Reception
Critical reception of Modern German Music was not good. On Thursday, June 29, 1854, a review of the book was published in The Morning Post that was not at all favorable. The author begins by writing that the book is rich "in musical opinions, if not sense," but also calls Chorley's writing "ignorant and offensive" and Chorley himself an "incompetent creature." The author takes issue with numerous statements throughout the review, but tends to disagree most strongly with Chorley's honest critical opinions of Back, Handel, and Wagner (the reviewer referring to Bach and Handel as "two great musical heroes of the 18th century...two of the most sublime and profound composers the world has yet produced.") The lengthy, and wholly negative, review ends with the following statement:
After insulting in every possible way the memory of one of the greatest and noblest of God's creatures [Beethoven]-- after putting the harshest construction upon all his acts, and striving to turn his pains and infirmities to laughter and contempt, Mr. Chorley makes an "attempt to criticize his compositions." He says that-- but we really cannot proceed any further with this abominable nonsense. We are heartily sick of it, and so must surely be our readers. (The Morning Post, 1854)
While his musical taste and opinions were not shared by most, Chorley's blatant honesty and the shock value of his writing attracted readers. Chorley was the critic that readers and music lovers alike loved to hate, and they kept reading his work just to see what he would say next.
After insulting in every possible way the memory of one of the greatest and noblest of God's creatures [Beethoven]-- after putting the harshest construction upon all his acts, and striving to turn his pains and infirmities to laughter and contempt, Mr. Chorley makes an "attempt to criticize his compositions." He says that-- but we really cannot proceed any further with this abominable nonsense. We are heartily sick of it, and so must surely be our readers. (The Morning Post, 1854)
While his musical taste and opinions were not shared by most, Chorley's blatant honesty and the shock value of his writing attracted readers. Chorley was the critic that readers and music lovers alike loved to hate, and they kept reading his work just to see what he would say next.