Your Top 10 Favorite Russian Composers

[Florestan]

Undisputed top two:

Tchaikovsky
Rachmaninoff

The rest, in no particular order:

Arensky
Rimsky-Korsakov
Medtner
Bortkiewicz
Lyapunov
Lyadov
Scriabin
Balakirev

[Jo498]

Stravinsky
Tchaikovsky
Prokofiev
Shostakovich
Mussorgsky
Borodin
Rimsky-Korsakov
Medtner
Rachmaninov
Glazunov

[dhibbard]

I would start with the Mighty Five  and go from there....and include Glinka

[Christo]

Tchaikovsky
Stravinsky
Prokofiev
Shostakovich
Mussorgsky
Rimsky-Korsakov
Borodin
Rachmaninov
Myaskovsky
Eshpai (ethnically a Mari)
Glière

[vers la flamme]

Hmm, let's see... in very rough, mostly interchangeable preferential order:

Rachmaninov
Shostakovich
Scriabin
Stravinsky
Prokofiev
Schnittke
Myaskovsky
Tchaikovsky
Mussorgsky
Medtner

There's quite a few major Russian composers to whom I've scarcely given much of a chance, including most of the famous Mighty Handful guys, etc., but those I named are solid favorites. There's definitely a chance that I may be forgetting people, too.

[Symphonic Addict]

In some sort of order of preference:

Rachmaninoff
Prokofiev
(My undisputed top two)

Kabalevsky
Taneyev
Glazunov
Shostakovich
Borodin
Scriabin
Medtner
Tchaikovsky (P.I.)

With, of course, many runner-ups! Had Kalinnikov written more, he would've certainly made it onto my list. Schnittke is certainly a "rising star" for me and I've really enjoyed getting to know some of his works recently. Overall, he's a more approachable composer than I expected (though some of his works definitely aren't "easy"!).

Much to Jeffrey's dismay, and certainly with due respect to his striking new avatar, I must admit that I have mixed feelings about Miaskovsky. A lot of his music is rather too subdued and somber for my taste - I keep longing for more color and outward emotion in his music. I think part of it has to do with his rather thick and heavy-handed (IMHO, of course) orchestration. That said, there are certain movements/sections within his works that I really enjoy (e.g. the finale of Symphony 15, slow movement of 24, the outer sections of the Cello Concerto, and most of the 22nd Symphony, 13th string quartet, and 2nd cello sonata). Also, I think a lot of his works are still waiting to receive ideal recordings. Svetlanov's recordings are generally good, but I feel like a more variegated (mood- and color-wise) and detail-oriented approach with a really first-rate modern orchestra would do wonders with some of the symphonies.

I agree about having better performances/recordings of some Myaskovsky's symphonies. Some of them with Svetlanov are not that convincing, e.g. No. 4, No. 5, No. 10.

[Mirror Image]

I think I'll give this a shot:

Shostakovich
Prokofiev
Weinberg
Rachmaninov
Glazunov
Borodin
Schnittke
Rimsky-Korsakov
Myaskovsky
Lyadov

Honorable mentions: Popov, B. Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Scriabin, Kalinnikov, Balakirev and Shchedrin

Okay, I'm going to have to replace Lyadov with Shchedrin. I've really fallen under this composer's spell as of late.

[ritter]

Oh, poor old Igor Fyodorovich, left out in the cold just like that....

[Mirror Image]

Oh, poor old Igor Fyodorovich, left out in the cold just like that....

Oh well. I love many of Stravinsky's works, but his aesthetic is one that I'm not hugely attracted to. I never have been a big Stravinskian.

[Total Rafa]

Tchaikovsky
Rachmaninov
Shostakovich
Prokofiev
Mussorgsky
Schnittke
Glière

Haven't heard enough of other composers' music to add to the 7 above. That would include Stravinsky and Scriabin who for some reason, and compared with many other 20th C. composers, I've not yet been very curious to dive deep into their catalogue. I think some of the neoclassical Stravinsky I've heard doesn't seem on the level of e.g. Martinů and Poulenc, who IMO were masters of that aesthetic. But more listening is required.

[vers la flamme]

Oh well. I love many of Stravinsky's works, but his aesthetic is one that I'm not hugely attracted to. I never have been a big Stravinskian.

Never?! You put him in your top 5 a couple of months ago ...:

Time for an update:

'Top 3' - Debussy, Ravel, and Bartók

The other 7 (in no particular order) -

First row: Ives, Stravinsky, Enescu
Second row: Fauré, Schoenberg, Szymanowski
Third row: Britten

[Mirror Image]

Never?! You put him in your top 5 a couple of months ago ...:

True, but everyone here knows I go through phases where I like/dislike Stravinsky, but even, in the beginning, I have to say I haven't been particularly drawn to him in general. I do love a good bit of his music, though. I certainly won't deny that.

[kyjo]

True, but everyone here knows I go through phases where I like/dislike Stravinsky, but even, in the beginning, I have to say I haven't been particularly drawn to him in general. I do love a good bit of his music, though. I certainly won't deny that.

I'm waiting for a change to a Stravinsky avatar within the next couple hours.

[Mirror Image]

I'm waiting for a change to a Stravinsky avatar within the next couple hours.

[Florestan]

True, but everyone here knows I go through phases where I like/dislike Stravinsky a lot of composers

Fixed. 

[springrite]

In no particular order:

Prokofiev
Stravinsky
Rachmaninov
Veinberg
Schnittke
Dargomyzhsky
Scriabin
Rubenstein
Tanayev
Gubaidulina

Of course I left off one of my favorite the first time around:

Medtner
Prokofiev
Stravinsky
Rachmaninov
Veinberg
Schnittke
Scriabin
Gubaidulina
Shostakovich
Dargomyzhsky

[Mirror Image]

Fixed. 

[DaPianist]

Ten? Maybe five for me:
1. GLINKA (undisputed number 1 for me now)
The rest in no particular order:
Tchaikovsky
Shostakovich
Rachmaninoff
Anyone from The Five
What can I say? I just can't decide--

[71 dB]

Generally speaking there aren't Russian composer I know of that I strongly dislike, althou I have developped a really strange semi-allergy for the music of Rachmaninov (too much melancholy?). For me Russian composers in general:

- are emotional and easy to get into
- have some very enjoyable works, but are inconsistent.
- my enthusiasm to their music is very on/off (probably the emotionality does this?)

My two clear favorites among Russian composers are consistently great and intellectual: Sergey Ivanovich Taneyev and Mieczyslaw Weinberg. 

[relm1]

1. Prokofiev (do Ukrainian's count?)
2. Scriabin
3. Shostakovich
4. Rachmaninoff
5. Mussorgsky
6. Tishchenko
7. Eshpai
8. Mosolov
9. Tchaikovsky
10. Rimsky-Korsakov