Most bombastic composers of the 20th/21st century?

[Karl Henning]

Well, all right, I should revisit the Mahler VIII . . . .

[Ken B]

Well, all right, I should revisit the Mahler VIII . . . .

Are you sure? Most of us only have time for one crappy 8th, and you already have Mennin ...

[Karl Henning]

Are you sure? Most of us only have time for one crappy 8th, and you already have Mennin ...

The Mennin Eighth ain't bombastic enow!

[Karl Henning]

Reckon I'll never know how Ben Zander applies his music-on-one-buttock principle to Mahler VIII . . . .

[Karl Henning]

I am going to switch horses since the BPO has this in their digital concert hall collection, and I have found that I do better with bombast if I can see the grimaced faces if the perfomers.   

"Okay — which of the sopranos is the most cross-eyed here?"

[ritter]

Thank you!  It's very true.  in fact, all of the works' main themes are stated in about the first minute of playing time. (Disclaimer: As I've stated many times in this forum, I do love this symphony.  Loud?  Yes, but sometimes very soft--not unlike Mahler's other symphonies.  Bombastic?  Probably.  Sublime?  Yes!  All IMHO, of course.)

My main objection to Mahler's Eighth (well, apart from the choristers singing their lungs out at the beginning..."Veni! Veni! VEEEENI!"  ) is best described by this illustration:



It's as if the shorter, bombastic Part I could be balanced by the longer and quieter Part II...this is IMHO not the case, alas, and I think the piece has serious structural problems (well, and there's  that thing of the choristers singing their lungs out  )...

[(poco) Sforzando]

Has anyone mentioned Havergal Brian?

Some things are so obvious you assume they've been mentioned already.

[listener]

KHACHATURIAN, or maybe MIASKOVSKY

[71 dB]

I just want to point out that the system pictured is not in balance. There is more wood on the right side. 

[PerfectWagnerite]

Was R. Gliere mentioned? There is probably no more bloated work than the 3rd symphony. But I love it !

[Karl Henning]

Well, and now we might discuss the distinction between bombast and bloat   

[vandermolen]

Richard Strauss
Christopher Gunning
Nicholas Maw's 'Odyssey'

[Moonfish]

Just a reminder about the definition of bombastic..

I vote for Stockhausen, but perhaps it is not loud enough to qualify. If I turn up the volume high enough.....   
Boulez is close though!

[Karl Henning]

"Most inflated composer": and the winner in Hollywood is ... Stockhausen!

[Ken B]

Just a reminder about the definition of bombastic..

I vote for Stockhausen, but perhaps it is not loud enough to qualify. If I turn up the volume high enough.....   
Boulez is close though!

Good reminder! It's WHY I named Messiaen.
See my tag line ....

[Moonfish]

You sure? .. check this out .. http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,92.4920.html

At 247 pages, seems pretty damn self-inflated, only one other composer within the entire damn forum is ahead of that nonsense, Haydn.

But you wrote 200 of them, James?   

[Karl Henning]

James is especially amusing when he waxes peevish.

[EigenUser]

Good reminder! It's WHY I named Messiaen.
See my tag line ....

"Technically, we are all half centaur"

Just a reminder about the definition of bombastic..

I vote for Stockhausen, but perhaps it is not loud enough to qualify. If I turn up the volume high enough.....   
Boulez is close though!

So, have you heard any Stockhausen? Just curious, since you were trying to get into 20C music... (BTW, I agree with you to a large extent on Stockhausen, but not Boulez -- he's generally too subtle).

[Moonfish]

Clearly, you are on fuckin' crack. 

[Moonfish]

So, have you heard any Stockhausen? Just curious, since you were trying to get into 20C music... (BTW, I agree with you to a large extent on Stockhausen, but not Boulez -- he's generally too subtle).

*shiver* .... yes...... *still in recovery*