Your Top 10 Favorite Composers

[Jo498]

I do not really distinguish right now from lifetime. Of course it's basically right now (so Tchaikovsky is out although some of his pieces were basically my intro into classical at about 15), but with at least some of the last 20-25 years kept in mind. Neither do I take what I listen to most right now as more important. There is music I have listened to much more frequently in earlier times, and I do not rate it as highly now, but there is also music I rate still very high despite not frequently listening to it.
There are "big works" like the Bach passions or Beethoven's Missa solemnis or some operas I hardly listen to because it is hard for me to focus for such a long time at home, but I still revere these pieces and am bowled over at the occasions I do listen to them. So I rather tend to think if I "could not live without a piece" in addition to the actual amount of pieces listened to. It's just a silly game, after all...

[Mirror Image]

It's just a silly game, after all...

Sure, this isn't to be taken as anything serious or something that's 'written in stone.' I'm curious about other people's favorites and in revealing some of their favorites gives each of us a better of idea of what a member prefers without having to dig the questions out of them.

[Karl Henning]

One of my friends is playing that in the concerto competition at bgsu today.

It's cracking good fun to play.  Good luck to your friend!

[Jo498]

Sure, I do find interesting how people "update" their lists and how very different those lists can be. But for me personally it seems that what I am really very fond of in music has not changed so much in the last 10 years. I have been listening to classical for more than 25 years since I was about 15.

I posted the list below in summer. Beethoven, Brahms and Mozart were among my top when I was 17 I guess. Schubert came not much later. Haydn rose up in the late 90s when I finally got around to listen to more than a handful of his symphonies. I had always been impressed by a few works of Bach but it took me years to get into his keyboard music which I am now listening to much more than e.g. Brandenburgs (frankly, I do not care all that much for them, even less for the ouverture suites), I guess. Lots of organ and cantata stuff I still know only superficially or not at all. Handel would not have figured until about 12 years ago (although I have loved Messiah long before), Schumann also rose in appreciation in the 2000s. Bartok has been my favorite 20th century since I heard the "divertimento" in high school, even before I really got into classical, but of course it took a long time to explore his music and there is quite a bit I still do not know very well. The last spot could as well have been Chopin, Dvorak, Mendelssohn, maybe even Bruckner. Of Bruckner's and Mahler's I like some works tremendously and do not much care for others (Bruckner's 4th and <3, Mahler 3 and 8 ). Similarly with Wagner and Strauss, although I don't think I like any Strauss as much as, say Mahler's and Bruckner's 9th and there is a lot of Strauss I am not fond of or have just ignored for now. Shostakovitch is a similar case. The 7th symphony bores me to death, but I admire some string quartets or the 1st violin concerto. Music I came to love mostly in the last 10 years, e.g. Fauré's chamber music I do not rate high enough for top ten, but they probably rose from nothing to top 20. I also love some other baroque stuff, Purcell's Dido is my favorite opera, Vivaldi is much more than just the 4 seasons. Of 20th century music I often feel that I do not know it well enough to decide how much I like it. Besides Bartok I love e.g. Berg's Lyric Suite, but I don't know enough other Berg well enough to rate him this way or another (it is rather tough going). I prefer Nielsen to Sibelius, but not sure if either would make the top 20 of mine. There is just too much music and I admit that I am often to lazy and listen to "the same old stuff" I know I love.

Beethoven
J. Haydn
W.A. Mozart
J.S. Bach
Brahms
Schubert
Handel
Schumann
Bartok
Mahler

[Mirror Image]

Newly revised list:

1. Elgar
2. RVW
3. Shostakovich
4. Ravel
5. Bartok
6. Stravinsky
7. Britten
8. Schnittke
9. Berg
10. Martinu

[ibanezmonster]

Pretty sure my list has been the same for the last five years, but I will take a futile attempt at trying to remember the bottom half...


1. Mahler
2. Prokofiev
3. Brahms
4. Bruckner
5. Shostakovich
6. Stravinsky
7. Xenakis
8. Penderecki
9. Schnittke
10. Schoenberg

...

11. Berg/Rachmaninoff
12. Takemitsu

1. Elgar

New #1, huh? Whatever gets you through the tedium of everyday life...

[Ken B]

Newly revised [top 10] list:

The man who invented 10 sided dice has a lot to answer for.

[Mirror Image]

Pretty sure my list has been the same for the last five years, but I will take a futile attempt at trying to remember the bottom half...


1. Mahler
2. Prokofiev
3. Brahms
4. Bruckner
5. Shostakovich
6. Stravinsky
7. Xenakis
8. Penderecki
9. Schnittke
10. Schoenberg

...

11. Berg/Rachmaninoff
12. Takemitsu



New #1, huh? Whatever gets you through the tedium of everyday life...

Well, these kinds of lists are just for laughs mainly, but I'm quite serious about Elgar being my #1. It seems I always return to his music with an even greater appreciation than I had the last time. I'm continuing to 'grow' with his music to where it's as natural to me as breathing. I can't say this has happened many times...oh...wait a minute yes I can! You see what I mean about the laughing?

[Mirror Image]

The man who invented 10 sided dice has a lot to answer for.

[not edward]

I've never been able to get conclusively beyond:

1. Beethoven
2. Mahler

For a top 5, I suspect I'd add a triad of Brahms, Sibelius and Ligeti, in that order.

What fills out the top 10 is mostly defined by what I've been listening to of late (late Liszt last night means he's on the list, for example).

There's so much good music out there and sometimes it takes a relistening to remind myself just how good it is.

[EigenUser]

I've never been able to get conclusively beyond:

1. Beethoven
2. Mahler

For a top 5, I suspect I'd add a triad of Brahms, Sibelius and Ligeti, in that order.

What fills out the top 10 is mostly defined by what I've been listening to of late (late Liszt last night means he's on the list, for example).

There's so much good music out there and sometimes it takes a relistening to remind myself just how good it is.

Are we the only two people on GMG with Ligeti as a top 5?

Mine, currently (in rough order, but Ligeti and Ravel are tied):
1. Bartok
2. Ligeti
3. Ravel
4. Messiaen
5. Haydn
6. Mahler (I've been listening to a ton of Mahler recently)
7. Feldman
8. Gershwin
9. Debussy (guess what I'm listening to right now! 0:))
10. Mendelssohn

After that would probably be Schumann, Stravinsky, Webern, Ohana, maybe Bruckner, maybe even late Boulez (i.e. not the strict serial stuff).

[vandermolen]

Today's list 

Vaughan Williams
Bruckner
Moeran
Miaskovsky
Shostakovich
Diamond
Bloch
Sibelius
Tubin
Copland

[André]

Show me yours, I'll show you mine  .

My definition first : a composer whose works when heard impromptu stop me in my tracks. Have to find out who is playing. For it might lead to a future purchase. Because I can't get enough of his music !

Sibelius
Elgar
Wagner
Bruckner
Mahler
Brahms
Schubert
Vaughan-Williams
Verdi
Haydn

[Elgarian]

I'm not sure I can do this! Certainly if I did it would change from month to month, maybe day to day ... and the whole business of deciding who's above whom feels like nightmare. And what does one do with composers who have written one work that is a lifetime favourite, but nothing else has quite caught on?
But I'm going to just do it, no revisions, letting the intuition take charge. Here goes.

1. Elgar
2. Wagner
3. Mozart
4. Puccini
5. Handel
6. Sibelius
7. Beethoven
8. Vaughan Williams
9. Haydn
10. Chopin

Listed among the One-Hit Wonders: Rimsky Korsakov, Holst (not that they ARE one hit wonders, but they are in terms of [personal favourites.

That looks like a stodgy list. Doesn't feel stodgy to me, but I think it might seem so to anyone else. And why isn't Massenet in that list? That's what I want to know. Or Rameau, for pity's sake? Or Lully?

I think I should declare this list invalid, as the outpourings of an unsound mind.

[vandermolen]

Show me yours, I'll show you mine  .

My definition first : a composer whose works when heard impromptu stop me in my tracks. Have to find out who is playing. For it might lead to a future purchase. Because I can't get enough of his music !

Sibelius
Elgar
Wagner
Bruckner
Mahler
Brahms
Schubert
Vaughan-Williams
Verdi
Haydn

Am just discovering Schubert 

Really enjoy the Unfinished Symphony.

[Sergeant Rock]

1. Elgar
2. Wagner
3. Mozart
4. Puccini
5. Handel
6. Sibelius
7. Beethoven
8. Vaughan Williams
9. Haydn
10. Chopin

That looks like a stodgy list. Doesn't feel stodgy to me, but I think it might seem so to anyone else.

Six of those composers are on my list too....I don't think it stodgy at all. And I always regret not having room for Elgar 

Sarge

[Karl Henning]

Chopin is the perfect antidote for stodgy, anyway.   

[André]

I could have added Chopin, Puccini and esp. Mozart, but if limited to 10, those will suffice. We have many things in common !

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

This is as of the minute and it could change in the next second (without notice) :

Brahms
Stravinsky
Debussy
Martinů
Janáček
Sibelius
Berg
Wagner
Mahler
Messiaen

A (digital) embroidery of the ones most special to me (fairly complete):

[Elgarian]

Six of those composers are on my list too....I don't think it stodgy at all. And I always regret not having room for Elgar 

Sarge

Thanks Sarge. That's reassuring enough for me to cancel my order for a My classical tastes are stodgy T-shirt.