man, Brahms the mensch - gotta love 'em both.

John Banther:

Oof (tough choice)! Folks that know me know I love Tchaikovsky; he has a way of directly communicating emotion in the music that words can't aptly describe. These two composers also couldn't write more differently for the tuba in their symphonies! Brahms presents brass in such rich colors that if it were a dessert, it would be a lava cake with ice cream, but Tchaikovsky uses the power of unison and octaves to give a more existential and metallic sound to the brass that stabs like a knife. I love them both, but Tchaikovsky somehow always captures my heart. 

James Jacobs:

This was tough for me as well. I can relate to Brahms more both in terms of his musical language and what we know of his personality, and I greatly admire him. My favorite works of his are the Clarinet Quintet, the Horn Trio, the cello sonatas, the first violin sonata, and several of his short piano pieces, all compositions very different from anything Tchaikovsky ever wrote. 

And if I’m being perfectly honest, neither composer’s symphonies are among my favorite compositions. My favorite Brahms orchestral works are the Double Concerto and the Haydn Variations; from Tchaikovsky, I like Romeo and Juliet and the Serenade for Strings. I also find his Piano Trio deeply moving; Eugen Onegin is one of my favorite late-19^th-century operas; and I would have voted for Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, mostly because I find it to be a more compelling journey than Brahms’s, though the latter has many moments of transcendent beauty.

But if I had to pick the work that solidly gives the edge to Tchaikovsky it would be The Nutcracker. Before you come at me with claims that Brahms was the more cerebral of the two, or a better craftsman, or more technically accomplished, consider how Tchaikovsky wrote that work. Unlike most ballets that are choreographed to existing music, Tchaikovsky had to write his music to fit choreographer Marius Petipa’s detailed instructions, down to every change of meter, tempo, mood and exact number of measures. Tchaikovsky let it be known that he took no joy in writing the score, thought the story was silly, and considered it an onerous task. I can’t think of any other composer, including the very greatest, who could have written such an exuberant, enchanting and enduring score under those conditions.

So, at the end of the day, it seems that the votes are in: Tchaikovsky was right in his bold claim to superiority. That in no way diminishes Brahms, and truth be told I, like Nicole, would prefer Brahms’ musical company on a desert island. But Tchaikovsky was undoubtedly more versatile and just as accomplished as Brahms, and he (like Dvorak) had good reason to be frustrated by the German bias of the 19^th century musical establishment that made him feel sidelined. The real tragedy is that, had he lived another ten years, he would have seen his popularity rise and, just maybe, feel loved and appreciated enough that he would feel no need to compare himself to others or think that Brahms’ success eclipsed his own. 

In any case, both composers have brought us all moments of beauty and joy and reflection and dramatic tension that have enriched our lives, and this is a double birthday well worth celebrating.