Great composers that are not your cup of tea

[vandermolen]

Richard Strauss 

[Hector]

The 2nd concerto is not trying, I love rach but I hate his 2nd. Listen to the 3rd. Listen to the 2nd symphony too.

I know the 3rd concerto almost as well as the 2nd and it fails to do anything for me.

I have had Previn's EMI recording of the 2nd symphony for some time and the moment der big toon clicks in, that's it, I'm gone!

However, I have Svetlanov's Soviet recording of the 1st symphony of which I have high hopes. It is Tchaikovskian in its sweep and has one great moment in the last movement. I continue to persevere.

[Siedler]

Richard Strauss 

Why 

[Michel Parent]

Hm... in [EDIT: solo] piano music, Mozart, Beethoven and Bach have me very bored. But I like Bach's piano concertos, Mozart's Requiem, Beethoven's symphonies.

I haven't crossed a single work of Schumann that I liked. They're all BO-RING. I also have no sympathy whatsoever toward's Verdi's music; I've had a hard time not sleeping at Aïda, and I view his requiem as a disgrace.

[Don]

Hm... in [EDIT: solo] piano music, Mozart, Beethoven and Bach have me very bored. But I like Bach's piano concertos, Mozart's Requiem, Beethoven's symphonies.

I haven't crossed a single work of Schumann that I liked. They're all BO-RING. I also have no sympathy whatsoever toward's Verdi's music; I've had a hard time not sleeping at Aïda, and I view his requiem as a disgrace.

There's a lot you don't like, but time will probably take care of that.

[Michel Parent]

Yes, that's the beauty of it.  I still have most to discover. Up until six months ago, I despised all things Chopin. Now, I quite like some of the Polonaises and Nocturnes.

[btpaul674]

Mozart, Haydn, Palestrina, Vivaldi.

[PerfectWagnerite]

The title of the thread is "Great Composers...", Vivaldi is not a great composer

[Larry Rinkel]

I haven't crossed a single work of Schumann that I liked. They're all BO-RING.

Then perhaps you haven't found a key to hearing Schumann.

I also have no sympathy whatsoever toward's Verdi's music; I've had a hard time not sleeping at Aïda, and I view his requiem as a disgrace.

A disgrace, eh? that's pretty big talk. And just what about Verdi's Requiem is so disgraceful?

[Xenophanes]

Vivaldi doesn't seem to be my cup of tea.  The only impact his music has on me is that it makes me drowsy.

Yeah, I don't listen to much Vivaldi, either.  I got tired of the Four Seasons long ago when it was played everywhere--radio, stores, supermarkets . . .  The Gloria is nice to perform, easy for any decent chorus, but I have no desire to listen to it. An exception is the Concerto for Sopranino Recorder (RV 443 and 444--they both sound the same to me), which is quite spectacular with a virtuoso player.

I hardly ever listen to Orff's Carmina Burana--though again, it is fun to perform.  I just got a recording of Carmina Burana Suite, an arrangement for Concert Band by John Krance, performed by the Peabody Conservatory Wind Ensemble conducted by Harlan D. Parker, on Naxos 8.570242 which is fun, though. Very good sound, too.

[quintett op.57]

Richard Strauss 

Why?

[quintett op.57]

The title of the thread is "Great Composers...", Vivaldi is not a great composer

Maybe you're joking
I can't accept this way of saying without knowing. 
I know it's very popular to say this. (he's not profound, he's always doing the same, his music is simplistic...) but it's completely wrong. 
But Vivaldi is more than a great composer. His role in the history of concerto and orchestration is enormous. Not to forget his magnificent vocal works.
I would add that the 4 seasons is definitely a masterpiece ; even if many people refuse to like it (it's popular music, I'm not like the ignorant people, it deserves only scorn...)

[Harry]

Maybe you're joking
I can't accept this way of saying without knowing. 
I know it's very popular to say this. (he's not profound, he's always doing the same, his music is simplistic...) but it's completely wrong. 
But Vivaldi is more than a great composer. His role in the history of concerto and orchestration is enormous. Not to forget his magnificent vocal works.
I would add that the 4 seasons is definitely a masterpiece ; even if many people refuse to like it (it's popular music, I'm not like the ignorant people, it deserves only scorn...)

I more than completely agree with you my friend!

[Florestan]

I more than completely agree with you my friend!

Me too!

I once met someone who hated Ravel. After a short discussion, it became obvious that apart from Bolero she knew next to nothing about his works.

Now, back to Vivaldi, IMHO he belongs to a very special class of composers: those who are far better than their reputation. Rossini is another example.

[quintett op.57]

Me too!

I once met someone who hated Ravel. After a short discussion, it became obvious that apart from Bolero she knew next to nothing about his works.

Now, back to Vivaldi, IMHO he belongs to a very special class of composers: those who are far better than their reputation. Rossini is another example.

It's like paganini.
We've always denigrated italians with always the same arguments (they're simplistic and not profound) since the first musicographers (german and nationalist). Their work has still a great impact on composers'reputations. 
It's a Beethoven/Haydn/Handel/Bruckner/Strauss/Schubert fan (above any italian) writing here.

[Florestan]

It's like paganini.
We've always denigrated italians with always the same arguments (they're simplistic and not profound)

Which we? Not me, anyway, because I'm not a musicologist.

[mahlertitan]

Varese

[PerfectWagnerite]

Maybe you're joking
I can't accept this way of saying without knowing. 
I know it's very popular to say this. (he's not profound, he's always doing the same, his music is simplistic...) but it's completely wrong. 
But Vivaldi is more than a great composer. His role in the history of concerto and orchestration is enormous. Not to forget his magnificent vocal works.
I would add that the 4 seasons is definitely a masterpiece ; even if many people refuse to like it (it's popular music, I'm not like the ignorant people, it deserves only scorn...)

I am not joking. There is a Vivaldi piece on the local classical station almost once every hour it seems like. Great composers write music that once you hear it you want to hear more. You can't change the radio station until the piece is over. Sure Vivaldi's music is pleasant enough. But I don't get the feeling while listening to his violin concerto #400 that it tells me anything new that I didn't get by listening to his violin concerto #399.

Vivaldi also wrote some nice operas, nice in the sense that if you take an excerpt here and there and listen to it you say to yourself: wow this sounds so cool ! But if you listen to the entire work and then listen to a few more operas (I had that luxury when I was able to borrow from the library a few years ago) you begin to hear the same formula, the same stilted opera seria genre that just turns me away.

[greg]

xenakis, definitely don't want to listen to his music while having a cup of tea.

yeah, it'd be pointless, sorta like drinking coffee and tea at the same time in the morning

[71 dB]

yeah, it'd be pointless, sorta like drinking coffee and tea at the same time in the morning

Perhaps but Bach's coffee cantata should be everyone's cup of tea.