Your Desert Island Era în Classical Music

[Florestan]

For the proverbial desert island you are allowed to take as many recordings as you want, on the sole condition that the music belong to one and the same era (eg, Baroque). Which one would you choose and why?

[Jo498]

Classical. Even if Schubert is not included it would have 3 of my top 6 composers, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and I would get some nice stuff by Gluck, Boccherini, Bach sons etc. although little of the latter would be desert island material without this restriction. If Schubert counted as well, it would be 4 of my top 6, so even better.
I never thought of Beethoven as "romantic" but if he would not be included, I'd chose romantic rather than miss Beethoven in favor of the 2 others.

[Karl Henning]

20^th Century. A critical mass of composers I "could not live without," and ample reference to prior eras. 

[DavidW]

Modern.  The thing about 20th century is that the music from that time has a variety of different styles and expressions living together.  It has by far the most variety, a little of something for everyone.  Any other era would be a recipe for boredom.

[Daverz]

I seem to recall there was a similar thread.

For me it would probably be the first half of the 20th Century.

[prémont]

Early music, and if further specification is necessary I am forced to say Baroque.

[(poco) Sforzando]

I'll go with Romanticism, so long as we can include Beethoven among the Romantics (even though he's not).

[DaveF]

Early music, and if further specification is necessary I am forced to say Baroque.

I think it may be, since "Early Music" seems to cover the 650 years from the Notre Dame school to the sons of Bach (Can I therefore have "Classical" as defined by the average streaming platform - that's everything from Gregorian Chant to Dobrinka Tabakova?).

Serious thread duty - 20th century for me, despite severe pain at losing Byrd, Josquin and early Monteverdi

[springrite]

I seem to recall there was a similar thread.

For me it would probably be the first half of the 20th Century.

That'd be the same for me!

[San Antone]

I think it may be, since "Early Music" seems to cover the 650 years from the Notre Dame school to the sons of Bach (Can I therefore have "Classical" as defined by the average streaming platform - that's everything from Gregorian Chant to Dobrinka Tabakova?).

Serious thread duty - 20th century for me, despite severe pain at losing Byrd, Josquin and early Monteverdi

I think early music goes back before the Notre Dame school, chant dates from before the 9th century, then the troubadours/trouvères (some of my favorite music), before your get to Léonin and Pérotin. 

Those 9th-14th centuries are probably my favorite, with Machaut being among my most favorite composers.  After that, the 20th century, not those post-romantic composers in the early decades, but from 1945 through today's composers.

[foxandpeng]

... the 20th century, not those post-romantic composers in the early decades, but from 1945 through today's composers.

Mostly what San Antone said, in the captured quote ^^^^ ... modern/contemporary forms 99% of my listening

[steve ridgway]

Modern.  The thing about 20th century is that the music from that time has a variety of different styles and expressions living together.  It has by far the most variety, a little of something for everyone.  Any other era would be a recipe for boredom.

What he said. Plus I like to know how the story ends .

[atardecer]

I would take Baroque because of Bach, his music is most essential to me. Otherwise my choice would be the first half of the 20th century. I think there is more than one 'era' in the 20th century often classified as 'Modern' and 'Post-modern'. I equate the early part of the 20th century as a golden age of music making, the second half as a more fragmented, experimental and less inspired time, lots of experiments without any particular dominant sense of direction.  There is still some music I like from the latter era, which is maybe (hopefully) in its dying stages now.

[prémont]

I think there is more than one 'era' in the 20th century often classified as 'Modern' and 'Post-modern'. I equate the early part of the 20th century as a golden age of music making, the second half as a more fragmented, experimental and less inspired time, lots of experiments without any particular dominant sense of direction. 

Well put.

[Florestan]

Thank you for the interesting replies.

I'll take Classical for several reasons.

1. First and foremost, Mozart. It would pain me to part with any of my favorite composers, but living on a desert island without Mozart would be inconceivable.

2. As a bonus, I get Haydn and Beethoven (sorry, @(poco) Sforzando, his career falls squarely within the Classical era) and, depending on the accepted chronology, even Schubert and Rossini.

3. A stellar cast of operatic composers, most prominently Gluck, Cimarosa, Paisiello, Salieri, Cherubini.

4. A superb array of composers of instrumental music, most prominently C. P. E. Bach, Joh. Christian Bach, Michael Haydn, Boccherini, Dittersdorf, Myslivecek, Vanhal, Kraus, Viotti, Clementi, Dussek, Hummel.

5. A huge variety of genres and forms, including some which were specific to the era: sinfonia concertante, Harmoniemusik, concert aria.

6. Performance-centered, audience-friendly music, composed specifically for being enjoyed here and now, not as a sacred text to be venerated and hermeneutically analyzed independent of its performance and enjoyment. Perfect for both a sunny and a rainy day on a desert island.

7. Music devoid of the neurosis and solipsism which were to engulf it at later times. Perfect to lift the spirits of a desert island dweller.

[prémont]

Reminds me of the old question: Do we listen to music for entertainment or for mental restitution. These two things may sometimes overlap but not always.

[DavidW]

the second half as a more fragmented, experimental and less inspired time, lots of experiments without any particular dominant sense of direction.  There is still some music I like from the latter era, which is maybe (hopefully) in its dying stages now.

It is odd how you take an obvious strength and then portray it as a weakness.  I mean how many of you honestly say that you like the classical era but then don't listen to anyone other than Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven because they all sound the same to you?  And you can say otherwise but we all know from the listening thread it is just Que and Dave regularly exploring the era.

The time we are in now where everyone can find their own path and their own voice free of the shackles of the homogeneity that inevitably creeps in with any other era is awesome and I would never, ever, ever want it to die. 

[Florestan]

how many of you honestly say that you like the classical era but then don't listen to anyone other than Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven because they all sound the same to you?  And you can say otherwise but we all know from the listening thread it is just Que and Dave regularly exploring the era.

You're wrong, my friend. If anything, @Que is a Baroque guy. And yours truly is just as committed a Classical guy as Dave ( @SonicMan46 ) is indeed, witness my posting history, the latest of which is an hour ago or so; oh, and please adduce the post where I claimed that Classical era composers other than Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven all sound the same. Now, you really pissed me off, you know!      

[Christo]

The 20th century, esp. the middle of it.

[Karl Henning]

I'll go with Romanticism, so long as we can include Beethoven among the Romantics (even though he's not).

(* chortle *)