Great composers that are not your cup of tea

[Scriptavolant]

Did Puccini write anything of interest?

His shopping lists are renowned, there's also a museum on the subject, in Lucca. Go visit it, people love it.

[71 dB]

I survived a handful of Puccini operas, mostly in Romanian opera houses btw, and found them incredibly boring. Did Puccini write anything of interest?

Puccini boring?  Have you tried Turandot?

[marvinbrown]

Talking about Verdi. I survived a handful of Puccini operas, mostly in Romanian opera houses btw, and found them incredibly boring. Did Puccini write anything of interest?

  YES TOSCA!!! (this opera is in my opinion his best and not to be missed)........

  marvin

[DetUudslukkelige]

I only partially agree with S_M_T. I can only handle Mozart in small doses. If I listen to too much at a time, I get the sudden urge to kick a cute stuffed animal.

I also have problems with large amounts of Mozart. His vocal works I can listen to for longer than his orchestral works, and his orchestral for longer than his chamber works. Of course, I do recognize his significance and skill, as well as his influences on many great composers I truly love (which is to say, just about all great composers except those that came before him - he didn't influence them so much for some reason). Strangely, I have a much easier time with Haydn than with Mozart - though, I'll admit, I'm mostly familiar with Haydn through his vocal works, so that may have some impact.

I'm surprised that I'm not the only one who feels this way. It alleviates some of the guilt I feel for not listening to Mozart so much.

[Christo]

Puccini boring?  Have you tried Turandot? 

I not only tried it, it tried me ! 

[BachQ]

I not only tried it, it tried me ! 

[vandermolen]

I listen to hardly any Mozart, Puccini, Richard Strauss or Verdi.

[beclemund]

I have a hard time *not* enjoying bits and pieces of everything I hear. Some may not be ideal at a given moment, but my moods are fluid, so a given composer may fit the bill at a later date. I am not willing to swear off any composer (aside from Elgar, but that has more to do with his "champion" than anything he has done, so I am trying very hard not to hold it against the composer).

As for the earlier discussion of Vivaldi, Naive is a very appropriate name for a label responsible for releasing the Vivaldi edition as it seems that the great variety and genius of his works is completely contrary to the popular and *naive* preconceptions about the quality of his oeuvre (maybe we can blame Stravinsky for this impression).

[greg]

I don't know if he is really considered great, but I really don't like Antheil. His music comes off as something someone would have considered "wild" in its time, but now just seems embarrassingly posturing.

there's one Antheil I really like, and that's the Mechanical Ballet (which you might be talking about).
but some of his other stuff I heard I didn't really like at all, i think it was a CD with his 2nd? symphony and some other stuff

[Kullervo]

there's one Antheil I really like, and that's the Mechanical Ballet (which you might be talking about).
but some of his other stuff I heard I didn't really like at all, i think it was a CD with his 2nd? symphony and some other stuff

The symphonies are a bit more conservative from what I've read. Haven't bothered to listen to any of them. I was referring to Ballet Mecanique, most of the piano music, the violin sonatas, etc. It seems like most of the time he was slavishly imitating early Stravinsky, and I don't like early Stravinsky.

[Christo]

I listen to hardly any Mozart, Puccini, Richard Strauss or Verdi.

Speaking for myself, I hardly listen to any Mozart, Puccini, R. Strauss or Verdi - too

[71 dB]

Speaking for myself, I hardly listen to any Mozart, Puccini, R. Strauss or Verdi - too

Mozart: Very often. #4 composer ever in my list.
Puccini: Quite often. IMO one of the greatest opera composers ever.
R. Strauss: Sometimes. Excellent orchestrator of a bit boring music.
Verdi: Hardly ever. Insults my musical intelligence...

[marvinbrown]

Speaking for myself, I hardly listen to any Mozart, Puccini, R. Strauss or Verdi - too

  Now this is frightening,  I can not live without the operas of Mozart, Puccini , R. Strauss and Verdi  !

  marvin

[Bonehelm]

Most Mozart I find boring. He's a genius composer and wrote countless masterpieces, but I only listen to his Requiem, late symphonies, late piano concertos, some piano sonatas and "some" operas.

[Kullervo]

Most Mozart I find boring. He's a genius composer and wrote countless masterpieces, but I only listen to his Requiem, late symphonies, late piano concertos, some piano sonatas and "some" operas.

No string quartets? No chamber music? I couldn't imagine living without them.

[Christo]

Now this is frightening,  I can not live without the operas of Mozart, Puccini , R. Strauss and Verdi  !  marvin

Well, but you could easily learn how to survive on a diet without them - from us!    Great, however, that you enjoy them. It's our love of music that unites us, and we were just teasing a bit. In the end, we're all musical brothers/sisters (well, mostly brothers .. )   0:)

[Christo]

Most Mozart I find boring. He's a genius composer and wrote countless masterpieces, but I only listen to his Requiem, late symphonies, late piano concertos, some piano sonatas and "some" operas.

I feel exactly the same - he simply died too young, before reaching musical maturity, but his final utterings were really very promising indeed.

[Scriptavolant]

he simply died too young, before reaching musical maturity

I feel like he reached maturity at least 10 years before dying. Saying that it would have been revealing to see his senile achievements is another thing. But considering a 35 years old genius as Mozart, immature, is quite bizarre.

[Gabriel]

I feel like he reached maturity at least 10 years before dying. Saying that it would have been revealing to see his senile achievements is another thing. But considering a 35 years old genius as Mozart, immature, is quite bizarre.

In fact, in 1782-1783 Mozart had already reached maturity. His music could have evolved later, no doubt, but that would be a normal process for any great composer.

With all respect for everybody's opinion, the Requiem is not a complete sign of Mozart's genius (he is based too closely in the model of Michael's Haydn's Requiem masses). And what do "final utterings" mean, Christo?

[Kullervo]

And what do "final utterings" mean, Christo?

Death Rattle, for solo voice, K. 627