Your Top 10 Favorite Composers

[vers la flamme]

Regarding Golijov, I like his mixing of genres (as I do with several other composers). E.G. in Ainadamar he incorporates Arab and Jewish idioms, as well as Spanish flamenco sounds.  I am drawn to composers who combine so-called  "low" art with "high" art, like Gershwin, Bernstein and Golijov. 

There are three versions of the Durufle Requiem:

The original was written for full orchestra, choir and organ and that version is well represented with Durufle conducting, but Robert Shaw's recording is also very good and has more recent sound. 

He then made a complete revision for choir, organ and cello.  The recording led by Sir Phillip Ledger and featuring Janet Baker is my favorite (although there are several other very good recordings). 

The last version he did was for a chamber orchestra and the Matthew Best version is often cited as very good.

I started a thread on the work where I list short reviews of many other recordings.  It is my favorite choral work and I have tried to hear all of the recordings.  It is often coupled with the Faure Requiem, but I prefer recordings that fill out the disc with other works by Durufle, e.g. the Four Motets or the Messe Cum jubilo.

This set of all the choral works is excellent, containing another of my favorite performances of the Requiem with Clare Wilkinson singing the "Pie Jesu":

Nice. And which version is represented on that Richard Marlow disc?

I have a Naxos disc with the Messe Cum Jubilo and other works. I like it a lot but I have to be in the mood.

I think I ought to check out the Shaw/Atlanta disc with the Duruflé and Fauré requiems. I don't actually have the full orchestral Fauré, just the chamber orchestra version, with John Rutter et al.

[San Antone]

Nice. And which version is represented on that Richard Marlow disc?

It is the organ/cello version, which is the one I prefer.  The choir and singing of soloists is excellent for all the works.

[Mirror Image]

Time for an update:

Tier 1 - Debussy, Ravel, Bartók



Tier 2 - Sibelius, Shostakovich, Dvořák, Martinů



Tier 3 - Vaughan Williams, Prokofiev, Villa-Lobos

[FelixSkodi]

I don't know if I can do 10, but here's 5 (alphabetical order).

Liza Lim
Gustav Mahler
Oliver Messiaen
Domenico Scarlatti 
Franz Schubert

[Symphonic Addict]

I don't know if I can do 10, but here's 5 (alphabetical order).

Liza Lim
Gustav Mahler
Oliver Messiaen
Domenico Scarlatti 
Franz Schubert

No Beethoven?

[Symphonic Addict]

Time for an update:

Tier 1 - Debussy, Ravel, Bartók



Tier 2 - Sibelius, Shostakovich, Dvořák, Martinů



Tier 3 - Vaughan Williams, Prokofiev, Villa-Lobos

There are at least 7 composers there who would make my top 10 list (curiously the last 7). 

[FelixSkodi]

I don't know if I can do 10, but here's 5 (alphabetical order).

Liza Lim
Gustav Mahler
Oliver Messiaen
Domenico Scarlatti 
Franz Schubert

Not in my top 5; I am not a huge fan of the Classical era of music.

[Mirror Image]

There are at least 7 composers there who would make my top 10 list (curiously the last 7). 

Yeah, I figured we'd have a few in common. Interestingly enough, this looks similar to a list I made a few years ago. I initially had Nielsen on the list, but Villa-Lobos knocked him off as I realized I've championed this composer's music since I've been on GMG (and elsewhere).

[springrite]

IF I use works that remain on my portable device as measure of my favorite composers (and I have roughly 500 CDs worth of music on it), then my favorite composers are:

JS Bach
Ludwig van Beethoven
Johannes Brahms
Gustav Mahler
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Morton Feldman
Edmond Rubbra
George Perle (!)
Franz Schubert
Havergal Brian
Robert Schumann
Igor Stravinsky
Moishei Veinberg
Anton Bruckner
Eliot Carter
Richard Wagner
Sergei Prokofiev

[steve ridgway]

Since I found a load of Xenakis on archive.org he's knocked Boulez off the list .

Harrison Birtwistle
George Crumb
Gyorgy Ligeti
Luigi Nono
Krzysztof Penderecki
Giacinto Scelsi
Alfred Schnittke
Toru Takemitsu
Edgard Varese
Iannis Xenakis

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Hmmm...top *10 *(Yikes!)

In no particular order:

Sibelius
Janacek
Mozart
Dvorak
Chopin
Bach
Beethoven
Debussy
Ravel
Bartok

Note:  there would be a different list for operatic composers...I was thinking of non-operatic works here.

[j winter]

My top 10 is pretty conventional, I'm afraid:

Beethoven
Bach
Haydn
Mozart
Brahms
Chopin
Mahler
Vivaldi
Bruckner
Schubert

The following 10 are a bit more diverse, but still not all that adventurous...

Rachmaninov
Dvorak
Purcell
Wagner
Debussy
Schumann
Prokofiev
Sibelius
Shostakovich
Tchaikovsky

I've attempted to list them in order, but that'll shift around by the time dinner gets cold, particularly #s 11-20.

The top 10 popped out of my head almost immediately; the rest, and the sorting, took a bit of thought.  I'm sure I've left somebody out.   I also like and listen to more modern music, but I just haven't heard enough of it for it to displace any of the classics, if I'm being honest.

I'm sorely tempted to add in John Williams and John Barry if we're considering film music (Alexander Nevsky scores quite a few points for Prokofiev IMO...).   I've certainly spent happy hours listening to their music over the years.

My list is pretty stable and unchanging at this point.  If I were to make a change, if I'm judging by listening time I would promote Prokofiev to my top 10, and probably demote Mahler to his spot.  I've listened to a lot of Mahler over the years, and have a gazillion recordings, but lately he just hasn't spoken to me -- I think I'm just a bit burned out on him, and need a long break.  Over-familiarity and all that....

[Pohjolas Daughter]

My list is pretty stable and unchanging at this point.  If I were to make a change, if I'm judging by listening time I would promote Prokofiev to my top 10, and probably demote Mahler to his spot.  I've listened to a lot of Mahler over the years, and have a gazillion recordings, but lately he just hasn't spoken to me -- I think I'm just a bit burned out on him, and need a long break.  Over-familiarity and all that....

I know!  Ten is too short of a list for me too. lol  I was tempted to add Kodaly and Martinu to my list...Tchaikovsky could easily go on there too.  I like a variety, what can I say?   

PD

[Symphonic Addict]

I know!  Ten is too short of a list for me too. lol  I was tempted to add Kodaly and Martinu to my list...Tchaikovsky could easily go on there too.  I like a variety, what can I say?   

PD

You could create a list for 11-25 composers on this thread if you want:

https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,27766.0.html

[Symphonic Addict]

My lists don't change that much over the time, but here goes again:

Arnold
Beethoven
Brahms
Dvorak
Martinu
Nielsen
Saint-Saëns
Shostakovich
Sibelius
Strauss

That makes:

1 English
3 German
2 Czech
1 Danish
1 French
1 Russian
1 Finnish

[kyjo]

Currently:

Dvorak
Atterberg
Sibelius
Rachmaninoff
Prokofiev
Brahms
Nielsen
Vaughan Williams
Poulenc
Finzi

(3 Nordic, 2 British, 2 Russian, 1 Eastern European, 1 French, 1 German)

[Florestan]

My list is still the same and I can't think of it being changed any time soon.

The Austrian Connection: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms (5, but only 2 echt-Oesterreichisch and only 1 echt-Wiener)
The German Connection: Schumann, Mendelssohn (2)
The Russian Connection: Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff (2)
The Odd Man Out: Chopin (1)

[Christo]

Possibly:

Arnold
Barber
Braga Santos
Falla
Holmboe
Kodály
Nielsen
Respighi
Tubin
Vaughan Williams

[Old San Antone]

Top 10
Bach
Brahms
Stravinsky
Debussy
Liszt   
Durufle
Schumann   
Machaut
Beethoven
Ravel   

Next 15
Poulenc
Palestrina
Schoeck
Weinberg
Feldman
Carter
Bernstein
Satie
Fauré
Webern
Golijov
Wellesz
Dufay
Ockeghem
Meyer, K.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Possibly:

Arnold
Barber
Braga Santos
Falla
Holmboe
Kodály
Nielsen
Respighi
Tubin
Vaughan Williams

Another Kodaly lover! 

I like your way of thinking San Antone (= Top 10 followed by next 15)! 

PD
Top 10
Bach
Brahms
Stravinsky
Debussy
Liszt   
Durufle
Schumann   
Machaut
Beethoven
Ravel   

Next 15
Poulenc
Palestrina
Schoeck
Weinberg
Feldman
Carter
Bernstein
Satie
Fauré
Webern
Golijov
Wellesz
Dufay
Ockeghem
Meyer, K.