Going back to the start.

[Philo]

I'm sure this topic has been discussed before, but what composers have you at first rejected and now you have come to appreciate them.

To continue this line of thought, let's also address the corollary, which composers do you still struggle with for whatever reason?

MirrorImage needn't post, as we know the answers to both of the queries.

As to composers I at first rejected, but have known grown to love, two immediately come to mind: Beethoven and Wagner. But I could also name most of the lush French romantics as well, of which Chausson can stand in as representative (save d'Indy, I always liked him). My most recent rediscovery has been the works of Mendelssohn.

As to composers I struggle with, none in full, but I still struggle with are the classicist symphonists: Mozart and Haydn. I can get into the rest of their work though. Although, I will admit that I did enjoy Mack-a-rack's Haydn symphony disc that I heard.

[DavidW]

Saint Saens because I started with the Organ Symphony.  Years later the piano concertos have changed my mind.

[Philo]

Saint Saens because I started with the Organ Symphony.  Years later the piano concertos have changed my mind.

That's interesting. You didn't care for his Symphony No. 3? Also, if you've not heard his Piano Trios, you should really give those a shot as well?

[DavidW]

Yeah my next direction is chamber music.  I suppose piano trios are as good enough of a place to start as any.  Do you like them?

[Philo]

Yeah my next direction is chamber music.  I suppose piano trios are as good enough of a place to start as any.  Do you like them?

I think they're likely his best compositions. They're very lovely.

[Todd]

Opera composers generally.  Rossini first struck me as too lightweight, but now I absolutely delight in his melodies and writing.  Wagner suffered from the opposite problem: too heavy, too serious, just too.  Proper recordings helped fix that - Krauss' Ring, Fluffy's Dresden Meistersinger, Barenboim's Parsifal, Kempe's Lohengrin, and above all, Bohm's Tristans, either the DG set or the video only set with Nilsson and Vickers, who is crazy good in act three, even working on a terrible set. 

[Philo]

Opera composers generally.  Rossini first struck me as too lightweight, but now I absolutely delight in his melodies and writing.  Wagner suffered from the opposite problem: too heavy, too serious, just too.  Proper recordings helped fix that - Krauss' Ring, Fluffy's Dresden Meistersinger, Barenboim's Parsifal, Kempe's Lohengrin, and above all, Bohm's Tristans, either the DG set or the video only set with Nilsson and Vickers, who is crazy good in act three, even working on a terrible set.

Very interesting. What about the even 'lighter' Italians like Donizetti or Bellini?

[NJ Joe]

>>>what composers have you at first rejected and now you have come to appreciate them.<<<

Mahler.

>>>To continue this line of thought, let's also address the corollary, which composers do you still struggle with for whatever reason?<<<

Mahler.

[Todd]

Very interesting. What about the even 'lighter' Italians like Donizetti or Bellini?

For Bellini, I haven't ventured beyond Norma yet, which sounds like a nice, Italianate form of Beethoven.  Donizetti is one I have yet to really explore.  The bits I've heard - arias on disc, and radio broadcasts of operas - hasn't been my thing.  Might be time for a more serious reappraisal.

[Philo]

>>>what composers have you at first rejected and now you have come to appreciate them.<<<

Mahler.

>>>To continue this line of thought, let's also address the corollary, which composers do you still struggle with for whatever reason?<<<

Mahler.

Do you know what it is about Mahler that causes you to struggle?

For Bellini, I haven't ventured beyond Norma yet, which sounds like a nice, Italianate form of Beethoven.  Donizetti is one I have yet to really explore.  The bits I've heard - arias on disc, and radio broadcasts of operas - hasn't been my thing.  Might be time for a more serious reappraisal.

I feel ya on this.

[Ken B]

Purcell.

I ignored him for 30 years because i don't like Dido &Aeneas, especially not in old fashioned style, and it was what I kept hearing. I avoided him scrupulously. i liked the occasional thing, like the trios but almost totally excluded him until about 5 years ago. He's a favourite now.

[Philo]

Purcell.

I ignored him for 30 years because i don't like Dido &Aeneas, especially not in old fashioned style, and it was what I kept hearing. I avoided him scrupulously. i liked the occasional thing, like the trios but almost totally excluded him until about 5 years ago. He's a favourite now.

That's truly lovely to hear. :-)

[Ken B]

Opera composers generally.  Rossini first struck me as too lightweight, but now I absolutely delight in his melodies and writing.  Wagner suffered from the opposite problem: too heavy, too serious, just too.  Proper recordings helped fix that - Krauss' Ring, Fluffy's Dresden Meistersinger, Barenboim's Parsifal, Kempe's Lohengrin, and above all, Bohm's Tristans, either the DG set or the video only set with Nilsson and Vickers, who is crazy good in act three, even working on a terrible set.

Fluffy?

[DavidW]

Fluffy?

Karajan

[Ken B]

Opera composers generally.  Rossini first struck me as too lightweight, but now I absolutely delight in his melodies and writing.  Wagner suffered from the opposite problem: too heavy, too serious, just too.  Proper recordings helped fix that - Krauss' Ring, Fluffy's Dresden Meistersinger, Barenboim's Parsifal, Kempe's Lohengrin, and above all, Bohm's Tristans, either the DG set or the video only set with Nilsson and Vickers, who is crazy good in act three, even working on a terrible set.

With Wagner it was Bohm's Ring for me. (Bohm always one of my faves.) there was a special release in Canada cheap about 1993. That and Boulez in Siegfried. Got me over the heavy heavy Solti view. I agree his is the best Tristan too despite rough patches.

[NJ Joe]

Do you know what it is about Mahler that causes you to struggle?

As much as I've grown to appreciate his music, I still find his "everything but the kitchen sink" (all embracing) approach to be overwhelming at times. I'm confident, however, that it will continue to grow on me.

[Philo]

As much as I've grown to appreciate his music, I still find his "everything but the kitchen sink" (all embracing) approach to be overwhelming at times. I'm confident, however, that it will continue to grow on me.

I can definitely see where you're coming from on this. For me it wasn't really until I heard Boulez conducting his Third Symphony that I began to truly appreciate him.

[amw]

It took me a long time to appreciate Webern, though I wasn't actively trying at any point: at one point I listened to some and didn't like it, then a few years later I listened to more and liked it very much. The same is true of Carter and Stockhausen.

I used to think Dvořák was a quite mediocre composer but not anymore. I also "outgrew" Chopin at an early age, then grew back into him around the time I turned 20.

I also didn't like listening to classical singers at all because of the vibrato—actually, I still don't, but I can look past it better for art songs nowadays, and I've also discovered early music. Still, while there is undoubtedly some lovely music in post-1750 opera, the singers just grate on me.

Composers I still struggle with—Merzbow is one, I don't like being told a piece of music is too "difficult" for me, even if the person doing the telling is in fact my own ears. Might click eventually, hard to tell. Another is Shostakovich whose music I feel like I have to turn off the my brain that governs taste to enjoy—thus the highly inconsistent views on his music I seem to espouse.

I also struggle with the size of John Adams's reputation

[Philo]

It took me a long time to appreciate Webern, though I wasn't actively trying at any point: at one point I listened to some and didn't like it, then a few years later I listened to more and liked it very much. The same is true of Carter and Stockhausen.

I used to think Dvořák was a quite mediocre composer but not anymore. I also "outgrew" Chopin at an early age, then grew back into him around the time I turned 20.

I also didn't like listening to classical singers at all because of the vibrato—actually, I still don't, but I can look past it better for art songs nowadays, and I've also discovered early music. Still, while there is undoubtedly some lovely music in post-1750 opera, the singers just grate on me.

Composers I still struggle with—Merzbow is one, I don't like being told a piece of music is too "difficult" for me, even if the person doing the telling is in fact my own ears. Might click eventually, hard to tell. Another is Shostakovich whose music I feel like I have to turn off the my brain that governs taste to enjoy—thus the highly inconsistent views on his music I seem to espouse.

I also struggle with the size of John Adams's reputation

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I love the last paragraph. :-D

[Ken B]

As much as I've grown to appreciate his music, I still find his "everything but the kitchen sink" (all embracing) approach to be overwhelming at times. I'm confident, however, that it will continue to grow on me.

Well, it shrunk on me. 

Mahler is probably the major composer who was sunk the most in my estimation over time. He was a favorite then a much liked then ... It got to the point when one friend told me Mahler was his favorite I said "Take 2 Stravinkys and call me in the morning." He has rebounded a bit, probably because I gave him up for a few years, and found Chailly, so different from Bernstein.
I think I would like Boulez in Mahler.