Who are your top 5 composers, in order?

[Chris]

1. Beethoven
2. Mozart
3. Chopin
4. Handel
5. Bach

[Sorrano]

Originally posted by HaydnFan:
Bruckner surprises me on some peoples' lists. And Chaszz, you are right...most of them are German, I don't see that many Italians!

Italians tended more towards opera--so perhaps there are not as many opera lovers here? Had I thought of it, though, I would have added Verdi to my own list.

[HaydnFan]

I am also surprised to see Chopin and Liszt on some peoples' lists. Sure, they were amazing virtuosos but their compositional abilities?

[Chris]

Originally posted by HaydnFan:
I am also surprised to see Chopin and Liszt on some peoples' lists. Sure, they were amazing virtuosos but their compositional abilities?

I would agree with you on Liszt, but I think Chopin was a excellent composer of piano music, second only to Beethoven.

[DavidO]

Originally posted by Chaszz:
Originally posted by HaydnFan, in another thread:
Who are your top 5 composers, in order?

1. Beethoven
2. Mozart
3. Bach
4. Tallis
5. Puccini

I'm so predictable. <sigh>

[Nightklavier]

Originally posted by HaydnFan:
I am also surprised to see Chopin and Liszt on some peoples' lists. Sure, they were amazing virtuosos but their compositional abilities?

There is a lot of prejudice and ignorance about Liszt, mostly from people who think his virtuoso barnstorming pieces are somehow his only trademark and thus a deficiency. But I would rate Liszt's compositions higher than Chopin's and I think he was one of the most important and ingenious composers of the Romantic period.

There's just an infatuation and exclusive focus on his virtuoso pieces that gives people a bad impression. All I see are the Liebestraumes, Hungarian Rhapsodies, Un Sospiro, and Paganini Etudes nowadays. While these are great, they don't even scratch the surface of Liszt's better works.

Nuages Gris, Totentanz, Fantasie and Fugue on a theme of B-A-C-H, the Annees de Pelerinage, both La Lugubre Gondolas, the Harmonies Poetiques et Religieuses, Les Preludes, Via Crucis, Dante and Faust Symphonies: these are just some examples of Liszt's genius and amazing composing ability. I could also mention all his operatic fantasies/paraphrases/transcriptions which are surely the best of their kind: he reached the zenith of operatic fantasy and variations and surpassed Herz, Pixis, Thalberg, and Czerny potpourri's.

It just takes more exploration of his works to see this.

[HaydnFan]

I think this has all gone off track a little...haha...the original post discussed the ability of composers (ie. compositional greatness) not preference (ie. which composer you like best)...

...to me, the two are completely different because if I was giving my list of my favourite composers, the top five would not include Bach. But from a musical standpoint, he has to be there.

I see that the last poster had Tallis on the list...I don't even know who that is...I think this proves my point that the "greatest" is a different topic from "favourites".

[PDG]

Originally posted by Zevy:

Lennon & McCartney

Hmmm.....(how I miss Leslie~)...

[PDG]

Originally posted by Johan:
1. Ludwig van Beethoven
6. Georg Friedrich Händel
7. Hector Berlioz
8. Johann Sebastian Bach
9. Anton Bruckner

One certain name may amaze you not belonging to my list (as I come from Finland). I just don't - well, how should I define - respond, perhaps it is, to his music.
What comes to Bach and Bruckner I could place them in the other order.

Hey, Johan. What happened to nos. 2-5? Is Sibelius' birthday still a National Holiday in your Finlandia?

[PDG]

Originally posted by Chris:
I would agree with you on Liszt, but I think Chopin was a excellent composer of piano music, second only to Beethoven.

Agreed.

[PDG]

Originally posted by DavidO:

4. Tallis


I'm so predictable. <sigh>

Well, David. About as predictable as Tallis at number four!

[PDG]

Originally posted by Nightklavier:
But I would rate Liszt's compositions higher than Chopin's.....

I disagree, sir!

[PDG]

Originally posted by Nightklavier:
Speaking of Rod, where is our Handel Champion Extraordinaire? I haven't seen him post in a long time.

The wink is for Rod. He's still watching, I'm sure. This place needs his slightly off-tangent personal bias to continue as the fantastic debating ground that it has been for six years (believe me). This absence situation has happened before; I supported him then and I'd support him now.

[Chaszz]

I'd just like to add a word on Sibelius, a word of praise for his violin concerto. If you've never heard it, and you respond to Romantic music, I highly recommend it. In my opinion he never wrote anything else approaching it. It is one of the greatest violin concertos in the repertory.

[Preston]

Originally posted by Chaszz:

I know that Mozart belongs in the top three but spend very little time listening to him, and frankly often find him saccharine.

Chaszz, I like the way you describe Mozart. I feel he was like that, somewhat, also.


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"But well I know that God is nearer to me than to other artists; I associate with Him without fear; I have always recognized and understood Him and have no fear for my music-it can meet no evil fate." LVB

[This message has been edited by Preston (edited 10-24-2006).]