I mean, composers who are seemingly unable to put pen on paper without coming up with at least one great, hummable, stuck-in-your-head-able (sic!) tune.
My list, chronologically
Mozart
Rossini
Schubert
Tchaikovsky
Dvořák
Honorable mention: Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin, Verdi, Bizet
Quote from: Florestan on June 23, 2018, 06:18:18 AM
I mean, composers who are seemingly unable to put pen on paper without coming up with at least one great, hummable, stuck-in-your-head-able (sic!) tune.
My list, chronologically
Mozart
Rossini
Schubert
Tchaikovsky
Dvořák
Honorable mention: Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin, Verdi, Bizet
I'd be good with your original list, short of replacing Mozart with Mendelssohn... ;)
Mendelssohn
Schubert
Tchaikovsky
Dvořák
Rossini
8)
Quote from: Gurn Blanston on June 23, 2018, 06:24:18 AM
I'd be good with your original list, short of replacing Mozart with Mendelssohn... ;)
Mendelssohn
Schubert
Tchaikovsky
Dvořák
Rossini
8)
I agree
Felix belongs in the team --- but replacing
Wolferl? No way. :laugh:
The 20th century had some:
Rachmaninoff
Saint-Saëns
Barber
These come to mind immediately.
1. Schubert
2. Prokofiev
3. Rameau
4. Dvorak
5. Haydn
Honorable Mention: Glass 8)
Quote from: San Antone on June 23, 2018, 06:41:52 AM
The 20th century had some:
Rachmaninoff
Saint-Saëns
Barber
These come to mind immediately.
Poulenc, Rodrigo, Ernesto Nazareth, too.
One 20th century work which is choke-full with gorgeous tunes:
Petrushka. (It's the only
Stravinsky that I listen to on a regular basis.)
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on June 23, 2018, 06:50:33 AM
1. Schubert
2. Prokofiev
3. Rameau
4. Dvorak
5. Haydn
Honorable Mention: Glass 8)
Great list, although --- believe me or not --- I have never heard one single note of Glass. :)
In alphabetical order, some composers whose melodies are always with me:
Debussy
Mahler
Mozart
Schoenberg
Takemitsu
Bach
Scarlatti
Mozart
Beethoven
Schumann
Brian Ferneyhough
Quote from: Florestan on June 23, 2018, 06:18:18 AM
I mean, composers who are seemingly unable to put pen on paper without coming up with at least one great, hummable, stuck-in-your-head-able (sic!) tune.
My list, chronologically
Mozart
Rossini
Schubert
Tchaikovsky
Dvořák
Honorable mention: Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin, Verdi, Bizet
Fine list but I would replace Rossini with Verdi.
Feels like the answers so far are underrating vocal composers and light music composers!
Schubert
Dvořák
J. Strauss Jr.
Gershwin
Grieg
Among "serious" composers, one who hasn't been mentioned yet but oughta is Rimsky-Korsakov.
Quote from: bwv 1080 on June 23, 2018, 07:08:53 AM
Brian Ferneyhough
LOL
Mozart
Martinu
Bach
Prokofiev
Xenakis
Quote from: Brian on June 23, 2018, 07:34:27 AM
Feels like the answers so far are underrating vocal composers and light music composers!
I'll agree to shorting the latter, but the people on my list all wrote a great deal of vocal music, and I certainly had it in mind when making my choices.
Sibelius [can't believe I'm the first to mention him!]
Mahler
Beethoven
Schubert
Dvořák
Quote from: Brian on June 23, 2018, 07:34:27 AM
Feels like the answers so far are underrating vocal composers and light music composers!
Okay, I'll play by your rules.
Bellini
Donizetti
Offenbach
Lanner
The Strauss FamilyHonorable mention:
Waldteufel, Ziehrer, Juventino Rosas, Kalman, Lehar
Quote from: Archaic Torso of Apollo on June 23, 2018, 07:40:03 AM
LOL
Mozart
Martinu
Bach
Prokofiev
Xenakis
Well I can't hum Ferneyhough, but can hear a number of his lines in my head - the openings of Terrain, Superscripto, Kurze Schatten II, L'Chute d'Icare
can do that with Everyali, but not much else of Xenakis (but alot of his music is textural)
Dvořák
Poulenc
Schubert
Shostakovich
Bizet
Gounod
I'd be curious to see what people's favourite melodies are, actually. Sometimes can be a bit hard to define what people exactly mean by that.
No one has yet mentioned Chopin? :o Okay, then I won't mention him either :D
(Edit: Oh, I just noticed Florestan does include him in his honorable mentions.)
Elgar
Vaughan Williams
Tchaikovsky
Mahler
Satie or Fauré or Saint-Saens....can't make up my mind which French composer I like more.
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on June 23, 2018, 08:26:39 AM
No one has yet mentioned Chopin?
I have, in the very OP.
Quote from: Florestan on June 23, 2018, 08:33:31 AM
I have, in the very OP.
Sorry to have missed it. I had a senior moment for sure ;D
Sarge
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on June 23, 2018, 08:26:39 AM
Satie or Fauré or Saint-Saens....can't make up my mind which French composer I like more.
Chabrier, Lalo, Massenet? :)
And now that I think of it, Sarasate.
Quote from: Florestan on June 23, 2018, 08:55:26 AM
Chabrier, Lalo, Massenet? :)
And now that I think of it, Sarasate.
All worthy contenders.
Sarge
Quote from: amw on June 23, 2018, 08:21:38 AM
I'd be curious to see what people's favourite melodies are, actually. Sometimes can be a bit hard to define what people exactly mean by that.
like, the first picks that come to my mind would include:
https://youtu.be/QXAv-NGppFw?t=1328
https://youtu.be/QXAv-NGppFw?t=1423
https://youtu.be/6p0I7dTKqeU?t=662
https://youtu.be/FrBU9u6RKio?t=78
https://youtu.be/JlMHjo7Jwhk?t=69
https://youtu.be/-Hl_zkSYVGU?t=23
https://youtu.be/h1T20eu3mMQ?t=119
https://youtu.be/ewJoB90LLDc?t=770
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZfrx7YhUNY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_uPCzXldtA
https://youtu.be/mKT5XsmMAts?t=615
https://youtu.be/QVs5EYngDno?t=178
but even just going through these I start to wonder how much I'm responding to other things like harmonic context and timbre that are inseparable from the melodic material itself. And also obviously a lot is based on what repertoire I know best.
Quote from: amw on June 23, 2018, 09:03:15 AM
like, the first picks that come to my mind would include:
https://youtu.be/QXAv-NGppFw?t=1328
https://youtu.be/QXAv-NGppFw?t=1423
https://youtu.be/6p0I7dTKqeU?t=662
https://youtu.be/FrBU9u6RKio?t=78
https://youtu.be/JlMHjo7Jwhk?t=69
https://youtu.be/-Hl_zkSYVGU?t=23
https://youtu.be/h1T20eu3mMQ?t=119
https://youtu.be/ewJoB90LLDc?t=770
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZfrx7YhUNY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_uPCzXldtA
https://youtu.be/mKT5XsmMAts?t=615
https://youtu.be/QVs5EYngDno?t=178
but even just going through these I start to wonder how much I'm responding to other things like harmonic context and timbre that are inseparable from the melodic material itself. And also obviously a lot is based on what repertoire I know best.
Of those, the Brahms violin sonata and the Poulenc piano concerto are examples I'd choose. Brahms is a composer known for other things than melody but when I think his works there are always really good melodies.
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on June 23, 2018, 08:37:06 AM
I had a senior moment for sure ;D
Sarge
Two of them: you listed Elgar.
;) >:D
Schubert
Mozart
Handel
Quote from: Florestan on June 23, 2018, 07:04:09 AM
Great list, although --- believe me or not --- I have never heard one single note of Glass. :)
I know our
Greg will forgive me this jest: If you've heard one, you've heard 'em all.
To help Florestan overcome his appalling lack ...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pyyDvKrc58s&t=11s (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pyyDvKrc58s&t=11s)
Quote from: Ken B on June 23, 2018, 09:54:25 AM
To help Florestan overcome his appalling lack ...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pyyDvKrc58s&t=11s (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pyyDvKrc58s&t=11s)
Sorry, like most of Glass, I find that trite and pedantic. The guy is a hack compared to Riley, Reich or Adams
Quote from: amw on June 23, 2018, 09:03:15 AM
like, the first picks that come to my mind would include:
On mobile right now, very excited to get to a computer later and find out what all is on this list of links. The first melodies I think of immediately as my favorites are - in the order they appeared in my brain, not necessarily final order -
Schubert quintet D956, That tune in the first movement
L'embarquement pour Cythère
The Moldau
J Strauss - Roses from the South, the theme which begins the intro and returns mid-waltzing
The B theme from first movement of Tchaikovsky's Suite No 3, and the love theme from his Hamlet, and the I don't know what it's called but the gorgeous slow Adagio from Sleeping Beauty
Shostakovich fugue theme in A major, Op 87 No 7
Dvorak category: Symphony No 4, the scherzo and trio; Quintet Op 77, B theme in the scherzo; opening of Quintet Op 81; more or less the entire Dumky Trio
Amw, not sure what insight you will get from my list but I see a pattern of melodies which are in major keys but still communicate sadness or a sense of loss.
Oh, an outlier: the Love of Three Oranges march!
Tons and tons of unforgettable melodies from these awesome composers:
Tchaikovsky
Dvorák
Saint-Saëns
Atterberg
Raff
Bonus: Braga Santos
Vaughan Williams
Braga Santos
Tchaikovsky
Dvořák
Saint-Saëns
Quote from: Ken B on June 23, 2018, 09:41:16 AM
Two of them: you listed Elgar.
;) >:D
;D :D ;D ...great comment...and I forgive you ;)
Sarge
Can someone point me to an unforgettable melody by Raff?
Quote from: Sammy on June 23, 2018, 01:17:37 PM
Can someone point me to an unforgettable melody by Raff?
I cannot forget what I have never heard 0:)
Another five:
Malcolm Arnold
Samuel Barber
Zoltán Kodály
Ottorino Respighi
Joaquín Rodrigo
A general consensus seems to emerge around Mozart, Schubert, Dvorak and Tchaikovsky. :)
Quote from: Brian on June 23, 2018, 10:31:36 AM
On mobile right now, very excited to get to a computer later and find out what all is on this list of links. The first melodies I think of immediately as my favorites are - in the order they appeared in my brain, not necessarily final order -
Schubert quintet D956, That tune in the first movement
L'embarquement pour Cythère
The Moldau
J Strauss - Roses from the South, the theme which begins the intro and returns mid-waltzing
The B theme from first movement of Tchaikovsky's Suite No 3, and the love theme from his Hamlet, and the I don't know what it's called but the gorgeous slow Adagio from Sleeping Beauty
Shostakovich fugue theme in A major, Op 87 No 7
Dvorak category: Symphony No 4, the scherzo and trio; Quintet Op 77, B theme in the scherzo; opening of Quintet Op 81; more or less the entire Dumky Trio
Amw, not sure what insight you will get from my list but I see a pattern of melodies which are in major keys but still communicate sadness or a sense of loss.
I think we all have different things we look for. Most of my choices seem to be in triple time (3/4, or 3/8, or 6/8 or 6/4 etc). That said we also seem to agree on the Schubert and Tchaikovsky choices....
Quote from: San Antone on June 23, 2018, 09:36:55 AM
Of those, the Brahms violin sonata and the Poulenc piano concerto are examples I'd choose. Brahms is a composer known for other things than melody but when I think his works there are always really good melodies.
Honestly Brahms should be on my list in general. He could write a tune when he put his mind to it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j74III4mmds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt3leotWcw8
https://youtu.be/r6fnrHigxRE?t=1015
https://youtu.be/rwM5jYT-64s?t=55
https://youtu.be/w_-fIWfrlvo?t=908
Bellini! Bellini!
Quote from: amw on June 23, 2018, 08:21:38 AM
I'd be curious to see what people's favourite melodies are, actually.
Some of my favorites from the "five" composers I listed in my original post:
Mahler the Almschi theme from the Finale of Symphony No.10 https://youtu.be/p0D_ByNajKg?t=4186
Mahler Andante from Symphony No.6 https://youtu.be/E7y0_Z3uXts?t=2125
Tchaikovsky Pas de deux from the Nutcracker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR5USHu6D6U
Tchaikovsky Swan theme from Swan Lake https://youtu.be/9cNQFB0TDfY?t=4
Elgar "Sabbath Morning at Sea" from Sea Pictures https://youtu.be/GauIMo8Manc?t=580
Vaughan Williams Fantasia from Symphony No.8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlZuR_KQa2g
Fauré Pavane https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD2SOMlKf4w
Fauré Sicilienne from Pelleas et Melisande https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-ucDjeG_XM
Saint-Saens the simple, hymn-like main theme from the last movement of the Piano Concerto No.4 https://youtu.be/gjUuri84-jk?t=1248
Satie Gnossienne No.4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgsnRLPIUD0
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on June 24, 2018, 05:17:46 AM
Some of my favorites from the "five" composers I listed in my original post:
Mahler the Almschi theme from the Finale of Symphony No.10 https://youtu.be/p0D_ByNajKg?t=4186
Mahler Andante from Symphony No.6 https://youtu.be/E7y0_Z3uXts?t=2125
Tchaikovsky Pas de deux from the Nutcracker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR5USHu6D6U
Tchaikovsky Swan theme from Swan Lake https://youtu.be/9cNQFB0TDfY?t=4
Elgar "Sabbath Morning at Sea" from Sea Pictures https://youtu.be/GauIMo8Manc?t=580
Vaughan Williams Fantasia from Symphony No.8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlZuR_KQa2g
Fauré Pavane https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD2SOMlKf4w
Fauré Sicilienne from Pelleas et Melisande https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-ucDjeG_XM
Saint-Saens the simple, hymn-like main theme from the last movement of the Piano Concerto No.4 https://youtu.be/gjUuri84-jk?t=1248
Satie Gnossienne No.4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgsnRLPIUD0
I expected to see Waltz #2 ...
Quote from: Ken B on June 24, 2018, 05:39:22 AM
I expected to see Waltz #2 ...
It was in the running 8)
Sarge
Mozart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASeax-zxPKI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASeax-zxPKI)
Schubert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmeW2bY2-Sw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmeW2bY2-Sw)
Rossini: https://youtu.be/EIgldON7_w4?t=258 (https://youtu.be/EIgldON7_w4?t=258)
Tchaikovsky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSGKRfEUqVk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSGKRfEUqVk)
Dvorak: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixDYR1L_gGU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixDYR1L_gGU)
Quote from: Florestan on June 24, 2018, 12:40:09 AM
A general consensus seems to emerge around Mozart, Schubert, Dvorak and Tchaikovsky. :)
True. In light of my having been in the majority I wish to change my list.
Webern
Ferneyhough
Stockhausen
Boulez
Yoko Ono
Quote from: Ken B on June 24, 2018, 06:54:03 AM
True. In light of my having been in the majority I wish to change my list.
Webern
Ferneyhough
Stockhausen
Boulez
Yoko Ono
You might want to replace Yoko Ono with Sachiko M. ;D
Quote from: Florestan on June 24, 2018, 06:55:46 AM
You might want to replace Yoko Ono with Sachiko M. ;D
Actually, Ono is the best melodist on my list!
Quote from: ritter on June 24, 2018, 03:59:52 AM
Bellini! Bellini!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZG92a7XlsM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZG92a7XlsM)
Quote from: Ken B on June 24, 2018, 06:58:02 AM
Actually, Ono is the best melodist on my list!
Precisely. :laugh:
Oops, forgot the slow movement of the Barber violin concerto on my list of specific favorite melodies.
Quote from: Ken B on June 24, 2018, 06:58:02 AM
Actually, Ono is the best melodist on my list!
You say this only because you don't actually listen to any of them.
Quote from: Mahlerian on June 24, 2018, 07:55:20 AM
You say this only because you don't actually listen to any of them.
Or the reverse.
Quote from: Ken B on June 24, 2018, 08:05:48 AM
Or the reverse.
I would be surprised if you were as familiar with the work of Webern, Boulez, and Stockhausen as I am. Maybe you do really love their music after all.
Quote from: Mahlerian on June 24, 2018, 08:32:13 AM
I would be surprised if you were as familiar with the work of Webern, Boulez, and Stockhausen as I am. Maybe you do really love their music after all.
If only you knew more you'd agree with me.
Quote from: Ken B on June 24, 2018, 08:41:46 AM
If only you knew more you'd agree with me.
It's not about agreement or disagreement. I didn't mean to say that I thought Stockhausen, Webern, et al were the greatest melodists. I meant to say that if you actually listened to their music, you would at least be aware that it is, in fact, full of melodies. It's not an opinion, just a matter of construction.
I am asking, though. Do you know, for example, the melody that begins the second movement of Le marteau sans maitre? It went through my mind as I was typing this. If you don't know any of the melodies in these composers' work, how can you make any evaluation of their quality?
I've heard a few of Raff's symphonies, and I don't remember a single melody from any of them. That doesn't make me want to ridicule the person who selected Raff for this thread, it simply makes me aware of the fact that they remember those melodies and enjoy them, and I don't even remember them well enough to have any opinion of them.
Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Schumann
Quote from: Florestan on June 23, 2018, 07:04:09 AM
Great list, although --- believe me or not --- I have never heard one single note of Glass. :)
Well, there are only 5 notes in total, so you should really go ahead and get it over with.
Prokofiev
Dvorak
Schubert
Boccherini
Mozart
This is no mean feat of melodic writing - a memorable solo piccolo piece
https://www.youtube.com/v/k2wBFWwJBNA
(https://html2-f.scribdassets.com/6ycbrifw004hkp3s/images/5-829c9e64f9.jpg)
Malcolm Arnold
Debussy
Martinu
Glazunov
Tchaikovsky
Allan Pettersson (only joking)
Atterberg (not joking)
I'm surprised Strauss R. hasn't had a mention yet - he might get onto my list, were it not for
Du Fay
Dunstaple
Dowland
Byrd and
Morley
Cole Porter and Wolferl ... not quite sure about the other three (but surely Gershwin is a contender).
Quote from: Christo on June 27, 2018, 12:22:26 PM
Sweetest of them all! ;D
Not unless you sautee him in Butterworth.
Quote from: vandermolen on June 27, 2018, 10:15:06 AM
Malcolm Arnold
Debussy
Martinu
Glazunov
Tchaikovsky
Allan Pettersson (only joking)
Atterberg (not joking)
Very much agree with these choices. I'd have to say Glazunov is only an intermittently inspired melodist, though. Some of his best works (The Seasons, VC) are chock-full of memorable tunes, while some of his lesser symphonies, for example, contain disappointingly little memorable thematic content. I'd add Dvorak, Schubert, Rachmaninoff, Braga Santos, Borodin, and Kalinnikov to your list.
As to the Raff debate, he's a pretty uneven composer, but the man could come up with a darn good tune if he wanted to - e.g. the third movement march from the 5th Symphony, the opening of the 9th Symphony, the opening and slow movement of the 4th Piano Trio, and the Gavotte from the Suite for Piano and Orchestra.
Quote from: kyjo on June 30, 2018, 09:20:13 AM
Very much agree with these choices. I'd have to say Glazunov is only an intermittently inspired melodist, though. Some of his best works (The Seasons, VC) are chock-full of memorable tunes, while some of his lesser symphonies, for example, contain disappointingly little memorable thematic content. I'd add Dvorak, Schubert, Rachmaninoff, Braga Santos, Borodin, and Kalinnikov to your list.
Edit: I forgot Saint-Saens...