Three Composers You Feel To Be Unfairly Neglected

[Mirror Image]

Allow me to put this out there first and foremost...

----------------- D I S C L A I M E R -----------------

DO NOT argue with someone about their choice of composers. All of these lists will be subjective and everyone has a right to their views no matter how crazy we think the other person's choices are. Let's be kind to each other and not turn this into some kind of flamewar or something unnecessarily negative. THANK YOU EVERYONE!

Now, let's begin...

I want you all to pick three composers who you feel to be unfairly neglected or simply unappreciated. I would also like to know why you chose each of the composers in your list as I think it'll be a lot more interesting knowing this rather than simply listing names.

I've already got my list ready to go, but I'd love someone else to go first, so the ball is your court.

[Ken B]

Lubomyr Melnyck
He is a Canadian composer, and I programmed him on radio 40 years ago. I guess you could call him broadly minimalist, but I do not think he would describe himself that way. His approach is very different from the well known guys like Glass or Reich anyway. His best known piece is KMH, which has a cult following.

Virgil Thomson
In fact, we are in a mini VT boomlet these past few years, with new recordings of much of his music, including Four Saints in Three Acts. Saints has actually seen several productions in recent years.  His orchestral music is his best known, but his best stuff involves voice. Saints and The Feast Of Love are particular favorites of mine.

Robert Moran
Another quasi-minimalist who has gotten a little notice off and on (he once collaborated with Glass long ago). His Trinity Requiem is gloriously beautiful.

[Mirror Image]

Good, I'm glad you went first, Ken. Thanks for the list.

My turn (I suppose) -

George Enescu:



Outside of Romania, he's mainly known for his Romanian Rhapsody No. 1 and I think it's a shame this is the work that gets the most exposure. It hardly demonstrates his mastery of the different genres like chamber music, solo piano, and opera. He was a remarkable orchestrator, but I feel that his chamber music gets to the heart more than anything he wrote for the orchestra (although, to be fair, he composed some incredibly fine orchestral works like Vox Maris, Symphony No. 3, Suite for Orchestra No. 3, "Villageoise", among others). I think he deserves to be better known as the mature works reveal a complicated man displaying emotions that don't always present themselves in the earlier works.

Karl Amadeus Hartmann:



After World War II, it seems K. A. Hartmann's music was going to be one of the greatest things to come out of post-war Germany, but the sad reality is he's just not well-known today and there doesn't seem to be much interest in his music these days for some odd reason. His music has an incredible vitality and energy to it that is highly effective. I think the fact that he remained in Germany during WWII may have harmed his reputation and could very well be why we don't get to hear his music much in the concert hall. I think the most popular work or one that's still played with any frequency is Concerto funèbre. I believe he was one of the foremost symphonists of the last half of the 20th Century, but you'd never know it because these symphonies aren't performed much. A real shame!

Bohuslav Martinů:



For some strange reason Martinů hasn't caught on outside of the Czech Republic. Sure, there are many recordings of his music available, but if you take a deeper look you'll notice that most of them are released on the Czech label Supraphon. Like the afore mentioned composers, I feel that his music deserves wider exposure because he has an identifiable sound and style of his own. You know it's a Martinů work from the first couple measures and sometimes at the very start of a work. I've loved his music for years and have done my best to promote it whenever I can and I'm sure many here are tired of me talking about this composer, but I can't help it! He deserves all of the accolades one can hurl upon him.

[vandermolen]

Great thread idea:

Stanley Bate
I think that his Third and Fourth symphonies are terrific, inspiriting  and darkly moving with a 'triumph against the odds' kind of feel to them. He seems to have been largely ignored by the British musical establishment - invariably a prerequisite for composers that I like and ended up, apparently, committing suicide. Very sad.

Ronald Lo Presti
There is hardly anything on CD but I found 'The Masks' on a Koch CD intensely moving despite its brevity. Thanks to jowcol of this forum I have discovered more of his fine music. His musical tribute to President Kennedy is very powerful and moving. Like the President Lo Presti died too young.

Malcolm Williamson
Although he bacame 'Master of the Queen's Musick' he ran into all kinds of trouble, through not completing Royal commissions, personal problems, alcoholism etc. and yet I find his music of great interest, in particular his First Symphony 'Elevamini', the Sinfonia Concerante and the Violin Concerto with its eloquent and moving finale, not to mention the 'Prologue' from his unfinished film score for 'Watership Down' (original version).

V difficult to choose.

And here they are (Bate, Williamson and Lo Presti):

[Ken B]

Virgil Thomson hired Peggy Granville-Hicks at the NY Tribune. She was married to Stanley Bate.
He wrote about him briefly https://books.google.ca/books?id=mDwZCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA148-IA237&lpg=PA148-IA237&dq=stanley+bate+Virgil+Thomson&source=bl&ots=hQKfhW_F7Z&sig=ACfU3U1FSTGgKVmlDiGbgUlOnpdQCyJFew&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwin9tDX95jhAhWHn4MKHYC_BCIQ6AEwBXoECAYQAQ#v=onepage&q=stanley%20bate%20Virgil%20Thomson&f=false

[vandermolen]

Virgil Thomson hired Peggy Granville-Hicks at the NY Tribune. She was married to Stanley Bate.
He wrote about him briefly https://books.google.ca/books?id=mDwZCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA148-IA237&lpg=PA148-IA237&dq=stanley+bate+Virgil+Thomson&source=bl&ots=hQKfhW_F7Z&sig=ACfU3U1FSTGgKVmlDiGbgUlOnpdQCyJFew&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwin9tDX95jhAhWHn4MKHYC_BCIQ6AEwBXoECAYQAQ#v=onepage&q=stanley%20bate%20Virgil%20Thomson&f=false

Sad but very interesting - thanks.

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Thanks for your contribution, Jeffrey.

[SymphonicAddict]

Rued Langgaard: He lived eclipsed by the fame of his compatriot Nielsen. Unfortunately, many of his works didn't receive the recognition they deserved at their time. I find that situation unfair, so there is much creativity in his music. He may be called old-fashioned, but it doesn't mean that his music lacks craftsmanship or development. Personally I consider the mystical Music of the Spheres and the thought-provoking Symphony No. 4 as his unquestionable masterpieces. I should also include Antikrist for that matter.

Eduard Tubin: One of the greatest symphonists from the 20th century, his music possesses all the features to think very highly of him as a composer of a significant stature. For me, Tubin is the best composer from Estonia (besides Arvo Pärt) but I don't know many people who have some idea of his style. And just a few of recording labels spread his works. It would be much more interesting if they record something by him instead of, for example, the 1000+ recording of the Beethoven symphonies. Marketing issues, yes, but come on, do we really need more recordings of works like those, when already there are many for every taste? 

Charles-Valentin Alkan: People tend to know Liszt as the supreme virtuoso pianist-composer, but Alkan may be even more fascinating. I don't feel that his contribution to the piano repertoire is not utterly recognized nowadays.

[vandermolen]

Thanks for your contribution, Jeffrey.

Always a pleasure John - but so difficult to choose. Most of the composers I like are unfairly neglected or 'deservedly neglected' according to my brother. 

[Jaakko Keskinen]

John Williams - he has always been described as a copycat. I do not agree with this at all.

William Walton - while he's not exactly hated he suffers from the same kind of neglect as most English composers.

Rued Langgaard - much like Nielsen, Danish composers are often underrated.

[Christo]

Stanley Bate
I think that his Third and Fourth symphonies are terrific, inspiriting  and darkly moving with a 'triumph against the odds' kind of feel to them. He seems to have been largely ignored by the British musical establishment - invariably a prerequisite for composers that I like and ended up, apparently, committing suicide. Very sad.

Eduard Tubin: One of the greatest symphonists from the 20th century, his music possesses all the features to think very highly of him as a composer of a significant stature.

Let me add one more, far lesser-known composer (also in his own country), Léon Orthel (1905-1985). The only piece I'd heard in my youth was his late, then new, atmospheric, orchestral Evocazione Op. 83 (1977) and only a couple of years ago there came a release of some historic recordings of his first four symphonies - the ones under conductor Willem van Otterloo very fine BTW. The Third (1943), another war symphony, came as a shock and the Second (1940), Piccola Sinfonia, proved to be a refined master piece. The whole cycle - there are six symphonies - cry for a modern recording as does all of his orchestral work.

[André]

Let me add one more, far lesser-known composer (also in his own country), Léon Orthel (1905-1985). The only piece I'd heard in my youth was his late, then new, atmospheric, orchestral Evocazione Op. 83 (1977) and only a couple of years ago there came a release of some historic recordings of his first four symphonies - the ones under conductor Willem van Otterloo very fine BTW. The Third (1943), another war symphony, came as a shock and the Second (1940), Piccola Sinfonia, proved to be a refined master piece. The whole cycle - there are six symphonies - cry for a modern recording as does all of his orchestral work.

+ 1. Orthel is the most interesting dutch composer I've come across.

Mind you, there's certainly a case for declaring the Dutch the most unfairly neglected composers of all: De Lange, Zweers, Vermeulen, Pijper, Röntgen, Andriessen. Conductor van Otterloo himself was no slouch as a composer.

[Ken B]

+ 1. Orthel is the most interesting dutch composer I've come across.

Mind you, there's certainly a case for declaring the Dutch the most unfairly neglected composers of all: De Lange, Zweers, Vermeulen, Pijper, Röntgen, Andriessen. Conductor van Otterloo himself was no slouch as a composer.

Douwe Eisenga. Simeon ten Holt.

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+ 1. Orthel is the most interesting dutch composer I've come across.

Mind you, there's certainly a case for declaring the Dutch the most unfairly neglected composers of all: De Lange, Zweers, Vermeulen, Pijper, Röntgen, Andriessen. Conductor van Otterloo himself was no slouch as a composer.

I wonder how you'd rank Henk Badings amongst Dutch composers?

[André]

Very well indeed.

[Mirror Image]

Very well indeed.

You'll have to excuse my own ignorance as I know next to nothing about Dutch composers as they've never really been a focal point for me.

[Mirror Image]

Rued Langgaard: He lived eclipsed by the fame of his compatriot Nielsen. Unfortunately, many of his works didn't receive the recognition they deserved at their time. I find that situation unfair, so there is much creativity in his music. He may be called old-fashioned, but it doesn't mean that his music lacks craftsmanship or development. Personally I consider the mystical Music of the Spheres and the thought-provoking Symphony No. 4 as his unquestionable masterpieces. I should also include Antikrist for that matter.

Eduard Tubin: One of the greatest symphonists from the 20th century, his music possesses all the features to think very highly of him as a composer of a significant stature. For me, Tubin is the best composer from Estonia (besides Arvo Pärt) but I don't know many people who have some idea of his style. And just a few of recording labels spread his works. It would be much more interesting if they record something by him instead of, for example, the 1000+ recording of the Beethoven symphonies. Marketing issues, yes, but come on, do we really need more recordings of works like those, when already there are many for every taste? 

Langgaard's Music of the Spheres should be a part of the standard repertoire. 'Nuff said!

I love Tubin, but my biggest issue with him, and it's my own issue, is the memorability of his music. I love his music as it's unfolding in my ears, but after that, puff...it's gone. The Järvi BIS series is still the 'gold standard' (sorry, Maestro Volmer). I do have to thank Volmer, however, for bringing the complete Kraft to the public's attention as only the suite from Järvi was recorded previously. I'd like to get to know Tubin's chamber music, but there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of options available.

[Christo]

+ 1. Orthel is the most interesting dutch composer I've come across.

Mind you, there's certainly a case for declaring the Dutch the most unfairly neglected composers of all: De Lange, Zweers, Vermeulen, Pijper, Röntgen, Andriessen. Conductor van Otterloo himself was no slouch as a composer.

Did you hear Willem van Otterloo's dramatic Symphony No. 2, restored by Otto Ketting? It's on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/v/CSu1w5F6lyI&t=240s

Douwe Eisenga. Simeon ten Holt.

Douwe Eisenga being the outsider here, glad to learn that you know him, because very few in this country do; I myself have subscribed to his own, weekly, online music offerings :-)

I wonder how you'd rank Henk Badings amongst Dutch composers?

All of them and some more. My personal favourite is Hendrik Andriessen, but composers that I often play include Pieter Hellendaal (18th c.), Johan Willem Wilms, Anton Fodor & Johannes Verhulst (19th) and more from the last century, including Alphons Diepenbrock, Jan van Gilse, Cornelis Dopper, Henriëtte Bosmans, Hans Henkemans, Oscar van Hemel, Anthon van der Horst, Lex van Delden, Jurriaan Andriessen, Hans Kox, Daan Manneke, Joep Franssens, Jacob ter Veldhuis, Joey Roukens, and a handful that I forget. 

Completely unknown, but a pleasant surprise to listen to, is composer Erik Lotichius (1929-2015), a Dutch Poulenc. I only know this cd, on offer at JPC.de for 3 euros:

[André]

You'll have to excuse my own ignorance as I know next to nothing about Dutch composers as they've never really been a focal point for me.

I don't think they are anybody's focal point, actually. The fact is that you stumble upon them almost accidentally, so to speak. Which in itself is a sign of neglect by the musical public  . About 10 years ago (?) someone posted links of dutch radio broadcasts on some web site and I downloaded them all, for eventual listening. I was stunned by the quality and originality of the works I discovered. Were it not for that happenstance, I would probably ignore most of those names. Of course some have been championed by CPO (more power to them!), but that, too, is an indication of the general neglect of the musical establishment/industry.

[André]

Thanks for the Otterloo link, Christo !

One dutch compoer I haven't taken too is Tristan Keuris  .