Your No. 1 Composer

[Bulldog]

I see I missed Octo_Russ' post after your latest tally. Hm... how about two last-minute votes, then?

Give it a rest - I'm done here.

[Leo K.]

Whew! Thats the last time I write such a long and personal post!

[DavidW]

He got 3 votes: you, me and DavidW - the usual suspects.

  Well we showed more solidarity than the Wagnerites or the Mahlerites and that's what counts. hehe

[Karl Henning]

There's always treachery in the ranks of the Wagnerites — and hand-wringing among the Mahlerians, je-je-je

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Quote from: Leo K on Today at 19:22:38

Whew! Thats the last time I write such a long and personal post!



I read it and liked it. Sometimes things get snowed under, alas.

[Karl Henning]

Wolfgang Mozart (1756-1791).

I played in the 2nd violin section in my high school orchestra, circa 1985-89. Our orchestra often played Mozart, but it wasn’t until I saw Milo Forman’s Amadeus on a rental video cassette that I got obsessed with Mozart's music, and music in general. I didn't see Amadeus in the movie theater but I was lukewarm about the movie. However, playing Mozart in my school orchestra reminded me of a clip I saw on the Siskel and Ebert show and later (perhaps 1986 or so) after the film was released on video, I happened to see it at a grocery store for rent. My stepdad offered to rent it for me if I wanted to see it, so I accepted and took it off the shelf. The VCR tape was in bad shape, and when I played it someone had recorded a commercial over the top of the beginning of the movie. I cringed, but eventually, the movie itself returned and all was well. After the film ended, I realized I had been captivated, drawn in to the whole experience of the film, not just the music, but the 18th century too.

The first Mozart recording I bought was a budget label cassette, containing Symphonies No.36 (‘Linz’) and No.41 (‘Jupiter’). I bought it at a retail store called "Shopko," and was feeling proud and nervous when I walked out into the parking lot and approached my parents, waiting for me by the car. I remember my stepdad asking why I bought it. I wish I still had that cassette because the performances still resonate in my mind. I can still see the yellow label on the black cassette, and the front cover with a portrait of Mozart in the center. I am pretty sure the orchestra was the Salzburg Mozarteum, and this cassette was probably a repackaging of a previous vinyl release. I am still on the hunt to regain this lost treasure of a recording.

I remember one day in orchestra class, when Mrs. Workman had us play Mozart’s Violin Concerto No.4 with Charles Li, our star violinist, as soloist. I never heard the work before, but upon hearing the orchestra and Charles attack the solo part, the energy in the room intensified—wow—each bar of Mozart’s music reached a new level of imagination, more unexpected at each turn. The 1st violin section played the main themes, but Mozart wrote something fun for the 2nd violins as counterpoint. The orchestra was communicating with each other like a conversation. Whatever was happening in the room, this was the real thing. But the inexperienced orchestra couldn’t sustain the action and the piece fell apart, yet a conversion happened inside me.

Every single day, after school, I got on a bus and went downtown to the Rochester Public Library. I checked out Mozart records and listened for hours at a time at home, on my brother’s turntable. I recorded the music onto cassettes and returned to the library for more records. It wasn't long before I was checking out Beethoven, Schubert, Tchaikovsky and Charles Ives among others.

I also started to seek and purchase Mozart cassettes at Musicland (at the Apache Mall) using money made from my first job at the Bonanza Steak House. When I wasn’t at the library, I was shopping at Musicland, looking for new Mozart. Alfred Einstein’s classic book on Mozart, called “Mozart: His Character, His Work” (1945) was my bible, and guide. While reading this old book, I discovered the film Amadeus wasn’t accurate regarding the truth of Mozart’s life, yet that knowledge didn’t stop my obsession with the film. I watched Amadeus to live in that world, the world of the 18th Century. The production design of the film is intoxicating, and inviting. The colors, sounds, music, acting, and editing was a white-heat rush to my brain. Nothing made me happier than listening to Mozart and watching Amadeus.

I much appreciate this post, Leo, along with Johan.

[DavidW]

I liked the post Leo, I didn't have anything to say.  If we had a like button I'm sure you would have known that your post was read and admired by many.

[Gurn Blanston]

I liked the post Leo, I didn't have anything to say.  If we had a like button I'm sure you would have known that your post was read and admired by many.

Well, you could have said; "um, so, Mozart then?". For example. 

I liked it too, Leo. Even though I didn't get to read it until recently....   0:)

[mc ukrneal]

Well, you could have said; "um, so, Mozart then?". For example. 

I liked it too, Leo. Even though I didn't get to read it until recently....   0:)

Me too. I love these types of stories. They just showed Amadeus on TV the other day too and I watched part of it. Great stuff!

[prémont]

I did not notice this thread until now. My choice is certainly JS Bach, his music is my daily bread.

[mszczuj]

It's about time to wrap this one up.

Your No. 1 composer is Beethoven.  That's no surprise, since Beethoven always wins.

No. 2 is Bach.

No. 3 is Haydn.

No. 4 is a tie among Brahms, Handel, Mahler, Wagner and Mozart.

Well, my No.1 is No.1, my No.2 is No.2, one of my No.3-4 is No.3 and other of my No.3-4 is No.4-8. I must say the vox populi is not as objective as it should be. It slightly underestimate Mozart and seriously underrate Chopin and Schubert.

[starrynight]

I'm sure Mozart is an early love for many people with classical music, hard not to be with such beautiful and melodic music.  My no1 is Mozart or Beethoven, but I don't feel it that necessary to decide between them.

[Leo K.]

Thanks all and I appreciate it, guess I overreacted! Not the first time 

[Elgarian]

Whew! Thats the last time I write such a long and personal post!

I'll join in the general chorus. Leo, please don't assume that a lack of response means your post wasn't read and appreciated. I too was among the others here who read it appreciatively, aware that there was some personal unveiling going on; and on another day at another time, I'd have said so. It just happened that things (completely irrelevant things) got in the way at the time.

[Sergeant Rock]

Thanks all and I appreciate it, guess I overreacted! Not the first time 

I missed your post entirely, Leo, probably because it was the last post on the page, and when I came back to the thread at a later date, the thread had moved on to a new page and I neglected to go back and catch up. Sorry. Just know posts like yours are appreciated by this old noncom.

Sarge

[Gurn Blanston]

Thanks all and I appreciate it, guess I overreacted! Not the first time 

So, um.... Mozart then? 

[Ataraxia]

I didn't read that post because it was too damn long. 

[TheGSMoeller]

And the winner is...


Langgaard!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Quote from: TheGSMoeller on Today at 22:23:37

And the winner is...


Langgaard!

[Karl Henning]

 Quote from: MN Dave on Today at 05:23:22 PM

I didn't read that post because it was too damn long. 

 
So: TLDRFMZSB? (Too Long, Didn't Read, Fed My Zombie Some Brainz.)