Composers and Their Lifespans

[Dundonnell]

Hey - I just realised. If we kill Jay Greenberg, we can produce the youngest composer death of a composer of note in history.

Um... a joke, don't arrest me

Oh dear!! I must admit that I have not heard this young man's music but it is-at the very least-fantastic that such a young talent should be devoted to the production of so-called classical music at the beginning of the 21st century when most young people of his age have musical interests of a very different kind.

All power to him! Oh........and I am sure that we ALL wish him a long and happy life!

[Lethevich]

All power to him! Oh........and I am sure that we ALL wish him a long and happy life!

Indeed... *puts the hammer down*

I also haven't heard his music - and don't feel a pressing need to do so - but will keep an eye out for reviews of any new CDs of his work. If he doesn't burn out or begin to repeat himself, he could become a major figure.

[Catison]

Oh dear!! I must admit that I have not heard this young man's music but it is-at the very least-fantastic that such a young talent should be devoted to the production of so-called classical music at the beginning of the 21st century when most young people of his age have musical interests of a very different kind.

In a word, his music is rambling.  Its a series of endless little motifs strung together, like he is struggling to score some imaginary movie.  His orchestration skills, however, are very good.  If he is taught to focus his abilities, then I am sure he will become a great composer.

[snyprrr]

Jay Greenberg, oy vey.
Bumped.

[Lethevich]

Bump 2:

Just ran across this guy:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mykola_Kolessa

Probably too obscure for it to be possible to discover how long he wrote music for, but another member of the composer's centennial club here.

[Fëanor]

I suffer from the disease of "chronic list-making". There is probably a fancy name for this and-doubtless-a psychological explanation which I would be most grateful if no-one would tell me about!!

Anyway, here goes:

98: Goffredo Petrassi; Arnold Cooke

97: Joaquin Rodrigo

96: Havergal Brian

95: Francois Gossec; Gustave Charpentier; Carl Ruggles; Giancarlo Menotti

94: Harald Saeverud; Alan Bush; Tikhon Khrennikov

93: Charles Widor; Sir Michael Tippett

92: Louis Aubert; Hilding Rosenberg; Virgil Thomson

91: Josef Foerster; Joseph Guy Ropartz; Jean Sibelius; Cyril Scott; Gianfrancesco Malipiero; Ernst Krenek

90: Herbert Howells; Aaron Copland

89: Daniel Auber; Alfred Hill; Alexandre Tansman; Egon Wellesz; Alan Hovhaness; David Diamond

88: Igor Stravinsky; Hugo Alfven; Henri Sauguet; Roger Sessions; Gordon Jacob

87: Heinrich Schutz; Giuseppe Verdi; Ildebrando Pizzetti; Florent Schmitt; Carl Orff; Dame Elizabeth Maconchy

86: Georg Philipp Telemann; Camille Saint-Saens; Dame Ethel Smyth; Cecile Chaminade; Kurt Atterberg; Sir Lennox Berkeley;
       Vagn Holmboe; George Rochberg

and- amongst those still living:

98: Elliott Carter

91: Henri Dutilleux; Milton Babbitt

90: John Gardner

89: Richard Arnell

Apologies in advance to the missing!

That was then.  Elliott Carter is, of course, in his 102nd year at the moment.

[Air]

Carl Filtsch - died at 15 years of age.

[Luke]

topping that, in the most tragic of ways, here's a necessarily brief Wiki page -

Julian Scriabin - died at 11 years of age

I've played through some of his pieces (the scores are at IMSLP), and there are also some recordings on Naxos. Very much like his father, but how could it not be - it's really astonishing for a child of his age.

[Josquin des Prez]

Wasn't Greenberg 15 on his last recording? We have to wait until he reaches his early 20s before we can really gauge his artistic abilities. Got knows we need more prodigies who end up being empty promises in the end.

[Guido]

At least until he is in his 20s I'd say. Some greats didn't reveal their greatness until their 40s (Carter) or 50s (Janacek, Franck, Bruckner and Scarlatti).

[greg]

topping that, in the most tragic of ways, here's a necessarily brief Wiki page -

Julian Scriabin - died at 11 years of age

I've played through some of his pieces (the scores are at IMSLP), and there are also some recordings on Naxos. Very much like his father, but how could it not be - it's really astonishing for a child of his age.

I didn't even know he composed, so I looked it up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbCsHTonpUg

Wow... I totally agree. Sounds unreal for an 11 year old to be write stuff like this.