current composers

[Sorrano]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
Heidi,
No, they're all dead. Sorry. I agree Williams, is good, but just because music is written for an orchestra, it doesn't make it classical, IMHO. The last Great Composer was Dvorak, the last good one was Rachmaninov. That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
Regards, Gurn

What??? You left out Bruckner!!! But seriously, while I enjoy Bruckner his greatness was mostly in the realm of vocal and symphonic music. I have great need of familiarizing myself with more of Dvorak. Whatever I've heard of him I like--much better than what I've heard and played of Brahms.

[Anthony]

Originally posted by Rutradelusasa:
I do write a few things myself, if you want, I could show a thing or two...

Do you really compose music.
i've been looking to see if anyone could help me composing pieces as i get so many ideas i dont know where to start

[Rutradelusasa]

Originally posted by Anthony:
Do you really compose music.
i've been looking to see if anyone could help me composing pieces as i get so many ideas i dont know where to start

Yes I do compose and I would love to send you a bit of what I've done, do you have Icq? if you do, mine is 60061011...

[jman]

Well the names have escaped me but A) whoever wrote the score to Forrest Gump. Amazing piece of work, plain and simple...then I also love, moreso than Forrest Gump, the score for Signs and I'm surprised it hasn't gotten as much recognition...probably because it's written to sound like a couple other scores. Regardless, I think it's amazing so...whoever wrote those two!!!

[Anthony]

Originally posted by Rutradelusasa:
Yes I do compose and I would love to send you a bit of what I've done, do you have Icq? if you do, mine is 60061011...

I dont think i do have ICQ as i dont even know what it is

[John Rasmussen]

Henryk Gorecki. His Symphony of Sorrowful Songs (#3) moves me to tears every time I hear it, and what I've heard of his other works are just as fine. Another personal favorite is Old Polish Music, for brass and strings.

I mourned the death of Alan Hovhaness.

Recently I heard an Alfred Schnittke quintet for piano and strings. Magnificent!

[Gurn Blanston]

Originally posted by Sorrano:

What??? You left out Bruckner!!! But seriously, while I enjoy Bruckner his greatness was mostly in the realm of vocal and symphonic music. I have great need of familiarizing myself with more of Dvorak. Whatever I've heard of him I like--much better than what I've heard and played of Brahms.

Sorrano,
Yes, it's true that Bruckner wrote a very nice piano quintet and a string quartet, too, but Dvorak wrote in every genre, and damn well, I might add. IMHO you would be doing yourself a tremendous service to pick up a CD or 2 of his, I'm not talking symphonies here (although he was very good at them), but like his Piano Quintet in A, Op 81, or any of the String Quintets or the Piano Trios, esp. #4 (Dumky). If after that you don't find yourself enamored of his chamber work, then I despair of you... ;-)))
Best Regards, Gurn
PS - the Slavonic Dances are pretty fine too and the string quartets ..... you get the picture!
PPS - Sorry you didn't like Brahms, what were you listening too? Surely not chamber music.

[ethanjams]

Alan Silvestri wrote the score for "Forrest Gump." He also wrote the scores for "Romancing the stone", and "Back to the future." I think he is a highly under-rated modern composer. Sincerely, ethanjams...
f

Originally posted by jman:
Well the names have escaped me but A) whoever wrote the score to Forrest Gump. Amazing piece of work, plain and simple...then I also love, moreso than Forrest Gump, the score for Signs and I'm surprised it hasn't gotten as much recognition...probably because it's written to sound like a couple other scores. Regardless, I think it's amazing so...whoever wrote those two!!!

[Rod]

Originally posted by ethanjams:
Alan Silvestri wrote the score for "Forrest Gump." He also wrote the scores for "Romancing the stone", and "Back to the future." I think he is a highly under-rated modern composer. Sincerely, ethanjams...
f

Morricone surely must be the greatest movie score composer, I've got some of his efforts on CD that are truely sublime.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[This message has been edited by Rod (edited April 04, 2003).]

[Sorrano]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
Sorrano,
Yes, it's true that Bruckner wrote a very nice piano quintet and a string quartet, too, but Dvorak wrote in every genre, and damn well, I might add. IMHO you would be doing yourself a tremendous service to pick up a CD or 2 of his, I'm not talking symphonies here (although he was very good at them), but like his Piano Quintet in A, Op 81, or any of the String Quintets or the Piano Trios, esp. #4 (Dumky). If after that you don't find yourself enamored of his chamber work, then I despair of you... ;-)))
Best Regards, Gurn
PS - the Slavonic Dances are pretty fine too and the string quartets ..... you get the picture!
PPS - Sorry you didn't like Brahms, what were you listening too? Surely not chamber music.

I've heard some of Dvorak's orchestral works such as the Slavonic Dances and am in the process of acquiring more of his music. (Do you know if all his symphonies are available, recorded?) However, I do not dislike Brahms, but for some reason his orchestral music doesn't quite reach me as does other's music. I do enjoy his piano music a great deal, but generally it is too hard for me to play. I've not listened to much chamber music of either composer and do need to get into that.

I do regard Brahms quite highly, but am finding that I like Dvorak even more.

[Gurn Blanston]

Originally posted by Sorrano:

I've heard some of Dvorak's orchestral works such as the Slavonic Dances and am in the process of acquiring more of his music. (Do you know if all his symphonies are available, recorded?) However, I do not dislike Brahms, but for some reason his orchestral music doesn't quite reach me as does other's music. I do enjoy his piano music a great deal, but generally it is too hard for me to play. I've not listened to much chamber music of either composer and do need to get into that.

I do regard Brahms quite highly, but am finding that I like Dvorak even more.

Yes, all 9 of his symphonies are available, I got them in a DG box set from their Collector's Series, they are very nice recordings. I would like to get some of his orchestral pieces too, but don't really have yet, as I have concentrated on Chamber Music instead. If you want still to give Brahms a try, I recommend starting with the Piano Quartets OP 25 & 26. They are a great introduction to Brahm's chamber works. If you run across a recording of the Piano Quintet Op 34 in f minor, it is considered to be one of the top 2-3 in the genre, and quite enjoyable. Anyway, good places to start, and we always want to expand our horizons, no?
Regards, Gurn

[Joy]

I like a lot of Brahms pieces his symphonies and piano pieces in particular. On classical radio this week I heard Brahms Minatures, his 4 short piano pieces, from his Op. 118, Nos. 2, 4, 5, and 1. Very enjoyable.

Joy

[Peter]

Originally posted by Joy:
I like a lot of Brahms pieces his symphonies and piano pieces in particular. On classical radio this week I heard Brahms Minatures, his 4 short piano pieces, from his Op. 118, Nos. 2, 4, 5, and 1. Very enjoyable.

Joy

Yes they are delightful as are his op.119 - they hold a similar place in his ouevre to Beethoven's last Bagatelles.

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'Man know thyself'

[Joy]

Originally posted by Peter:
Yes they are delightful as are his op.119 - they hold a similar place in his ouevre to Beethoven's last Bagatelles.

I enjoy most of his piano works, his sonatas, ballades, (his Variations and
Fugue) and you are correct about his Op. 119. Very enjoyable.



[This message has been edited by Joy (edited April 04, 2003).]

[Gurn Blanston]

Originally posted by Peter:
Yes they are delightful as are his op.119 - they hold a similar place in his ouevre to Beethoven's last Bagatelles.

Yes they are indeed, I like the bagatelle comparison. In this same period he wrote several opera of short pieces, 116 is 7 fantasias, 117 is 3 intermezzos, 118 is 6 pieces and 119 is 4 pieces. They are all of similar character and quite listenable. Thanks for bringing them up.
Regards, Gurn