Your top 26-50 favorite composers!!!

Started by Symphonic Addict, July 31, 2021, 04:19:48 PM

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Symphonic Addict

YES! This is an interesting (hopefully no tedious for many!) number to think about. We have rather clear our first favorite 25 choices, but, what about the next 25? I wouldn't have any problem with one made on my own:

26. Honegger
27. Szymanowski
28. Ravel
29. Tubin
30. Kabalevsky
31. Englund
32. Haydn
33. Schnittke
34. Bloch
35. Britten
36. Taneyev
37. Tippett
38. Stravinsky
39. Puccini
40. Mendelssohn
41. Rimsky-Korsakov
42. Villa-Lobos
43. Rachmaninov
44. Atterberg
45. Stenhammar
46. Glazunov
47. Myaskovsky
48. Korngold
49. Milhaud
50. Walton
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

The new erato

#1
If one excludes music earlier than 1800, which you seem to have done, I see no problem placing all these in the 26 to 50 range, with the glaring exception og Stravinsky which surely belongs in the top 10.

vandermolen

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on July 31, 2021, 04:19:48 PM
YES! This is an interesting (hopefully no tedious for many!) number to think about. We have rather clear our first favorite 25 choices, but, what about the next 25? I wouldn't have any problem with one made on my own:

26. Honegger
27. Szymanowski
28. Ravel
29. Tubin
30. Kabalevsky
31. Englund
32. Bacewicz
33. W. Schuman
34. Bloch
35. Britten
36. Taneyev
37. Tippett
38. Stravinsky
39. Puccini
40. Mendelssohn
41. Rimsky-Korsakov
42. Villa-Lobos
43. Rachmaninov
44. Atterberg
45. Stenhammar
46. Glazunov
47. Myaskovsky
48. Korngold
49. Milhaud
50. Walton
Quite a few of these would be in my top 25  ;D
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

musicrom

#3
I already have a list that I maintain, so this one is simple for me to contribute to:

26. Haydn
27. Grieg
28. Khachaturian
29. Vieuxtemps
30. Liszt
31. Borodin
32. Walton
33. Sarasate
34. Kabalevsky
35. Debussy
36. Bizet
37. Verdi
38. Schnittke
39. Scriabin
40. Wieniawski
41. Britten
42. Vivaldi
43. Puccini
44. Bruckner
45. Respighi
46. Ravel
47. Nielsen, C
48. Lindberg, M
49. Janáček
50. Goldmark, K

Somehow, I feel like I prefer OP's list however. :D

Symphonic Addict

Quote from: musicrom on August 18, 2021, 08:15:07 PM
I already have a list that I maintain, so this one is simple for me to contribute to:

26. Haydn
27. Grieg
28. Khachaturian
29. Vieuxtemps
30. Liszt
31. Borodin
32. Walton
33. Sarasate
34. Kabalevsky
35. Debussy
36. Bizet
37. Verdi
38. Schnittke
39. Scriabin
40. Wieniawski
41. Britten
42. Vivaldi
43. Puccini
44. Bruckner
45. Respighi
46. Ravel
47. Nielsen, C
48. Lindberg, M
49. Janáček
50. Goldmark, K

Somehow, I feel like I prefer OP's list however. :D

Very cool list! I thought I was going to be the only one to post a list.  :)
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Symphonic Addict

This has to be my definitive 26-50 for now. It was quite tight to decide:

Mahler
Bruckner
Casella
Glazunov
Braga Santos
Honegger
Schnittke
Lutosławski
Korngold
Rimsky-Korsakov

Suk
Atterberg
Villa-Lobos
Puccini
Bloch
Szymanowski
Stravinsky
Britten
Mendelssohn
Haydn

Magnard
Roussel
Stenhammar
Glière
Myaskovsky




My first 25 are:

Beethoven
Brahms
Shostakovich
Vaughan Williams
Nielsen
Dvořák
Sibelius
Prokofiev
Janáček
Strauss

Martinu
Schubert
Respighi
Saint-Saëns
Langgaard
Poulenc
Ravel
Tubin
Holmboe
Rachmaninov

Hindemith
Bax
Alwyn
Walton
Arnold



I'm pretty satisfied with these lists, I must say. The composers who resonate with the most. A top 100 would be even more interesting, though! (including Schumann, Zemlinsky, Milhaud, Madetoja, Moeran, Barber, Hanson, Pettersson, Rosenberg, Rubbra, Tippett, Nystroem, Simpson, Penderecki et al).
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

kyjo

Okay, time to finally do this! :D Here's my top 25 for reference:

Dvořák
Sibelius
Atterberg
Rachmaninoff
Prokofiev
Poulenc
Saint-Saëns
Vaughan Williams
Nielsen
Lloyd

Brahms
Casella
Mendelssohn
Braga Santos
Barber
Respighi
Schubert
Finzi
Andreae
Beethoven

Kabalevsky
Arnold
Ravel
Bax
Janáček

And now, my top 26-50:

Elgar
Suk
Britten
Damase
Walton

Schumann
Juon
Bruckner
Stenhammar
Martinů
Medtner
Mozart
Tubin
Korngold
Tchaikovsky

Grieg
Peterson-Berger
Bliss
Hanson
Moeran
Haydn
Bloch
Strauss (R.)
Mahler
Villa-Lobos


The order towards the end of the list is more or less arbitrary, and make no mistake - I love the music of the composers near the end of the list very much, as well as the music of many other composers not included here. In summary, there's so many composers whose music I cherish! :)
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

Mirror Image

Quote from: kyjo on December 11, 2021, 08:47:21 PM
Okay, time to finally do this! :D Here's my top 25 for reference:

Dvořák
Sibelius
Atterberg
Rachmaninoff
Prokofiev
Poulenc
Saint-Saëns
Vaughan Williams
Nielsen
Lloyd

Brahms
Casella
Mendelssohn
Braga Santos
Barber
Respighi
Schubert
Finzi
Andreae
Beethoven

Kabalevsky
Arnold
Ravel
Bax
Janáček

And now, my top 26-50:

Elgar
Suk
Britten
Damase
Walton

Schumann
Juon
Bruckner
Stenhammar
Martinů
Medtner
Mozart
Tubin
Korngold
Tchaikovsky

Grieg
Peterson-Berger
Bliss
Hanson
Moeran
Haydn
Bloch
Strauss (R.)
Mahler
Villa-Lobos


The order towards the end of the list is more or less arbitrary, and make no mistake - I love the music of the composers near the end of the list very much, as well as the music of many other composers not included here. In summary, there's so many composers whose music I cherish! :)

Poor old Shostakovich getting the axe.  :(

kyjo

#8
Quote from: Mirror Image on December 11, 2021, 08:54:42 PM
Poor old Shostakovich getting the axe.  :(

Hey, there's so many other avid (or should I say rabid :P) Shostakovich fans here on GMG and elsewhere...what's the big deal if I'm not one? :D
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

Symphonic Addict

#9
Quote from: Mirror Image on December 11, 2021, 08:54:42 PM
Poor old Shostakovich getting the axe.  :(

Quote from: kyjo on December 11, 2021, 08:58:29 PM
Hey, there's so many other avid (or should I say rabid :P) Shostakovich fans here on GMG and elsewhere...what's the big deal if I'm not one? :D

As Langgaard, Alfvén, Holmboe, Nystroem, Rosenberg, Myaskovsky, Roussel, Honegger, Szymanowski, Debussy. They succumbed before getting into the narrow list, but it's just for that reason I consider a top 100 a more interesting exercise. I could make it relatively easy. A great bunch of composers I could enjoy their stuff all this life, even more I dare to say. All in all, I just want to express how I admire composers and his creations, firstly.

Good to see you did include my noble friends as are: Richard Strauss, Stenhammar, Bloch, Elgar, Tchaikovsky, Villa-Lobos. Huge thumbs up for the others too!
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Mirror Image

Quote from: kyjo on December 11, 2021, 08:58:29 PM
Hey, there's so many other avid (or should I say rabid :P) Shostakovich fans here on GMG and elsewhere...what's the big deal if I'm not one? :D

Well, it's not a problem of course, but you used to be quite the fan of the composer's music. I'm just sad to see him go. But I know as well as any here that tastes do change and develop in time.

Lisztianwagner

#11
A tough one, mine could be:

26. Elgar
27. Schnittke
28. Berg
29. Hartmann
30. Honegger
31. Bartók
32. Bortkiewicz
33. Bantock
34. Vaughan Williams
35. Atterberg
36. Szymanowski
37. Lutoslawski
38. Britten
39. Bizet
40. Saint-Saëns
41. Berlioz
42. Bach
43. Haydn
44. Glazunov
45. Leifs
46. Martinů
47. Korngold
48. Grieg
49. Bax
50. Rimsky-Korsakov
"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire." - Gustav Mahler

Symphonic Addict

Quote from: Lisztianwagner on June 12, 2022, 02:07:16 PM
A tough one, mine could be:

26. Elgar
27. Schnittke

28. Berg
29. Hartmann
30. Honegger

31. Bortkiewicz
32. Bantock
33. Vaughan Williams
34. Atterberg
35. Szymanowski
36. Lutoslawski
37. Britten

38. Bizet
39. Saint-Saëns
40. Berlioz
41. Bach

42. Haydn
43. Glazunov

44. Leifs
45. Novak
46. Martinů
47. Korngold
48. Grieg
49. Korngold
50. Rimsky-Korsakov


Great to see some coincidences. We share similar tastes. BTW, you repeated Korngold twice.
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Lisztianwagner

#13
Quote from: Symphonic Addict on June 12, 2022, 03:38:54 PM
Great to see some coincidences. We share similar tastes. BTW, you repeated Korngold twice.

Thank you for telling, Cesar, then I'll change one Korngold with Arnold Bax. Oh, and I forgot Bartók, unforgivable!
"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire." - Gustav Mahler

Symphonic Addict

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on June 11, 2022, 04:27:09 PM
Quite likely in this order:


1-5

Brahms, Beethoven, Shostakovich, Dvorák and Nielsen


6-10

Sibelius, Strauss, Martinu, Prokofiev and Vaughan Williams


11-15

Respighi, Saint-Saëns, Tubin, Langgaard and Schubert


16-20

Mahler, Bruckner, Hindemith, Villa-Lobos and Walton


21-25

Poulenc, Alwyn, Bax, Holmboe and Atterberg

Taking these as the first 25, next ones would be something like:


26-30

Arnold, Janacek, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Schnittke


31-35

Casella, Lutoslawski, Penderecki, Glazunov and Korngold


36-40

Honegger, Rimsky-Korsakov, Roussel, Milhaud and Haydn


41-45

Stenhammar, Elgar, Braga Santos, Ravel and Kabalevsky


46-50

Bartók, Szymanowski, Stravinsky, Bloch and Mendelssohn
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Karl Henning

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on June 12, 2022, 04:39:44 PM
Taking these as the first 25, next ones would be something like:


26-30

Arnold, Janacek, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Schnittke


31-35

Casella, Lutoslawski, Penderecki, Glazunov and Korngold


36-40

Honegger, Rimsky-Korsakov, Roussel, Milhaud and Haydn


41-45

Stenhammar, Elgar, Braga Santos, Ravel and Kabalevsky


46-50

Bartók, Szymanowski, Stravinsky, Bloch and Mendelssohn

Good! I am apt to feel that the process should be additive.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Mirror Image

#16
Quote from: Mirror Image on June 09, 2022, 06:11:10 PM
Okay, I made another revision:

1. Debussy
2. Mahler
3. Strauss
4. Sibelius
5. Bartók
6. Ravel
7. Stravinsky
8. Martinů
9. Berlioz
10. Shostakovich
11. Vaughan Williams
12. Saint-Saëns
13. Schoenberg
14. Berg
15. Villa-Lobos
16. Dvořák
17. Tchaikovsky
18. Janáček
19. Prokofiev
20. Britten
21. Rachmaninov
22. Schnittke
23. Szymanowski
24. Ives
25. Weinberg

Let's see...

26. Bruckner
27. Respighi
28. (K. A.) Hartmann
29. Copland
30. Koechlin
31. Takemitsu
32. Gubaidulina
33. Penderecki
34. Bernstein
35. Korngold
36. Liszt
37. Walton
38. Kodály
39. Ligeti
40. Scriabin
41. Hindemith
42. Glazunov
43. Poulenc
44. Honegger
45. Tippett
46. Roussel
47. Barber
48. Lutosławski
49. Enescu
50. Yun

classicalgeek

Quote from: classicalgeek on June 09, 2022, 01:53:35 PM
1. Mahler
2. Beethoven
3. Dvorak
4. Brahms
5. Shostakovich
6. Chopin
7. Rachmaninov
8. Stravinsky
9. Sibelius
10. Ravel
11. Poulenc
12. Martinu
13. Schubert
14. Haydn
15. Koechlin
16. Bartok
17. Bruckner
18. Villa-Lobos
19. Barber
20. Mendelssohn
21. Bernstein
22. Janacek
23. Dutilleux
24. Saint-Saens
25. Hindemith

As mentioned in the original post, these are the next five who just "missed the cut":

26. Berg
27. Messiaen
28. Vaughan Williams
29. Arnold
30. Debussy

And now for the rest:

31. Respighi
32. Prokofiev
33. Roussel
34. Copland
35. Strauss, Richard
36. Lloyd
37. Bach, J.S.
38. Lutoslawski
39. Atterberg
40. Britten
41. Korngold
42. Tchaikovsky
43. Milhaud
44. Elgar
45. Bax
46. Franck
47. Englund
48. Varese
49. Glazunov
50. Faure

And, in case we do a "Your 51st through 75th favorite composers" ;D here are my next five:

51. Walton
52. Ives
53. Guarnieri
54. Bliss
55. Telemann
So much great music, so little time...

Original compositions and orchestrations: https://www.youtube.com/@jmbrannigan

Mirror Image

#18
Quote from: classicalgeek on June 13, 2022, 08:48:56 AM
As mentioned in the original post, these are the next five who just "missed the cut":

26. Berg
27. Messiaen
28. Vaughan Williams
29. Arnold
30. Debussy

And now for the rest:

31. Respighi
32. Prokofiev
33. Roussel
34. Copland
35. Strauss, Richard
36. Lloyd
37. Bach, J.S.
38. Lutoslawski
39. Atterberg
40. Britten
41. Korngold
42. Tchaikovsky
43. Milhaud
44. Elgar
45. Bax
46. Franck
47. Englund
48. Varese
49. Glazunov
50. Faure

And, in case we do a "Your 51st through 75th favorite composers" ;D here are my next five:

51. Walton
52. Ives
53. Guarnieri
54. Bliss
55. Telemann

You and I have many favorites in common, James, but perhaps not too surprising. :) We also share some overlap with many other members like Jeffrey (Vandermolen), Cesar, Ilaria (LisztianWagner), Kyle et. al. I think one of the biggest differences, however, is that I embraced the post-WWII avant-garde composers more than these other members have over the last couple of years. I'm certainly not implying that I'm a more "advanced" listener, but I suppose it does seem I'm more tolerant of dissonance and noise than they are perhaps. :)

classicalgeek

Quote from: Mirror Image on June 13, 2022, 10:56:22 AM
You and I have many favorites in common, James, but perhaps not too surprising. :) We also share some overlap with many other members like Jeffrey (Vandermolen), Cesar, Ilaria (LisztianWagner), Kyle et. al. I think one of the biggest differences, however, is that I embraced the post-WWII avant-garde composers more than these other members have over the last couple of years. I'm certainly not implying that I'm a more "advanced" listener, but I suppose it does seem I'm more tolerant of dissonance and noise than they are perhaps. :)

I'm not surprised that our lists have many composers in common, John! ;D And we do share a lot of common ground with the members you've mentioned (for me, Cesar and Kyle in particular.) I'm still trying to warm up to a lot of contemporary music (and, like you say, music since WWII in general) - not that I don't like it, it just takes a while to "sink in". So far my favorite living composers are unabashedly tonal (Jennifer Higdon, Lowell Liebermann, Ned Rorem, and so on) - the kind of music I'd like to write as a work my way back into composition - though I know my preferences will evolve! ;D
So much great music, so little time...

Original compositions and orchestrations: https://www.youtube.com/@jmbrannigan