A very interesting discussion.
I think that the national factor is important. I remember one writer, many years ago, who commented on the "fact" that only English conductors could conduct Elgar: "No-one else cares".
I am very fond of RVW:s symphonies, but my favorite British composer is one that hardly counts as British: Delius (to me, Händel is German).
Actually, when I first delved into classical music, with the help of Gramophone, I took the RVW "Pastoral" and "Cows" as an encouragement. It took me years to understand that it was quite the opposite, but by then it was too late. I liked it.
We in Sweden lack a "national composer". Out neighbours have Nielsen, Grieg and Sibelius. And we have... Allan Pettersson has been mentioned. But of all his music only a snippet of his 7th symphony is heard, being played on national TV just after the new year bells.
What else? Franz Berwald wrote four very good symphonies almost 200 years ago (I recommend the two disc BIS release, conducted by Sixten Ehrling). We have Hugo Alfvén, hardly known, and Kurt Atterberg, even less known but a very competent composer in the late romantic vein.
In fact, the best known Swedish classical piece of music amongst general Swedes, is never played abroad. A short movement, the Romance from Pastoral Suite by Lars-Eric Larsson. Beautiful. But you of other nationalities probably thinks it is, well, just a piece of music.
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