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Classical composers. Who for you are the best?

(146 Posts)
isthisallthereis Fri 19-Oct-12 16:10:22

PPS nelliemoser if we were allowed ten not five, Philip Glass might make my 2nd five. How to help you "get him"? Hmmmm. It'll need thought, I find writing about music much more difficult that say writing about painting. I think one problem is that I lack the vocabulary. But I'll think over why I like Glass.

I find him relaxing but involving. And somehow, I never find the repetition element boring! The slight changes and modulations are exciting when they come and, for me, are like Mozart or Dvorak developing a musical theme. Exciting doesn't have to be big (so to speak!) There is more........ now where are my Philip Glass CDs!

Elegran Fri 19-Oct-12 16:00:22

I'd say the term Classical gradually acquires more composers and pieces as they stand the test of time.

That is the opinion of someone else on the Clapham omnibus. Afficionados might think us a bit ignorant though.

isthisallthereis Fri 19-Oct-12 15:59:40

PS. Has no one got a Generally Dislike category apart from my blind spot over Brahms (and Wagner). And Elgar.

Nelliemoser Fri 19-Oct-12 15:56:20

In no particular order
Mozart
Verdi
Beethoven
Bizet.
Puccini.
Not hot on J S Bach. Oops that is almost blasphemy!
I dont "get" Philip Glass

Eee! Isthisall It was you who started this thread!wink I have just wasted spent a very happy hour digging out the Choir midi learning files for the Music we are doing at choir. Great fun but not what I sat down at the computer for. Blissful smile smile smile

isthisallthereis Fri 19-Oct-12 15:55:58

I think the person on the Clapham omnibus would call all my 5 classical. Are you saying the only one Classic FM or R3 would play is Haydn? Perhaps you'd call Beethoven, Elgar and Tchaikovsky "romantic nationalists". Out of interest, in what way do you find the term useful?

Mamie Fri 19-Oct-12 15:50:42

Brahms
Sibelius
Beethoven
Mozart
Vaughan Williams

feetlebaum Fri 19-Oct-12 15:45:14

Interesting - of the OP's list, only one is Classical (Haydn) - the others are mostly Romantic Nationalists. I don't know what Tippett would be...

joannapiano Fri 19-Oct-12 15:37:26

Mozart
Debussy
Vivaldi
Choral arrangements of John Rutter
Loads more!

numberplease Fri 19-Oct-12 15:32:24

Debussy
Dvorak
Wagner
Elgar
Rossini

FlicketyB Fri 19-Oct-12 15:02:55

Beethoven
Beethoven
Beethoven
Beethoven
Mozart

soop Fri 19-Oct-12 14:57:11

There are far too many to mention. Top of my list -

Mahler
Wagner
Chopin
Mendelsohn
Schubert

Mishap Fri 19-Oct-12 14:42:48

Such a hard one! Here are mine...

Gerald Finzi
Richard Strauss
Mahler
Prokoviev
Vaughan Williams

But there are lots more I adore - particulary 20th century English composers.

Grannyeggs Fri 19-Oct-12 13:56:21

Beethoven

Bach

Brahms

Mahler

nanaej Fri 19-Oct-12 13:39:20

I am not a big classical music fan..I find some pieces extremely tedious! However I do like some pieces by

Shostakovich

Mendelsohn

Vaughn Williams

Pucinni

Do not have a number 5!

janeainsworth Fri 19-Oct-12 13:38:25

Just seen your post artygran
We lived in Hongkong from 1974 - 1984 and listening to my LP of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields playing Vaughan Williams and Elgar would reduce me to tears......

janeainsworth Fri 19-Oct-12 13:34:18

Beethoven
Mozart
Vaughan Williams
Elgar
Gershwin if he countssmile

artygran Fri 19-Oct-12 13:33:25

I love classical music too!
For me, it has to be Bach at the top of any list. His music is the nearest to spirituality that I get. Then....
Vaughan Williams
Brahms
Debusy
William Walton.

Dozens of others.
I came to Brahms quite late - he grew on me. If I were stuck on a desert island, it would only be Vaughan Williams who would remind me of home.

feldmarschallin Fri 19-Oct-12 13:27:01

Richard Strauss (my name a giveaway!)
Mozart (an obvious but unavoidable choice)
Britten (centenary year coming up)
Mahler
Schubert

isthisallthereis Fri 19-Oct-12 13:20:57

Not who's, I meant whose. Doh!

isthisallthereis Fri 19-Oct-12 13:18:49

Sorry, the accented "c" in Janacek seems to have come out oddly!

isthisallthereis Fri 19-Oct-12 13:18:12

OK this is tough.

I love classical music (also other music) and the SO and I much enjoy going to concerts.

This is an entirely shallow and pointless exercise (probably!) but who are your top five composers? Yes, I'm suggesting an entirely arbitrary cap at 5. Just to make it interesting!

Who's work would you always make an effort to go and hear??

Here goes, (in no particular order):

Shostakovich
Dvorak
Jana?ek
Haydn
Tippett

I found that very, very difficult! confused I could easily put up a second five, but that's not the point. smile

On the other side of the coin, I rarely enjoy Brahms!

Over to you.