Top (number) composers you haven't heard much (or any) of

[some guy]

Well, which composers, any composers at all, would you consider exploring any time soon?

Any.

[Jo498]

Some "listening projects" of music I either do not know well or not at all (but often have already bought and listened to in a cursory way) and want to get to know better:

14th-16th century (vocal) music
Monteverdi's madrigals (I am somewhat familiar with a few, mostly from the 8th book) as well as his Ulisse and Poppea
Buxtehude's organ music
Bach's cantatas (I have probably heard at least half of them once or twice but can only say about maybe 20 that I know them well) and organ music (have probably heard almost everything at least once but am only familiar with a fraction)
Verdi's Aida, Otello, Falstaff
Berg's operas
Janacek's operas
Shostakovitch's Lady Macbeth of Mzenszk, some of the symphonies I don't know very well.
Carter's orchestral and chamber music
K.A. Hartmann's symphonies (except one or two I only have a very superficial acquaintance)
Lajtha's symphonies

[Mirror Image]

Some "listening projects" of music I either do not know well or not at all (but often have already bought and listened to in a cursory way) and want to get to know better:


Berg's operas
Janacek's operas
K.A. Hartmann's symphonies (except one or two I only have a very superficial acquaintance)

Oh, you must rectify this very soon!

[Jo498]

I have had the Wergo-Hartmann-Box on my shelf for several years but only listened once or so, maybe not even to all discs. The only one I know better is the 6th of which I had the Fricsay recording earlier (at a time when I still listened to most new discs )

[Mirror Image]

I have had the Wergo-Hartmann-Box on my shelf for several years but only listened once or so, maybe not even to all discs. The only one I know better is the 6th of which I had the Fricsay recording earlier (at a time when I still listened to most new discs )

I suggest listening to Symphony No. 2 "Adagio" from the Wergo set to ease your way back into Hartmann. From there, you can go in any direction. Also, do try and hear Concerto funbre and Symphonische Hymnen at some point (if you haven't already).

[(poco) Sforzando]

I've pretty much checked out all the major works & composers known in all of the various eras. I tend to hone in on the best works of world famous composers. If those speak to me in a big way, then I explore further .. which could lead to every possible nook & cranny. Looking back in hindsight, very rarely is that required though, as a very small percentage of individuals warrant it in my experiences. Generally, the greater the composer, the longer the rap sheet of artistic excellence to check out. When I was much younger and had more time on my hands, was totally inexperienced, I wasn't as discerning .. and would endlessly explore work .. often with less than pleasing results.

Actually at this point in my life I have to agree with this. It's not a matter of lacking curiosity, but as I am now 67 I have to be more selective with my time. If I were to check out every lead in the various listening threads, I would have no end of things I could buy and experience. But I must confront the fact that at best, 2/3 of my life is over. There are many films, many books, many countries I still have to experience. I can think of gaps in my reading (Jane Austen, Tolstoy, Conrad) that I'd sooner rectify than explore an obscure composer who may or may not interest me. And so I tread those listening threads very lightly. If someone whose likes and dislikes agree more or less with mine, I'll look into a recording they recommend. But I feel I must be selective at this point.

[some guy]

I have listened to a lot of music.

Some of it has come at me with such labels as "major" and "great," meaning that someone else, many someones else, have decided over time that the things so designated are worthy of attention.

When I was very young, I paid a certain amount of attention to those labels, but it didn't take too long to discover that what interested me was not necessarily something that someone else had decided was "major" or "great" or whatever. And since I listen to music with my ears, other people's ears just aren't that useful. The great weight of public and critical opinion, in other words, came to weigh little or nothing to me.

I am aware that just appearing on a concert program or on an LP or CD or whatever means that that music has already gone through an extensive process of vetting before it gets to me. Therefore, I certainly don't feel like I need for there to be even more winnowing. There's too much as it is. I want to be able to hear as much as possible. Hanging out with living composers has certainly been great fun for me. I get to hear quite a lot of music that has not been winnowed at all. Straight from composer to me, much of it quite enjoyable. It hasn't gone through a long process of judgment by critics or audiences or record producers. Which is fine. I'm perfectly capable of enjoying music all on my own without anyone else besides its maker having had to enjoy it first.

At my age, I don't feel I have time to give over my life to other people, to limit myself to what has been deemed, over the years and by many many other people, to be worthwhile. All I need to know whether something is worthwhile is to listen to it myself. That may not seem very efficient, but it's the only thing I can be happy with. I'll do my own living. And the older I get, the less willing I am to give that over to anyone else.

There's already quite enough winnowing.

Of course, I'm also open to suggestion. I loved hearing that piece by Pateras that COAG had found so delightful. Other people have different tastes and find different things than I ever could on my own. That's not winnowing, though, that's expanding my own tastes by letting them come into contact with others' tastes.

I guess the short version is that I don't see selecting as a thing to do. Just by having my own particular tastes means I'm quite selective enough as it is. I don't want to be even more selective. I guess as I get older and closer to death, I am interested less and less in being selective, more and more in experiencing everything, even (especially) things that I don't like, yet. Well, we each have our own ways, to be sure.

[Turner]

 As for the OP list of composers, I have no music by

- Thorvaldsdottir,
- Mantovani
- Haddad
- Fairouz
- Perotin
but I´m OK with that. And not being a music scholar, also the omission of Perotin.

As for the other composers on the list, I think I have enough music by them.

My CD want list comprises 6 items, but I know a good deal of the material already:
- 2CD Feinberg Sonatas /BIS
- 2CD Sorabji Etudes, Vols. III-IV /BIS
- CD   Gubaidulina Tempus Praesens, Perc. Cto /BIS
- CD   Carter Dialogues, Asko Cto, Cello Cto /hyperion
- 3CD  Bach WTC / Feinberg
- CD   Saariaho L´Amour de Loin /Harm Mundi

From then on, exploring my own collection further will be the main ambition :-).

[Spineur]

And, yes, I know about every note by Reynaldo Hahn that's made it to recorded media

Interesting !  I have a few songs scattered in some of singers recitals, and I loved all of them.  I definitively would like to explore more works of this unusual composer.  Do you have some suggestions for us ? 

[ritter]

Interesting !  I have a few songs scattered in some of singers recitals, and I loved all of them.  I definitively would like to explore more works of this unusual composer.  Do you have some suggestions for us ?

Here's some comments and recommendations, which might be of interest to you, Spineur: http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,24790.msg896088.html#msg896088

As for the songs, this Hyperion release is a rather comprehensive survey of that part of Hahn's oeuvre:

[asin]B00000300V[/asin]

Regards,

[Spineur]

Here's some comments and recommendations, which might be of interest to you, Spineur: http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,24790.msg896088.html#msg896088

As for the songs, this Hyperion release is a rather comprehensive survey of that part of Hahn's oeuvre:

[asin]B00000300V[/asin]

Regards,

Merci beaucoup Ritter !!  I love all your posts.  A real reflection on music each time...

[ritter]

Merci beaucoup Ritter !!  I love all your posts.  A real reflection on music each time...

My pleasure, Spineur...and many thanks for the compliment  . Do let su know what you think of Hahn if and when you explore his music further...

[James]

I have listened to a lot of music.

Sure you have    ..

More like 'you hear' a lot of music. As opposed to really listen to it in a deep or thoughtful way to know the differences, your experience is much more transient.  And your way of doing things is the epitome of gluttonous excess .. bordering on mindless, almost random consumption. I think you often just say the stuff you do just to get attention and be provocative. Most of it seems like empty rhetoric, little about music really.

Have you learned or absorbed anything from all of the stuff you have happened to 'hear'? Based on what you have to say on here most of the time, impossible.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Sure you have    ..

More like 'you hear' a lot of music. As opposed to really listen to it in a deep or thoughtful way to know the differences, your experience is much more transient.  And your way of doing things is the epitome of gluttonous excess .. bordering on mindless, almost random consumption. I think you often just say the stuff you do just to get attention and be provocative. Most of it seems like empty rhetoric, little about music really.

Have you learned or absorbed anything from all of the stuff you have happened to 'hear'? Based on what you have to say on here most of the time, impossible.

James.......I don't think this is a very nice thing to say. I don't see what's wrong with how anyone listens to music, and I haven't seen some guy blatantly criticise other people's listening habits..........so, it seems to me that you are being rather a little more provocative and attention-seeking than him at least when I read this post.

[James]

James.......I don't think this is a very nice thing to say. I don't see what's wrong with how anyone listens to music, and I haven't seen some guy blatantly criticise other people's listening habits..........so, it seems to me that you are being rather a little more provocative and attention-seeking than him at least when I read this post.

You're a relative newbie to this forum .. I have been reading the empty rhetoric for years ..

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

You're a relative newbie to this forum .. I have been reading the empty rhetoric for years ..

I've known some guy from other forums for years. Nobody's perfect, but at least he admits his mistakes.

[James]

Nobody's perfect, but at least he admits his mistakes.

Admitting or recognizing your wrong is 1 thing, learning from it is another. Some people just never grow up or wake up I suppose.

[Mirror Image]

Admitting or recognizing your wrong is 1 thing, learning from it is another. Some people just never grow up or wake up I suppose.

[vandermolen]

Messiaen
Aho
Schubert
Schumann
Haydn
Dvorak
Beethoven

[North Star]

Schubert
Schumann
Haydn
Dvorak
Beethoven

You need professional help! Go to the nearest CD store immediately...