Genius in music

[Quijote]

And at the risk of offending certain tastes, there is one composer who (in my opinion) has never pushed any envelope whatsoever (though his music is most pleasant) : Shostakovitch.
Sorry to be blunt. (No I'm not.)

[Sorrano]

And at the risk of offending certain tastes, there is one composer who (in my opinion) has never pushed any envelope whatsoever (though his music is most pleasant) : Shostakovitch.
Sorry to be blunt. (No I'm not.)

Maybe the one with his paycheck inside?

[Quijote]

I forgot to mention Ligeti, who also has pushed the musical-aesthetic envelope considerably.

[Sorrano]

I don't know - Mozart wasn't that innovative, he simply perfected what was there. I still think he was a genius!

I disagree. Mozart's concerti, piano sonatas, chamber music, and operas were well ahead of their time, so to speak. Haydn was peer to him in terms of chamber music, but Mozart's efforts in the mentioned genres were more advanced.

[Peter]

I disagree. Mozart's concerti, piano sonatas, chamber music, and operas were well ahead of their time, so to speak. Haydn was peer to him in terms of chamber music, but Mozart's efforts in the mentioned genres were more advanced.

Yes more developed but he didn't much alter the forms he inherited. Generally speaking Haydn was far more innovative, though I think Mozart was moving in a new direction in the last years of his life. J.C.Bach was the model for the piano concertos and actually there was a Don Giovanini before Mozart's by Righini (he made famous by Beethoven's variations!), not that I'm suggesting that was his model.

[Preston]

I wanted to add something I wrote on the forum a while ago. Imo, not only are there different levels genius, there are different kinds of genius:

art (as in painting, etc.), music, literature, math, science, spirituality (if you will, ), etc.

I believe that "spiritual genius" is the highest form of genius. I use the term spiritual in general. I am not saying talking about omnipotence, etc. - though, yes I do believe in mystical supernatural powers. Though that is me.

Anyway, I believe that Beethoven became filled with this spiritual genius. I also believe Mozart in his last year became filled with the spiritual genius - with works of such depth and genius as his Requiem (which I believe far exceeds anything Haydn ever wrote, imo).