Who's the greatest German composer ever?

Started by Boris_G, July 11, 2007, 12:20:32 PM

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Who's the greatest German composer ever?

Karlheinz Stockhausen
HK Gruber
Joseph Haydn
Nena
Johann Strauss II
Meyerbeer
Peter Tchaikovsky
Carl Orff

M forever

Quote from: uffeviking on July 11, 2007, 07:55:40 PM
Since when is Tschaikovsky and Strauss German?

Strauss was German. He was from Munich.

I voted Nena, of course, because one of my first girlfriends in the 80s looked and talked like Nena. Actually, a lot of German grils back then looked and talked like Nena. Which is strange because Nena was from West Germany but she had a distinct Berlin accent. Maybe she adopted that because she wanted to be more cool. Which being from Berlin certainly is (see me for a good example).

val

Since Tchaikovsky is on the list of the greatest German composer, I would vote for Manuel de Falla. After all, he quotes Beethoven's 5th Symphony in his ballet Der Dreispitz, also known in the Spanish translation "Sombrero de tres picos" (and they that German words are too long!).

By the way, my Italian favorite composer is Giovanni Bachi. And since I referred to Spain, my favorite Spanish composer is El Señor Eduardo Elgar (OLÉ!). 

One more thing: who is NENA?

Soundproof

Quote from: PSmith08 on July 11, 2007, 10:30:30 PM
Apparently, you've never heard De temporum fine comoedia.

And I'm sure a lot more would have if he'd dropped the Latin. I mean, it premiered in 1973, the man had been dead for a year and I guess his publicist just thought he was out of time.

M forever

Sorry to disappoint you, but Orff still had 19 years to live at that time.


Quote from: val on July 12, 2007, 01:08:02 AM
One more thing: who is NENA?

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

Soundproof

Quote from: M forever on July 12, 2007, 03:04:14 AM
Sorry to disappoint you, but Orff still had 19 years to live at that time.

You mean nine? Ah, this is so easy. Bitte - biete -bait.

M forever


BachQ


M forever

How come Haydn referred to himself specifically as German composer then?

BachQ

Quote from: M forever on July 12, 2007, 04:14:17 AM
How come Haydn referred to himself specifically as German composer then?

Haydn was born in Rohrau, Lower Austria (near Hungarian border).

M forever


BachQ

Quote from: M forever on July 12, 2007, 04:20:42 AM
That didn't answer my question.

Q: How come Haydn referred to himself specifically as German composer then?

A: He confused himself with JS Bach ........

Soundproof

Quote from: M forever on July 12, 2007, 04:20:42 AM
That didn't answer my question.

Actually, and this is meant in earnestness M, don't you think the reference was to Germanic culture and ethnicity? With the hodge-podge of "nations" and nation-states, duchies and all that constituted the Teuton culture at the time, Wien became a seat for that culture, attracting adherents from many parts of the empire, and from outside its borders.

Our present day "obsession" with national identity would not have been felt in the same manner back then, where people of good standing could become a part of new cultures through contributions that assisted those cultures. Consider all who gravitated to St. Petersburg and the court there; or the free for all that the Swedish Court became. Many who went to Russia or Sweden became assimilated Russians and Swedes, in spite of quite foreign sounding names.
The present penchant for ascribing national identity to many of these would have been seen as quaint then. Just consider how many times the maps have been redrawn since Haydn's time, and since the fall of K&K.


Hector

Is that what we are going to get on this site from now on, one brainless, witless thread after another?

Tchaikovsky a great German composer? Oh, stop it, I am wetting myself with laughter... :-[

uffeviking

Quote from: M forever on July 11, 2007, 10:44:58 PM
Strauss was German. He was from Munich.


Quoting The New Grove: Johann (Baptist) Strauss (ii) (b Vienna, 25 Oct 1825; d Vienna, 3 June 1899)  :P

M forever

So the "New Grove" does not know how to spell composers' names properly?

Larry Rinkel

Quote from: Hector on July 12, 2007, 06:21:08 AM
Is that what we are going to get on this site from now on, one brainless, witless thread after another?

You just figured that out?

M forever

Yes, Hector, hasn't it always been like that? Thank M there is now Mystery Orchestra where the real discussions and the real listening happens.

BTW, Mr Rinkel, did you see I added two more clips (E and F)?

quintett op.57

Quote from: M forever on July 11, 2007, 10:44:58 PM
Strauss was German. He was from Munich.
I'm not sure you're passionate enough about this thread

uffeviking

Quote from: M forever on July 12, 2007, 06:39:29 AM
So the "New Grove" does not know how to spell composers' names properly?

What do you mean? You listed Johann Strauss II in your poll as German. I looked his name up in my New Groves and copied their entry to the letter.  ::)

mahlertitan

Quote from: uffeviking on July 12, 2007, 09:56:06 AM
What do you mean? You listed Johann Strauss II in your poll as German. I looked his name up in my New Groves and copied their entry to the letter.  ::)

I am confused too, which one was M referring to? J.Strauss II the waltz king? Richard Strauss? but Richard Strauss wasn't even in the poll.