Recording of Raff's Die Eifersüchtigen

[Alan Howe]

Ralph Locke rather overdoes the "spot the influence" angle

Quite so. Can't Raff just be his own man? Otherwise, a very thorough review.

[John Boyer]

It is standard operating procedure among critics to take down unsung composers by insisting that they are derivative and unoriginal.  This tack sometimes reaches ridiculous proportions when they attribute the influence of famous composer B on unsung composer A even when unsung composer A's works predate those of famous composer B.

If this approach fails, then you accuse the unsung composer of failing to write memorable themes...you know, like Bruckner, whom we all go about humming.

[Alan Howe]

Bruckner, whom we all go about humming

Actually, I often do (sad, I know!). But your point is well made.

[eschiss1]

Was he being sarcastic? I often hum Bruckner too - and a number of composers not as renowned for their thematic distinction as others, but who could still make their music earwormish in all sorts of ways. (Not all things I hum by Bruckner are themes- are the last pages of the first movement of the 9th symphony a theme? But I still find myself humming them to myself in public, and not for show. They're just -fun-. (And solemn, hieratic, frightening, ... - all that too, yes. Never said I wasn't odd.))

(Edit: Raff too, of course- quite a few bits of the 7th symphony, for example. Or the opening of the first string quartet.)