Who is your favorite composer (1 Viewer)

Favorite composer? I've just started listening to some of what's available on Youtube, and I've fallen in love with Mahlers Symphony No. 2.

I did a searchy, but didn't find anything pertaining to favorite composer.

If I missed it, I apologize for this thread.
 
Bach, J.S..

That was easy.


But there are so many; Mahler, Shostakovich, Messiaen, Feldman, Part, Janacek, Ravel, Crumb, Barrios, Medtner... and not enough time. Never enough time.
 
Deary me. Cannot choose one.

I played double bass in a local symphony orchestra for several years, and I'll tell you, the fun ones to play aren't necessarily the fun ones to listen to. Mozart is a blast to play (because the bass is typically fairly easy and you can actually immerse yourself in the sound, which is so powerful up on the stage), but I haven't listened to any of my Mozart recordings for 10 years at least. Mahler is a bugger to play, but fairly entertaining to listen to. Same with Sibelius and Beethoven. Of course Beethoven had Domenico Dragonetti as a bass virtuoso to trouble all the rest of the bassists in the orchestra. And trouble them he (they both) did. Bass hasn't been the same since.

Bach is both, to be sure, along with Vivaldi. A tad antiseptic (you don't get infected barbed-wire lacerations listening to them), but also timeless and brilliantly constructed.

But my favorites to listen to are such as: Schoenberg, Berg, Webern, Szymanowski, Bartok, Penderecki, Stravinsky, and Janacek. To name a few. These may leave a few welts.

And yes: "never enough time" is spot on.
 
I am listening to Mozart as I read this thread. Bach is good too. They all have their moments and best times to be heard.

Bukowski listened to classical radio stations in L.A. so you know he received a good mix.
 
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I rather think this thread needs legs, so I am going to bump it. Nothing like immediate human interaction influenced buk more than classical music. So listen!
 
my Rachmaninow-post

... Rachmaninov

oh yeah! I LOVE his sentimental melancholy!


DennisLTB:
If you're into romantic feelings, try Rachmaninow's Piano-concerto #2.
(since you're new to classical music, I'd like to mention to be aware: a piano-concerto is NOT a symphony! That's a different thing even though it has an orchestra. I realized that pretty early when I reached for Beethoven's 5th and came up with his 5th piano-concert instead of the symphony. Which is okay as Beethoven's 5th piano-concert is great as well. But it's good to know this before buying.)

If you come to like Rachmaninow, look also for his piece called 'Death-Island' or 'Island of Death' (Op.29) - it has its name from the painting by Arnold Bäcklin, which inspired him for that one.

Then there's a very short piece by him named 'Vocalise'. I can listen to it a dozen times at nights, while standing at the window, drink in hand, looking at the mad lights of the city and the stars above.


I'd also like to recommend the piano-player who 'gets' Rachmanonow Best: Vladimir Ashkenazy. He kicks ass when it comes to Rachmaninow!
 
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Camille Saint-Saens. I'm obsessed with all variations of Symphony No. 3. I also love the Irish-inspired version with lyrics given to it, "If I Had Words" - it appears in "Babe", sung by James Cromwell ;).
 

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