Your favorite lesser known composers

[André Le Nôtre]

That Reger and Wolf are niche composers gives IMO a lie to the claim that the Austrogerman tradition is unduly dominating classical music since ca. 1800. In fact, in late romanticism a few composer from this tradition, such as Strauss and Mahler are dominant, but the "losers" are not mainly composers from other nations like Holst, Magnard or Medtner but other Austrogerman composers.
Sure, Wolf who wrote mainly Lieder can hardly be expected to challenge Mahler (and he is highly regarded within the Lieder niche). But he wrote some very daring instrumental works, mainly the string quartet that could be repertoire items like other solitaires, such es Franck's piano quintet.

Very interesting. When listening to Wolf, I am always reminded of Harold Schonberg's opinion (which I share), "No greater songs exist." In as sense, I think Bruckner is also another of the "losers" you mention here (despite the fact that his symphony No. 8 is my candidate for greatest symphony ever written!). I turn to Bruckner, Wolf, and Reger for musical joy and inspiration far more frequently than Mahler (who I can barely listen to any longer) or R. Strauss (Metamorphosen aside, a piece I adore). To me Bruckner, Wolf, and Reger are all spun from the same cloth of deep introspection and a search for solitude in music.

[Jo498]

But Bruckner is not a "loser" in popularity, quite to the contrary. I think he was far more niche 50 years ago. Even I remember that Bruckner was considered an acquired taste as recently as the late 1980s when I got into classical music as a teenager.
I am not that fond of Wolf's lieder (admittedly I might not have tried enough, but I have been a listening to them on/off since more than 20 years and I love lieder by many other composers) but I understand how important they are, and they are in high esteeem by many singers.
A similarity with Reger is that at least in Germany Reger is very highly esteemed by organists and also some of his choral works are regularly sung. But these are maybe even smaller niches than Lieder, especially when considering international record sales.

There are of course others like Zemlinsky, Schmidt, Schreker and more who would, I think, be top national composers if they had been Swedish or Spanish.

[vandermolen]

I should have addes Tournemire; Honegger is relatively well-known, IMHO.

Yes, that's true, so let me exchange him for Jean-Michel Damase, the composer of the wonderful 'Symphonie'.

[Christo]

These are rather obscure for me. I haven't explored any of them. I often wonder how people get into this kind of composers. Why, when and where were they exposed to their music (were the hell can you hear Tsintsadze?). Exploring composers can be exhausting. Last summer I explored Atterberg and Englund and it was exhausting. I wish the world was less hectic...

All of them are well enough represented on cd, otherwise I wouldn't have mentioned them. I mean to refer to composers whose music is accessible only. You're right in one respect: Georgian composer Sulkhan Tsintsadze is relatively less available, but what there is, is very good.

[Florestan]

Of course being well enough represented on cd doesn't help if you don't have said cds.

I might have (?) listened to Camargo Guarnieri, but apparently his music did not blow me away. 
My taste is often so different from others I almost take these lists as names not to waste time on.
You don't like Elgar so why Should I like Kinsella? Our tastes are completely different. My list of favorite
obscure composers includes mostly baroque composers you have probably never explored and why should
you if you hate baroque?

Excuse me, but why do you take Christo to task for his answering the question of another poster? Dave B asked, Christo answered. It's got absolutely nothing to do with you.

[Florestan]

Don't complain now that I am posting about MUSIC and not about POLITICS! 
Christo quoted me so I don't know what you are talking about...
Christo has the right to quote me even if someone else asks something.

You didn't get my point but never mind.

[pjme]

Qu'est ce que c'est que ça, mais qu'est-ce que c'est que ça! Imbroglio, brouhaha, entaglement... Keep it cool, gentlemen.

Dave asks for a few names of less well known composers, he's "trying to branch out a bit". Keep it simple, please.

So, before adding more ( how to choose between the Gothic symphony and a piece for harpsichord or piano?) can I ask Dave what he actually likes or wants to explore?

Kindest regards, yours sincerely, acceptez mes salutations les plus distinguées, etc.
Con amore.
Peter

[Pohjolas Daughter]

+1!

Others I enjoy:

Joly Braga Santos
Kurt Atterberg
Wilhelm Stenhammar
Hugo Alfvén
Gian Francesco Malipiero
Alfredo Casella
Ildebrando Pizzetti
Ottorino Respighi
Vagn Holmboe
Joachim Raff
Franz Schmidt
Florent Schmitt
Albert Roussel
Witold Lutoslawski
Peteris Vasks
Malcolm Arnold
Robert Simpson
Camargo Guarnieri
William Schuman
Dmitry Kabalevsky
Josef Suk
Arthur Honegger
Zoltán Kodaly
Lazslo Lajtha
Johan Svendsen
Ludvig Irgens-Jensen
Leevi Madetoja
Erkki Melartin
Uuno Klami
Kalevi Aho
Charles Stanford

And many more!

Interesting list SA.  I like your Swedish and Finnish choices in particular.    Another thought if I may:  I wouldn't put Kodaly on that list though as I would politely argue that he is quite well known--particularly for his orchestral works (heard his Dances of Galanta recently on my local radio station).  Depending upon how much one loves the cello, folks may or may not know his amazing Sonata for Solo Cello or his lessor known works for cello and piano.

I think that it was Irons who mentioned David Morgan?  Currently listening to (and enjoying) his Contrasts (whilst trying not to be envious of the youtube poster's setup!).

For something totally different Dave, you might try this.  It's called Blackberry Winter and is by Connie Elisor.  I don't know other works by her, but love this one.  It's proven to be quite popular and gets fairly frequent airplay in my area on NPR stations.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQaLuklN73Q

Best wishes,

PD

[Papy Oli]

A couple more names for you :

Dimitrie Cantemir

the Istanbul album by Hesperion XXI and Jordi Savall
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiN-7mukU_RH1xSRm8AL4S6uZheXEnCez

Stanley Bate - Symphony No.3

mvt1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU-8vNYk-2A
mvt II - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeiPR98rN9M
mvt III - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jISuQu8yv4Q


Ethel Smyth - chamber music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQNSKeoh4hQ&list=PLOXwa6WTZcaNyDVvYbaKS_HfJiFpTAN_J

Ignaz Moscheles - Piano Concerto No.4 & 5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97Nw8XD85Co
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0AzhU-itfQ

Carl Reinecke - Flute Concerto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4Ea5N1Fh2Q

[Maestro267]

I have no idea which composers are obscure anymore. I listen to so many of them so often that to me, in my truth, they are common knowledge. That said, two I've come across this year are Karl Amadeus Hartmann and Ernst Toch.

[Florestan]

When listening to Wolf, I am always reminded of Harold Schonberg's opinion (which I share), "No greater songs exist."

Poor Schubert! Poor Schumann!

[Mirror Image]

Others I enjoy:

Joly Braga Santos
Kurt Atterberg
Wilhelm Stenhammar
Hugo Alfvén
Gian Francesco Malipiero
Alfredo Casella
Ildebrando Pizzetti
Ottorino Respighi
Vagn Holmboe
Joachim Raff
Franz Schmidt
Florent Schmitt
Albert Roussel
Witold Lutoslawski
Peteris Vasks
Malcolm Arnold
Robert Simpson
Camargo Guarnieri
William Schuman
Dmitry Kabalevsky
Josef Suk
Arthur Honegger
Zoltán Kodaly
Lazslo Lajtha
Johan Svendsen
Ludvig Irgens-Jensen
Leevi Madetoja
Erkki Melartin
Uuno Klami
Kalevi Aho
Charles Stanford

And many more!

Some of these composers I'd argue aren't 'relatively' obscure at all. Respighi's Roman Trilogy alone is incredibly well-known to anyone who has a knowledge of 20th Century orchestral music. They're really big 'hits'. Lutoslawski is quite known amongst fans of post-war Polish music. Obviously, Honegger isn't unknown to anyone who is familiar with 1920s French music (Les Six especially). Kodály is quite known to most classical listeners if not for the suite from Háry János than for Sonata for Solo Cello (which is mainstream repertoire for cellists). Vasks must be Latvia's most well-known composer even if people aren't aware at first that he's from this country. Stanford is certainly known in England I'd imagine, especially for his songs and choral music (also being Vaughan Williams' teacher certainly helps as well). As for the others, some more individual cases could be made, but I'm too tired to go any further.

[Symphonic Addict]

Some of these composers I'd argue aren't 'relatively' obscure at all. Respighi's Roman Trilogy alone is incredibly well-known to anyone who has a knowledge of 20th Century orchestral music. They're really big 'hits'. Lutoslawski is quite known amongst fans of post-war Polish music. Obviously, Honegger isn't unknown to anyone who is familiar with 1920s French music (Les Six especially). Kodály is quite known to most classical listeners if not for the suite from Háry János than for Sonata for Solo Cello (which is mainstream repertoire for cellists). Vasks must be Latvia's most well-known composer even if people aren't aware at first that he's from this country. Stanford is certainly known in England I'd imagine, especially for his songs and choral music (also being Vaughan Williams' teacher certainly helps as well). As for the others, some more individual cases could be made, but I'm too tired to go any further.

Yes, I realized I was too imprecise, but most of them are obscure in concert halls. So they're not as known as they should.

[pjme]

To use a rough analogy, I'm asking the musical equivalent of this......what charming little towns and villages in Europe might there be besides all the well known capitals and other major cities?, and I'm asking this of very accomplished world travelers.

Aha, this helps. May I assume that your musical tastes usually veer towards tonal music? Possibly baroque, romantic and impressionistic music? Or would you be tempted to discover atonal, expressionistic music aswell?
Chamber music, piano, harpsichord, lute, large and small orchestras, organ, opera, mélodies and Lieder?

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Some of these composers I'd argue aren't 'relatively' obscure at all. Respighi's Roman Trilogy alone is incredibly well-known to anyone who has a knowledge of 20th Century orchestral music. They're really big 'hits'. Lutoslawski is quite known amongst fans of post-war Polish music. Obviously, Honegger isn't unknown to anyone who is familiar with 1920s French music (Les Six especially). Kodály is quite known to most classical listeners if not for the suite from Háry János than for Sonata for Solo Cello (which is mainstream repertoire for cellists). Vasks must be Latvia's most well-known composer even if people aren't aware at first that he's from this country. Stanford is certainly known in England I'd imagine, especially for his songs and choral music (also being Vaughan Williams' teacher certainly helps as well). As for the others, some more individual cases could be made, but I'm too tired to go any further.

I had missed Respighi!  Yes, I'd agree that his Trilogy is well known.  Must admit, I've certainly heard of Honegger, but really don't know his music....same for Lutoslawski. 

Aha, this helps. May I assume that your musical tastes usually veer towards tonal music? Possibly baroque, romantic and impressionistic music? Or would you be tempted to discover atonal, expressionistic music aswell?
Chamber music, piano, harpsichord, lute, large and small orchestras, organ, opera, mélodies and Lieder?

Excellent questions!  Music is such a broad field...so many genres and also time periods.

PD

[kyjo]

These ones have meant the most to me over the years:

Volkmar Andreae
Malcolm Arnold
Kurt Atterberg
Arnold Bax
Joly Braga Santos
Alfredo Casella
Jean-Michel Damase
Gerald Finzi
Howard Hanson
Dmitri Kabalevsky
George Lloyd
Erkki Melartin
EJ Moeran
Wilhelm Peterson-Berger
Joachim Raff
Wilhelm Stenhammar
Josef Suk
Sergei Taneyev
Eduard Tubin


All these composers are, of course, well-known to most of us, but not to the general public.

[Mirror Image]

I had missed Respighi!  Yes, I'd agree that his Trilogy is well known.  Must admit, I've certainly heard of Honegger, but really don't know his music....same for Lutoslawski. 

Sounds like you've got some some exploring to do, PD.

[accmacmus]

Not extremely obscure, but Clérambault

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3r-CgxD4NQ

in general French baroque is underrated because cheerful and too «simple» for some people.

[Mirror Image]

I'm afraid I couldn't give a list because I think any of the composers that I listen to are well-known in some way or another. But I'll throw out one name: Charles Koechlin. If you don't know any of his music and are interested in the byways of Impressionism, then Koechlin should fit the bill.



Oh and it's Koechlin's b-day, so HB to him. I'll have to listen to some of his music today at some point.

[Mirror Image]

These ones have meant the most to me over the years:

Volkmar Andreae
Malcolm Arnold
Kurt Atterberg
Arnold Bax
Joly Braga Santos
Alfredo Casella
Jean-Michel Damase
Gerald Finzi
Howard Hanson
Dmitri Kabalevsky
George Lloyd
Erkki Melartin
EJ Moeran
Wilhelm Peterson-Berger
Joachim Raff
Wilhelm Stenhammar
Josef Suk
Sergei Taneyev
Eduard Tubin


All these composers are, of course, well-known to most of us, but not to the general public.

We must bear in mind that the general public doesn't really know who a lot of classical composers are to begin with. I mean they know a few of them like Beethoven and Mozart, but that's the basic extent of their knowledge. Of course, I'm speaking from my own experience when I ask people about classical music.