Your Middle 20 Composers

[amw]

We hear a lot on this forum about people's "top 5" this and "top 10" that—all these things they love love love. And we hear a slightly lesser amount about things people just can't stand: dreadful noise, so trite and meaningless it's physically painful to listen to. Like Mozart for instance. But we never hear about these guys in the middle—the ones you kind of like, listen to once in a blue moon, or just are sort of indifferent to for the most part. You don't regret hearing any of their music you've listened to, you enjoy it sometimes when it comes up on the radio or in a concert, but you wouldn't go out of your way to hear it. Sometimes you don't even remember they exist. This is their day in the limelight.

Telemann
Dittersdorf
Reinecke
Johann Strauss II
Boulez
Schoenberg
Field
Kalkbrenner
Rheinberger
Saint-Saëns
Weber
Hindemith
Casella
Wuorinen
Kapustin
Tubin
Pettersson
Salonen
Alexander Tcherepnin

[Brian]

Well, I do admire your starting with Middle 20 rather than creating a thread for Middle 3, then a thread for Middle 10, then a thread for Middle 20.

Anyway here are some names I think of. These are composers I listen to deliberately and with keen interest 1-5 times a year, but don't at all mind hearing in a concert if I was going to the concert to hear something else. "Just sort of indifferent" is a great phrase you used.

Handel
Liszt
Bartok
Weber
Webern
Hindemith
Casella
Daugherty
Penderecki
Taneyev
Villa Lobos
Korngold
Telemann
Boyce
Ries
Rossini
Donizetti
Bellini
Puccini
Paganini

Wow, I am going to get in a lot of trouble for this list. As far as your comment about "sometimes forgetting they exist," I really had forgotten that Paganini existed.

[The new erato]

Yes you are. Handel and Bartok are in my top 10, and Hindemith at least in the top 25 (to break the 10 - 20 - 30) mold.

Why not go the whole hog and start middle 500 composers? One could post all composer names, except those in the top and bottom 20.

[Ken B]

Yes you are. Handel and Bartok are in my top 10, and Hindemith at least in the top 25 (to break the 10 - 20 - 30) mold.

Why not go the whole hog and start middle 500 composers? One could post all composer names, except those in the top and bottom 20.

I suggest your PRIME composers, you know numbers 2,5,7,11,13,17, etc

[DavidW]

Such a list even with the best intentions could be easily taken the wrong way.   Damning with faint praise comes to mind.

[Karl Henning]

Agree with Davey.  Where is the need to celebrate one's indifference to great music?

[EigenUser]

I suggest your PRIME composers, you know numbers 2,5,7,11,13,17, etc

Fibonacci composers  ? 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, etc, etc...

Maybe I should stop.

[The new erato]

You don't have some EigenValues?

[North Star]

Fibonacci composers  ? 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, etc, etc...

Maybe I should stop.

Fibonacci list: Ravel, Janáček, Chopin, Prokofiev, Sibelius, Mozart, Martinů

Irrational composers! Who are numbers √2 & pi on your lists?

[Ken B]

You don't have some EigenValues?

Well he has his own, and proper ones too, that form the kernel of his collection. And I believe he has arranged them so they run diagonally down his shelves ....

[EigenUser]

Well he has his own, and proper ones too, that form the kernel of his collection. And I believe he has arranged them so they run diagonally down his shelves ....

Alas, I'm afraid that the best I could do was put them in Jordan form...

[Ken B]

Alas, I'm afraid that the best I could do was put them in Jordan form...

Degenerate.

[The new erato]

Well he has his own, and proper ones too, that form the kernel of his collection. And I believe he has arranged them so they run diagonally down his shelves ....

As long as he has only one exemplar of each disc, this is obviously a possibility

[EigenUser]

I can't think of 20 composers right now, but here are a few who I am relatively indifferent to. I enjoy some of their music, but much of it leaves me indifferent (not bad, not amazing, at least for me). Prepare your angry pitchfork-wielding mobs:

1. Shostakovich
I love the 9th Symphony (short and sweet!), I've performed (and love) the 8th String Quartet, and I love the E minor piano trio. On the other hand, I hate the 5th and 7th Symphonies (I agree with Bartok on the 7th when he says something like "To repeat a melody is fine, but such a melody?!"). The rest of what I've heard from Shostakovich is good, but nothing that makes me as happy as my favorite composers.

2. Beethoven
I like some Beethoven (7th Symphony!!!), but a lot of it doesn't do much for me.

3. Penderecki
I like the 2nd and 3rd symphonies as well as his earlier "The Awakening of Jacob" and "De Natura Sonoris I/II". Threnody is clever, but I find it unpleasant to listen to. I guess that's the point, though. I remember enjoying his piano concerto "Resurrection" as well, though I've read many unflattering comments about it.

4. Mahler
For some reason, I absolutely love the scherzos of Mahler's 2nd and 7th symphonies. They bring to mind a dangerously fast run through a forest filled with bizarre, mystical creatures (for some reason, especially the 2nd). I've tried listening to the entire works (as well as scherzos from other symphonies of his), but I didn't care so much for them. Again, not bad, but not amazing for me.

5. Adams
When I was in orchestra at my university we played "Gnarly Buttons" (a clarinet concerto, but a rather strange one -- it includes a synthesized cow-moo in the 2nd movement!) and I loved it. I think that I was the only one, other than the soloist and conductor. I also like "Shaker Loops" and "Harmonium".

[North Star]

1. Shostakovich
I love the 9th Symphony (short and sweet!), I've performed (and love) the 8th String Quartet, and I love the E minor piano trio. On the other hand, I hate the 5th and 7th Symphonies (I agree with Bartok on the 7th when he says something like "To repeat a melody is fine, but such a melody?!"). The rest of what I've heard from Shostakovich is good, but nothing that makes me as happy as my favorite composers.

2. Beethoven
I like some Beethoven (7th Symphony!!!), but a lot of it doesn't do much for me.

4. Mahler
For some reason, I absolutely love the scherzos of Mahler's 2nd and 7th symphonies. They bring to mind a dangerously fast run through a forest filled with bizarre, mystical creatures (for some reason, especially the 2nd). I've tried listening to the entire works (as well as scherzos from other symphonies of his), but I didn't care so much for them. Again, not bad, but not amazing for me.

How well do you know Beethoven's string quartets, piano sonatas, or Missa Solemnis?
Have you heard all of Shostakovich's symphonies? (Nos. 4, 8, 10, 13-15 in particular)?
Have you heard other movements from the other Mahler symphonies?? What about Das Lied von der Erde?

[Ken B]

I can't think of 20 composers right now, but here are a few who I am relatively indifferent to. I enjoy some of their music, but much of it leaves me indifferent (not bad, not amazing, at least for me). Prepare your angry pitchfork-wielding mobs:

1. Shostakovich
I love the 9th Symphony (short and sweet!), I've performed (and love) the 8th String Quartet, and I love the E minor piano trio. On the other hand, I hate the 5th and 7th Symphonies (I agree with Bartok on the 7th when he says something like "To repeat a melody is fine, but such a melody?!"). The rest of what I've heard from Shostakovich is good, but nothing that makes me as happy as my favorite composers.

2. Beethoven
I like some Beethoven (7th Symphony!!!), but a lot of it doesn't do much for me.

3. Penderecki
I like the 2nd and 3rd symphonies as well as his earlier "The Awakening of Jacob" and "De Natura Sonoris I/II". Threnody is clever, but I find it unpleasant to listen to. I guess that's the point, though. I remember enjoying his piano concerto "Resurrection" as well, though I've read many unflattering comments about it.

4. Mahler
For some reason, I absolutely love the scherzos of Mahler's 2nd and 7th symphonies. They bring to mind a dangerously fast run through a forest filled with bizarre, mystical creatures (for some reason, especially the 2nd). I've tried listening to the entire works (as well as scherzos from other symphonies of his), but I didn't care so much for them. Again, not bad, but not amazing for me.

5. Adams
When I was in orchestra at my university we played "Gnarly Buttons" (a clarinet concerto, but a rather strange one -- it includes a synthesized cow-moo in the 2nd movement!) and I loved it. I think that I was the only one, other than the soloist and conductor. I also like "Shaker Loops" and "Harmonium".

This list has two HUGE gaps in it. Huge. Ravel and Debussy.

(Now we'll see who gets more pitchforks Nate!)

[Ken B]

2. Beethoven

It's a sad thing, to be dropped on your head as a child. Any other symptoms?

[amw]

Why not go the whole hog and start middle 500 composers? One could post all composer names, except those in the top and bottom 20.

That's a good idea, maybe I'll do that in my next thread. Though I may have to wait until Mirror Image starts his "Your Top 500 Composers" poll.

[EigenUser]

It's a sad thing, to be dropped on your head as a child. Any other symptoms?

Indeed. I have a Bartok-shaped lump on my head. Also, I do have a huge headache. Though, the latter might still be from last week or so when I was listening to some of the Nyman that you suggested  .

Actually, in all seriousness, I did hear the beginning of "Facing Goya". I didn't like it, but I didn't at all think it was awful (as a previous comment you made suggested most people you know find it).

A disclaimer: I do think Beethoven is crucial in music history. It just doesn't resonate with me as my favorites do. But, it is certainly great music, regardless of my taste.

This list has two HUGE gaps in it. Huge. Ravel and Debussy.

(Now we'll see who gets more pitchforks Nate!)

I'm ready!

How well do you know Beethoven's string quartets, piano sonatas, or Missa Solemnis?
Have you heard all of Shostakovich's symphonies? (Nos. 4, 8, 10, 13-15 in particular)?
Have you heard other movements from the other Mahler symphonies?? What about Das Lied von der Erde?

I'm not nearly as "well-listened" as most people here are, especially with the classics. When I find something I like, I usually become fixated on it. This involves things like purchasing the score, annotating it with my comments, trying to play parts of it on piano, etc. Of course, if I tried to be more open-minded maybe I'd find much more that I like much faster (and thus have more music to enjoy).

[Ken B]

Indeed. I have a Bartok-shaped lump on my head. Also, I do have a huge headache. Though, the latter might still be from last week or so when I was listening to some of the Nyman that you suggested  .

Actually, in all seriousness, I did hear the beginning of "Facing Goya". I didn't like it, but I didn't at all think it was awful (as a previous comment you made suggested most people you know find it).

A disclaimer: I do think Beethoven is crucial in music history. It just doesn't resonate with me as my favorites do. But, it is certainly great music, regardless of my taste.
I'm ready!





I'm not nearly as "well-listened" as most people here are, especially with the classics. When I find something I like, I usually become fixated on it. This involves things like purchasing the score, annotating it with my comments, trying to play parts of it on piano, etc. Of course, if I tried to be more open-minded maybe I'd find much more that I like much faster (and thus have more music to enjoy).

Well the beginning of FG is actually the blander bit some like. It gets odder.