Your Three Favorite Composers

[Ken B]

That's cool. We all enjoy composers for different reasons. Some composers we enjoy more than others of course. That would be cool if you could give us an introduction to yourself, especially since you seem like you'll be sticking around for awhile (I hope so anyway).

This wasn't addressed to me, and since I'm a fan of minimalist music John may not want me around, :-), but I'll take the opportunity anyway. I'm a middle-aged computer professional, I've been listening to music seriously for almost 40 years, and I spent  a while in radio where I was the classical music director of two radio stations. I especially like early music, and Baroque.
I first discovered music when I was about 16, I didn't much care for music on the radio with my friends listen to. I did listen to James last and a lot of music from the 50s and some older music. Then one day I was flipping around late night TV and sought Merv Griffin of all people play a little bit of Tchaikovsky. I liked it. The next day I went to the public library put on the cheap headphones and listened to a scratchy recording of von Karajan conducting Swan Lake. Within 30 seconds my life changed forever. I am still an addict.

[Mirror Image]

This wasn't addressed to me, and since I'm a fan of minimalist music John may not want me around, :-), but I'll take the opportunity anyway. I'm a middle-aged computer professional, I've been listening to music seriously for almost 40 years, and I spent  a while in radio where I was the classical music director of two radio stations. I especially like early music, and Baroque.
I first discovered music when I was about 16, I didn't much care for music on the radio with my friends listen to. I did listen to James last and a lot of music from the 50s and some older music. Then one day I was flipping around late night TV and sought Merv Griffin of all people play a little bit of Tchaikovsky. I liked it. The next day I went to the public library put on the cheap headphones and listened to a scratchy recording of von Karajan conducting Swan Lake. Within 30 seconds my life changed forever. I am still an addict.

Nonsense! It wouldn't matter to me if you liked Nono or Purcell, I'm sure you and I will find some common ground. Thanks for the introduction, BTW. Everybody here should feel like they're welcomed because they most certainly are! We need all the members we can get! This is what makes this such a diverse, and fascinating, forum to be on.

So, in closing, welcome aboard!

[mn dave]

Have I done this yet? 

Beethoven
Chopin
Someotherguy

[TheGSMoeller]

Someotherguy

With his most famous piece... Something like a Concerto: For Some Instruments and Some Other Accompaniment

[Jay F]

Same here. I've done plenty of music searching through the last, probably (at least close to) 10 years that [Mahler] has been my favorite composer and it just seems that I'll never find anyone that has the same powerful effect, and most likely he'll always be my favorite. Fortunately, I discovered some great non-classical music that surprisingly comes close to how much I enjoy his music, but I just don't see how the language of music can even express anything greater than he did.

I've felt this way since 1987, when I started listening to Symphonies Nos. 1, 4, and 8. My instant top-of-mind reaction when someone asks "favorite music?" is Mahler's Sixth Symphony. It has been since I first heard it in 1988. It was so instantly and immediately available to me. So familiar, though I know I never heard it before then. My mother's classical record collection began at Beethoven's symphonies and ended at his piano concertos. I did not hear Mahler at home.

Also, it's interesting you looked to non-classical music to find music you like nearly as much (if I'm paraphrasing you correctly) as Mahler. It's the same for me. While not much classical music comes close to Mahler in terms of my finding it my "favorite," chamber music by Beethoven, Schubert, and DSCH being the main exception, my affection for certain popular music practitioners does get close to my love of Mahler. These include Warren Zevon, Bruce Springsteen (until and including 1987), the Beatles, Linda Ronstadt, anything Phil Spector/girl group, and the Beach Boys.

A friend who writes about classical music told me Mahler probably has more fans who like popular music than they do the rest of the classical canon. Though I do like a lot of classical music, I know I'm one of the people he's talking about. You may be as well.

[mn dave]

With his most famous piece... Something like a Concerto: For Some Instruments and Some Other Accompaniment

Third place is wide open for composers like Bach, Schubert, Brahms, Prokofiev, Purcell...

[Moonfish]

This thread is painful to respond to with so many powerful compositions revolving around us. I feel so lucky living in this century when we have all these pieces at our fingertips. More people than ever are exposed to the great composers.
Err....can I pick 4?

1. JS Bach (an infinite kaleidoscopic journey)


2. Haydn


3/4. Verdi


3/4. Wagner


But it is a cruel exercise......     

Honorable mention to Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Schubert, Handel and Sibelius. I guess I am pretty traditional (and I feel quite ill after making these choices.....)
Notice the (almost) complete absence of 20th century composers!!   

[chasmaniac]

Neato thread. My top two are easy, Bach and Haydn in either order, but the third has taken some reckoning. Measuring pure pleasure per minute of listening, it's... Guillaume de Machaut.

Does his even count as classical music? No matter, I have kerplunked.

[DavidW]

I wonder if I posted on this earlier and am now contradicting myself... Bach, Haydn, Beethoven. 

[Ken B]

Neato thread. My top two are easy, Bach and Haydn in either order, but the third has taken some reckoning. Measuring pure pleasure per minute of listening, it's... Guillaume de Machaut.

Does his even count as classical music? No matter, I have kerplunked.

Bravo for Machaut!

[Florestan]

The birds in the forrest, the wind in the willows, the waves in a starry night... 

[Karl Henning]

I wonder if I posted on this earlier and am now contradicting myself... Bach, Haydn, Beethoven. 

Well, but that's a troika you cannot go wrong with . . . .

[North Star]

I suppose resistance is futile. 

Bach
Ravel
Chopin

[Florestan]

I suppose resistance is futile. 

Actually, the question is futile, but we do our best... 

[mn dave]

Have I done this yet?

Beethoven
Schubert
Chopin

[Florestan]

Beethoven
Schubert
Chopin

Mon semblable, — mon frère! --- if you'll excuse my French... 

[mn dave]

Mon semblable, — mon frère! --- if you'll excuse my French... 

0:)

[bwv 1080]

based on my current listening right now its

Beethoven
Schumann
Mahler

[Minor Key]

1. Mahler
2. Sibelius
3. Shostakovich

[Mirror Image]

In no particular order:

Sibelius
Vaughan Williams
Ravel