Brahms Quote by George Bernard Shaw
“The real Brahms is nothing more than a sentimental voluptuary. rather tiresomely addicted to dressing himself up as Handel or Beethoven and making a prolonged and intolerable noise.”
About This Quote
Source Play: Man and Superman, 1905
The speaker mocks Brahms as overly sentimental and pretentious, lacking genuine substance.
In simple terms: Brahms is seen as overly sentimental and pretentious.
Key Takeaway
Critically assess artistic authenticity.
Themes
art criticism
elitism
authenticity
Mood
skeptical
analytical
Type
critical
literary
When to use this quote
- concert reviews
- academic analysis
- personal taste debates
Key Concepts
sentimentality
pretension
musical criticism
Questions to Reflect On
- What defines genuine artistic value?
- Is sentiment inherently negative?
A Different Perspective
Subjectivity may color judgments.
![“Brahms stayed an extra day to hear my [Fifth] Symphony and was very kind ... I like his honesty and open-mindedness. Neither he nor the players liked the finale, which I also think rather horrible.” quote by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/099/pyotr-ilyich-tchaikovsky-23045_brahms_brahms-stayed-an-extra-day-to-hear-my-fi_1772048.jpg)
![“...stories about [the German composer Johannes] Brahms's rudeness and wit amused me in particular. For instance, I loved the one about how a great wine connoisseur invited the composer to dinner. 'This is the Brahms of my cellar,' he said to his guests, producing a dust-covered bottle and pouring…” quote by Arthur Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/84f/arthur-rubinstein-17373_amused_stories-about-the-german-composer-johann_2777721.jpg)
