Five important pre-1980 composers that you easily could live without

[Madiel]

[snark]
He tried, anyway
[/snark]

[(poco) Sforzando]

I can think of far worse offenders than Bax in this respect.

Whom?

[Florestan]

Whom?

Daniel Steibelt.

[VonStupp]

Gluck
Rameau
Liszt
Billings
Varèse

[Brian]

I finally have my answer. It will disappoint some people but it's honest. I could probably live without music from before about 1650. There are some really incredible one-off instrumental discs from before that date which I love, e.g. the jaw dropping "La Spagna" album on BIS. And some Savall folk dance stuff.

But broadly speaking, since I did not grow up in the Christian tradition or knowing much about it, sacred music has only one dimension for me - aesthetic. And a lot of polyphony, motets, Renaissance, early masses, etc....their aesthetic appeal is "subtle". Much too subtle for my millennial low attention span ears, apparently. So just name five composers from those centuries and I'm covered. Lasso, Tallis, I don't know, name five.

For real?

Hah, that's one of the least weird opinions anyone has posted. This forum's strong leaning for obscure 20th century British romantic music notwithstanding!

Whom?

Grofé

[Karl Henning]

Grofé

Just thinking of (as opposed to actually cuing it up) the clop clop of On the Trail cracks me up.

[Mirror Image]

Yes, indeed. I'll definitely keep trying with Verdi. As for Bach, I think I could learn to like his music more if I didn't want to listen to another composer instead.

A follow-up to this message: earlier today, I bought the Verdi Muti box set.

[(poco) Sforzando]

I finally have my answer. It will disappoint some people but it's honest. I could probably live without music from before about 1650. There are some really incredible one-off instrumental discs from before that date which I love, e.g. the jaw dropping "La Spagna" album on BIS. And some Savall folk dance stuff.

I would not give up on Machaut, Dufay, Ockgehem, Josquin des Prez, Gesualdo, Marenzio, Monteverdi. Talk about jaw-dropping: Monteverdi's Orfeo, Poppea, the Vespers, many of the madrigals. And it's not all sacred.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Daniel Steibelt.

Who?

[The new erato]

I would not give up on Machaut, Dufay, Ockgehem, Josquin des Prez, Gesualdo, Marenzio, Monteverdi. Talk about jaw-dropping: Monteverdi's Orfeo, Poppea, the Vespers, many of the madrigals. And it's not all sacred.

I love this stuff ans I am even a die hard arheist. But as you said, it's not all sacred.

[Jo498]

I love this stuff ans I am even a die hard arheist. But as you said, it's not all sacred.

So you are a Parmenidean who thinks nothing ever flows?

[Jo498]

Mandryka has said before that he's not very keen about LvB, so I wasn't surprised he put him on the list. I can understand putting Scarlatti and Couperin on the list--but how important are they in truth (as opposed to how well known they are)?

I'd say Francois Couperin and D. Scarlatti are the most important keyboard composers of their time after JS Bach and ahead of Rameau and Handel. And Couperin wrote some important church and chamber music as well. They also don't seem as niche (especially Scarlatti who is played a lot on modern piano) than most earlier baroque or pre-baroque composers, so it is IMO more interesting in a way if one doesn't care for them than with great 15th century composers because almost anything before 1600 is considered an acquired taste by many listeners.

[71 dB]

I am practically living without tons of "important" composers meaning I don't have anything from them in my collection of very little (reason being I have never heard anything I like from these composers, so I have zero interest of exploring their music further):

Rossini (his music seems to be the antithesis of my taste  )
Verdi (almost as bad as Rossini)
Paganini (extreme virtuosity alone doesn't make interesting music)
D. Scarlatti (not getting the "hype", but his father's music is very much my cup of tea!)
Messiaen (what is this cacophony?  )

There are many more, but that's five asked.

[The new erato]

So you are a Parmenidean who thinks nothing ever flows?

Still better than ass theist. 😀

[Karl Henning]

I am practically living without tons of "important" composers meaning I don't have anything from them in my collection of very little (reason being I have never heard anything I like from these composers, so I have zero interest of exploring their music further):

Rossini (his music seems to be the antithesis of my taste  )
Verdi (almost as bad as Rossini)
Paganini (extreme virtuosity alone doesn't make interesting music)
D. Scarlatti (not getting the "hype", but his father's music is very much my cup of tea!)
Messiaen (what is this cacophony?  )

There are many more, but that's five asked.

Nice to see you, Poju. Hope you're dong well.

[71 dB]

Have you heard any?

Of course, how else would I know? It is annoying to dislike Verdi, because he is generally praised, but what can I do?

Nice to see you, Poju. Hope you're dong well.

Thanks Karl, I am alive.  0:)

[(poco) Sforzando]

Verdi (almost as bad as Rossini)

What of Verdi have you heard?

[Madiel]

I am practically living without tons of "important" composers meaning I don't have anything from them in my collection of very little (reason being I have never heard anything I like from these composers, so I have zero interest of exploring their music further):

Rossini (his music seems to be the antithesis of my taste  )
Verdi (almost as bad as Rossini)
Paganini (extreme virtuosity alone doesn't make interesting music)
D. Scarlatti (not getting the "hype", but his father's music is very much my cup of tea!)
Messiaen (what is this cacophony?  )

There are many more, but that's five asked.

I applaud you for having a list of composers that actually strike me as fairly important.

[71 dB]

What of Verdi have you heard?

The last work I tried was Requiem. I just don't like his music! The organization of melody/harmony/orchestration just doesn't work for me and it is quite annoying because it seems everyone is "supposed" to worship Verdi.

I applaud you for having a list of composers that actually strike me as fairly important.

I tried... 

[Symphonic Addict]

This forum's strong leaning for obscure 20th century British romantic music notwithstanding!

And is it good or bad?