Lesser-known composers you're inordinately fond of.

[Mirror Image]

Enescu is another composer that's seldom discussed and whose music that I'm quite taken with.

[Madiel]

Enescu is another composer that's seldom discussed and whose music that I'm quite taken with.

Only know one of the Romanian Rhapsodies, but it's a darn fine rhapsody.  Though I gather he wished he was known for a bit more.

[Mirror Image]

Only know one of the Romanian Rhapsodies, but it's a darn fine rhapsody.  Though I gather he wished he was known for a bit more.

He seems to suffered the same fate as Holst and dare I say Carl Orff, but I really can't speculate on what Enescu thought. I mean who could? All I know is that the man's music is underrated and there just aren't enough recordings of good quality to sustain any kind of interest in his music. He needs a champion. The three best recordings of his music that I know are the Rozhdestvensky ones on Chandos. I think these do justice to his music. Of course, Mandeal on Arte Nova is a good choice, but I often feel like he could've gotten more emotion out of the music. He also doesn't have the fine audio quality of Chandos either. Enescu needs major orchestra performances: CSO, LSO, RCO, Berliners, NY Philharmonic, etc. There's more to him than the Romanian Rhapsodies. He wrote three fine symphonies, three orchestral suites, many other orchestral works, and some fine chamber music. He is Romania's greatest composer, but it seems that outside that country there isn't much attention paid to his music, which is a shame.

[Madiel]

but I really can't speculate on what Enescu thought. I mean who could?

Wikipedia. With citations.

[Carolus]

By Enescu, any chamber and/or violin fan must have his recording of his second and third violin sonatas with Dinu Lipatti at the piano. IMO it's one of the top chamber recordings of past century, and one of the best violin sonatas recordings ever done.

[Corey]

Franz Schreker — if you haven't heard his Chamber Symphony and you love early-1900s hyper-romantics, you're in for a treat:

Part One
http://www.youtube.com/v/aS4jzF-Zj78

Part Two
http://www.youtube.com/v/y39Z8KbnkBo&feature=watch_response

Part Three
http://www.youtube.com/v/ogBxZvJ2xWg&feature=relmfu

[Florestan]

He is Romania's greatest composer, but it seems that outside that country there isn't much attention paid to his music, which is a shame.

Well, even in Romania there's more lipservice to "our greatest composer" than actual performances of his music, except for that overplayed warhorse aka Romanian Rhapsody No. 1. His chamber music, which is on a par with Brahms' and Bartok's, is virtually never heard live in Bucharest concert halls, while his orchestral music might be, if one is lucky enough, be heard once in a blue moon. A shame indeed.

[Mirror Image]

Well, even in Romania there's more lipservice to him than actual performances of his music, except for that overplayed warhorse aka Romanian Rhapsody No. 1. His chamber music, which is on a par with Brahms' and Bartok's, is virtually never heard live in Bucharest concert halls, while his orchestral music might be, if one is lucky enough, be heard once in a blue moon. A shame indeed.

I'm finding this not so surprising, because it seems classical music is falling by the wayside in many countries. The sense of national pride in their own arts seems to be a dying concept. Let's take the United States, for example, here I would have to wake up on different planet to ever hear someone like William Schuman played in a concert hall. A sad state of reality we live in for sure.

[Mirror Image]

Franz Schreker — if you haven't heard his Chamber Symphony and you love early-1900s hyper-romantics, you're in for a treat:

Franz Schreker is great, Corey! Wonderful composer. I especially love Prelude to a Drama. What a powerful work.

[Florestan]

I'm finding this not so surprising, because it seems it is obvious classical music  liberal arts education is falling by the wayside in many countries.

Fixed. 

The sense of national pride in their own arts seems to be a dying concept.

What would you expect after decades of labeling anything related to "national", "pride" and "arts" as reactionary and elitist, if not outright fascist? What would you expect when several generations have been taught indoctrinated that Mozart is no better than Lady Gaga? 

[Mirror Image]

What would you expect after decades of labeling anything related to "national", "pride" and "arts" as reactionary and elitist, if not outright fascist? What would you expect when several generations have been taught indoctrinated that Mozart is no better than Lady Gaga? 

This is true.

[vandermolen]

I would add the non-Planets Holst and Novak to Honegger on my list.