Favorite Early Keyboard Composer

Started by Archaic Torso of Apollo, May 26, 2014, 03:39:04 PM

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Choose any two:

Bull
0 (0%)
Byrd
6 (35.3%)
Cabezon
1 (5.9%)
Frescobaldi
7 (41.2%)
Froberger
8 (47.1%)
Gibbons
2 (11.8%)
Farnaby
0 (0%)
Sweelinck
6 (35.3%)
Tomkins
0 (0%)
Other
1 (5.9%)

Total Members Voted: 17

Archaic Torso of Apollo

Vote for 2, as 3 seems too many for this obscure (but fascinating) genre, while 1 is too restrictive.
formerly VELIMIR (before that, Spitvalve)

"Who knows not strict counterpoint, lives and dies an ignoramus" - CPE Bach

prémont

Quote from: Velimir on May 26, 2014, 03:39:04 PM
Vote for 2, as 3 seems too many for this obscure (but fascinating) genre, while 1 is too restrictive.

One question: Does "keyboard# only include harpsichord and clavichord? And not organ?
Reality trumps our fantasy far beyond imagination.

Archaic Torso of Apollo

Quote from: (: premont :) on May 26, 2014, 03:50:46 PM
One question: Does "keyboard# only include harpsichord and clavichord? And not organ?

Organ is keyboard, it counts.
formerly VELIMIR (before that, Spitvalve)

"Who knows not strict counterpoint, lives and dies an ignoramus" - CPE Bach

Archaic Torso of Apollo

Wow, 1.5 people voted (including me)! It's obvious this is a topic that generates a lot of passion among GMGers!

:laugh:
formerly VELIMIR (before that, Spitvalve)

"Who knows not strict counterpoint, lives and dies an ignoramus" - CPE Bach

TheGSMoeller

Not familiar with every name on the list, but Byrd has always been a favorite composer of mine. His keyboard works are wonderful.

Todd

I've not yet heard Bull, Cabezon, Farnaby, or Tomkins, but of the ones I have heard, Sweelinck is far and away the best of the lot, one of the great keyboard geniuses ever.  The rest of the lot is pretty darned good, too.  Byrd would be second here.
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

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TheGSMoeller

Forgot to vote for two, Gibbons received the second.

SonicMan46

Well, some great KB composers (below a listing w/ first names & dates) - NOW, the 'other' would be a BIG category in this era of late Renaissance and early Baroque, but I'd have to agree w/ Todd on Sweelinck - I had 3-4 other choices for second in this poll and simply picked Froberger - Dave :)

QuoteBull, John (1562/3-1628)
Byrd, William (1540/3-1623)
Cabezon, Antonio (1510-1566)
Frescolbaldi, Girolamo (1583-1643)
Froberger, Johann (1616-1667)
Gibbons, Orlando (1583-1625)
Farnaby, Giles (1560-1640)
Sweelinck, Jan (1562-1621)
Tomkins, Thomas (1572-1656)
Other

Archaic Torso of Apollo

Hooray, the thread lives after all...

Quote from: Todd on May 27, 2014, 06:17:19 PM
, Sweelinck is far and away the best of the lot, one of the great keyboard geniuses ever.  [...] Byrd would be second here.

These are the 2 I voted for. They are both great composers, and I can't decide which of them is greater...perhaps Sweelinck shows greater genius in certain individual pieces, but Byrd's achievement may be more varied and comprehensive.
formerly VELIMIR (before that, Spitvalve)

"Who knows not strict counterpoint, lives and dies an ignoramus" - CPE Bach

prémont

My vote goes to Froberger and Scheidemann, but there are many others, some of them omitted from the list e.g. Titelouze, Weckmann and Kerll. The problem with these is, that relatively few of their works have survived, but the few we have are on a very high artistic level.
Reality trumps our fantasy far beyond imagination.

Karl Henning

I had to vote for Frescobaldi and Sweelinck.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Wakefield

It's impossible to decide among Cabezón, Frescobaldi, Froberger and Sweelinck.

Therefore, I voted at random for Frescobaldi and Froberger.  :)
"Isn't it funny? The truth just sounds different."
- Almost Famous (2000)

71 dB

Quote from: Velimir on May 27, 2014, 06:06:47 PM
Wow, 1.5 people voted (including me)! It's obvious this is a topic that generates a lot of passion among GMGers!

:laugh:

It's hard to vote without knowing the music of most of these composers. I have a Naxos twofer of Frescobaldi's KB music and another Naxos disc of Tomkins KB & Consort Music. I can tell I know next to nothing about early keyboard music. Why would I vote? Most of the time I see these GMG polls I think "Who the hell knows all these works/composers?"  :P

I understand these composers are "essential" if you are into early keyboard music, but how many of us here is?

Anyway, Sweelinck is a composer I am interested of becase his teaching had a large influence on German middle baroque composers.

Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
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71 dB

Quote from: (: premont :) on May 28, 2014, 09:22:11 AM
My vote goes to Froberger and Scheidemann, but there are many others, some of them omitted from the list e.g. Titelouze, Weckmann and Kerll. The problem with these is, that relatively few of their works have survived, but the few we have are on a very high artistic level.

Weckmann and Kerll aren't that "early" anymore. Weckmann's teacher Jacob Praetorius is still "early". Weckmann is among my favorite composers. Kerll's music I don't have, unfortunately.  :-\
Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"

prémont

Quote from: 71 dB on May 28, 2014, 11:28:35 AM
Weckmann and Kerll aren't that "early" anymore. Weckmann's teacher Jacob Praetorius is still "early". Weckmann is among my favorite composers. Kerll's music I don't have, unfortunately.  :-\

Since Weckmann isn´t but three years younger than Froberger he must be early too. And Kerll is only eleven years younger than Froberger. But the word "early" is not well defined in this poll. Some think that early is everything before 1750. F.i. Donington in his "The Interpretation of Early Music".
Reality trumps our fantasy far beyond imagination.

Sammy

For me it's Froberger and Cabezon.  If Scheidemann had been on the list, I would have had a hard time making the selections.

HIPster

Frescobaldi and Froberger for me. . .

I need to check out some Sweelinck!   ;D

Is this an okay place for recommendations?  Thanks.
Wise words from Que:

Never waste a good reason for a purchase....  ;)

Archaic Torso of Apollo

Yeah it's OK.  :) Good place to start:

formerly VELIMIR (before that, Spitvalve)

"Who knows not strict counterpoint, lives and dies an ignoramus" - CPE Bach

springrite

Do what I must do, and let what must happen happen.

SonicMan46

Quote from: Velimir on May 29, 2014, 05:29:21 AM
Yeah it's OK.  :) Good place to start:

   

Own the Glen Wilson & also have Alina Rotaru which has received excellent reviews (little duplication between those 2 discs); NOW, Harry & Que seen to feel the 9-CD box (above far right) is superlative - multiple different keyboard performers and apparently outstanding notes, but unfortunately OOP - Que pointed out the German Amazon site w/ a 50 Euro offer - about $70+ bucks for me and S&H 'across the pond' - will just add to my 'wish list' at the moment.  Dave :)