Which of these composers do you struggle with the most and why?

[Mirror Image]

You're only allowed one choice. What composer from this random list do you have the most trouble with and please tell everyone why this is the case? Have fun!

Special note: This isn't a thread created to bash any composer, so please refrain from insults and put-downs. There's no need for any of that here. This poll/thread is meant to pick the minds of GMG members and not get a rise out of anyone. Thanks!

[kishnevi]

Stravinsky.
Beyond the big three early ballets (Firebird, Rite, Petrushka) there is very little of his music that I feel any connection to,  meaning anything that makes me feel I need to hear it again.

[Mirror Image]

I chose Mahler and the reasons why can be detailed in the following list:

   
• I can never figure out where exactly he's going and where he's going to end. I've heard all of his symphonies, for example, on numerous occasions and I'm still left scratching my head.
• I don't understand the insistent need to stretch a listener back and forth to two totally different emotional extremes at all times without any rhyme or reason.
• What on earth is he so fussy about? I mean, sure, I'm all for drama in music, but Mahler just sounds like he can't quit whining.
• I'm all for longer movements in music, but, to me, Mahler's music just goes on and on with no end in sight. I also don't think the musical material holds up well to these kinds of lengths. Again, this is the Sibelian inside of me speaking, but, gosh, I really wished he would put a cork in it!
• There are some downright gorgeous moments throughout Mahler's oeuvre and there's a part of me that wishes he would have pursued a more lyrical path.

Okay, I think I've made my point. I suppose I just haven't ever acquired the taste for Mahler and perhaps it's all a matter of time before I finally understand him. I sure hope so as there's many redeeming qualities about his music that I enjoy but just not enough for me to give him a thumbs up or complimentary head nod.

[Mirror Image]

Stravinsky.
Beyond the big three early ballets (Firebird, Rite, Petrushka) there is very little of his music that I feel any connection to,  meaning anything that makes me feel I need to hear it again.

I'm right there with you, Jeffrey. I seldom listen to Stravinsky these days and I can barely even bring myself to listen to the Rite or Petrouchka. Last time I listened to Petrouchka, I actually turned it off out of frustration!

[Daverz]

Strauss, perhaps.  Much of his music just seems to be a busy mishmash to my ears.  Whereas I usually seem to have no trouble following Mahler, for example. 

[kishnevi]

I chose Mahler and the reasons why can be detailed in the following list:

   
• I can never figure out where exactly he's going and where he's going to end. I've heard all of his symphonies, for example, on numerous occasions and I'm still left scratching my head.
• I don't understand the insistent need to stretch a listener back and forth to two totally different emotional extremes at all times without any rhyme or reason.
• What on earth is he so fussy about? I mean, sure, I'm all for drama in music, but Mahler just sounds like he can't quit whining.
• I'm all for longer movements in music, but, to me, Mahler's music just goes on and on with no end in sight. I also don't think the musical material holds up well to these kinds of lengths. Again, this is the Sibelian inside of me speaking, but, gosh, I really wished he would put a cork in it!
• There are some downright gorgeous moments throughout Mahler's oeuvre and there's a part of me that wishes he would have pursued a more lyrical path.

Okay, I think I've made my point. I suppose I just haven't ever acquired the taste for Mahler and perhaps it's all a matter of time before I finally understand him. I sure hope so as there's many redeeming qualities about his music that I enjoy but just not enough for me to give him a thumbs up or complimentary head nod.

With modifications, all those are reasons I like Mahler so much.
I like it that he doesn't take an obvious path.
I like the whiplash of moods he creates
I like that he tries to wring everything out of the music that he can, and the music never seems too long
And those lyrical moments...

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Debussy. I know he's supposed to be a "prophet of modernism" and oh-so-subtle and deep, etc. I just don't hear what's so special.

On the other hand, some of my favorite composers (Martinu, Lutoslawski) were heavily influenced by him. Go figure.

[Jay F]

Do my eyes deceive me, or did you leave Brahms off this list?

As for your blatherama about Mahler, Mahler couldn't care less whether you like him or not. And neither could I.

[Mirror Image]

Do my eyes deceive me, or did you leave Brahms off this list?

As for your blatherama about Mahler, Mahler couldn't care less whether you like him or not. And neither could I.

Brahms wasn't meant for the list. This was a list that I put together at random. As for you not caring whether I like Mahler or not, I don't care that you don't care.

[Mirror Image]

Strauss, perhaps.  Much of his music just seems to be a busy mishmash to my ears.  Whereas I usually seem to have no trouble following Mahler, for example.

My initial problem with Strauss was I felt that his music was a bit superficial and just seemed to be nothing but a truckload of empty, hollow musical gestures. Thankfully, I was able to look past this and hear the real Strauss. I'm glad I was able to do this because I was pretty close to tossing him into the bin of no return (aka my trash can).

[Mirror Image]

Debussy. I know he's supposed to be a "prophet of modernism" and oh-so-subtle and deep, etc. I just don't hear what's so special.

On the other hand, some of my favorite composers (Martinu, Lutoslawski) were heavily influenced by him. Go figure.

Debussy does seem to polarize listeners. I'm not a great fan, but I do think quite highly of his chamber music.

[Mirror Image]

Perhaps in a selfish way, I created this thread in the back of my mind thinking I can work out the problems I have with Mahler. This could be quite therapeutic for us all and we could even get to the root of why we don't like the composers we chose and turn around and finally end up enjoying their music. I know, for many of you, your dislike for this or that composer goes well beyond a mere month or two and perhaps even some of you have had a lifelong dislike for the composer you chose from my list.

[The new erato]

Ives. His music is often all over the place to me and the diverse elementes don't always jell. The rest of the list is almost all plain sailing and favorites to me, including Bartok, Stravinsky etc. No problem with Mahler either, except that his symphonies are uncomfortably bigscale and long for home listening.

[amw]

Idk, I don't "struggle" with any of these composers. I struggle, maybe, with someone like Merzbow because the consistent high volume of his music makes it very difficult for me to listen to and assess the quality of, but composers like that are probably outliers.

I just don't listen to some of them very much (eg Mahler, Elgar, Strauss, Rachmaninov, Britten) and often don't particularly like many of their compositions (Mahler 2, The Dream of Gerontius, Shostakovich 10, Rach piano concertos, La Mer, most of the Strauss tone poems etc). Not in the sense of hating them with a fiery passion, more in the sense of "that was ok but whatever". So I just don't listen... or find the works I like, and listen to those (eg Mahler Wayfarer Songs, Elgar Piano Quintet, Strauss Violin Sonata, Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances, Britten Violin Concerto), and leave the others. I just don't see any sense in which struggling is involved, apart from struggling to stay awake through the entire length of Mahler 3 or whatever.

[Karl Henning]

I'm right there with you, Jeffrey. I seldom listen to Stravinsky these days and I can barely even bring myself to listen to the Rite or Petrouchka. Last time I listened to Petrouchka, I actually turned it off out of frustration!

[Sergeant Rock]

Bartok...the Quartets and Bluebeard. Why? I really don't know.

Sarge

[Jaakko Keskinen]

I struggle at times with Strauss even though he's often one of my favorite composers. The reason for that is that on first listening I can't always hear clear catchy melodies, it often takes several re-listenings for me to appreciate his genius. For ex. Rosenkavalier was a very tough opera to me first, I preferred (and still do) Elektra and Salome. The first act was unbearably dull and while I like challenging music this felt just boring. Later I have warmed to this work but I think it's not his best opera by a long shot. Then there are also compositions I adored instantly and, when spending my time with those, Strauss remains in my top10.

[Mirror Image]

Bartok...the Quartets and Bluebeard. Why? I really don't know.

Sarge

Bartok is certainly a difficult composer for me it seems. At one point, early in my listening, I couldn't stand his music, but thankfully that's far from the case nowadays as he's one of my absolute favorites.

[Sergeant Rock]

Special note: This isn't a thread created to bash any composer, so please refrain from insults and put-downs.

I chose Mahler...
   

• I don't understand the insistent need to stretch a listener back and forth to two totally different emotional extremes at all times without any rhyme or reason.
• What on earth is he so fussy about? I mean, sure, I'm all for drama in music, but Mahler just sounds like he can't quit whining.
• I'm all for longer movements in music, but, to me, Mahler's music just goes on and on with no end in sight. I also don't think the musical material holds up well to these kinds of lengths. Again, this is the Sibelian inside of me speaking, but, gosh, I really wished he would put a cork in it!

Yes, please folks, don't bash the composer 

Sarge

[Mirror Image]

Yes, please folks, don't bash the composer 

Sarge

I really meant people insulting each other because they said something derogatory about one of their favorite composers or whatever. I really didn't say anything bad about Mahler of course other than mentioning why I didn't enjoy his music.