Favorite French Composers Poll

[71 dB]

They are popular among people that count, I.E., academics, musicians and other composers.

If only those people listened to classical music it wouldn't sell much... 

[BachQ]

How to increase Taneyev releases? Well, by demanding them, telling the companies they'd make good money releasing them.

Highly effective strategy ........ How could it possibly fail?

[Don]

Highly effective strategy ........ How could it possibly fail?

Right. 71dB would simply present the companies with his market studies showing that their profit margins would go up by at least 2% if each of them put out 1 Taneyev disc per annum. 

[Kullervo]

IIIIII WANT MYYYY TANNYYYYEEEEEEV...

[Norb]

Berlioz
Fauré
Debussy
Satie
Ravel

[Don]

IIIIII WANT MYYYY TANNYYYYEEEEEEV...

Actually, Taneyev is faring pretty well in the record market.  Chandos has recorded all the four symphonies, one of them twice; I hear that Naxos also plans on recording them.  Naxos has embarked on a cycle of the nine string quartets, and Northern Flowers has all of them available.  Not long ago, an all-star lineup of performers put out a Taneyev chamber music disc on DG - and there's plenty more.  I'm well satisfied.

[ChamberNut]

Yes! DeBussy has pulled ahead of Ravel 

[Ten thumbs]

Pourquoi? we were discussing Debussy.

Agreed, but he is not alone amongst the French greats and I don't see Taneiev up there in this poll.

[Josquin des Prez]

If only those people listened to classical music it wouldn't sell much... 

Classical music doesn't sell a lot, not if compared to pop. Try again.

[71 dB]

Classical music doesn't sell a lot, not if compared to pop. Try again.

It's nice you keep pointing out errors by others. Some classical CDs sell well. Pop music is another thing, sold by massive marketing, brainwashing and mental images. Underground music usually sells less than classic, say 1000 copies while an averige Naxos release sells 20.000 copies. Everything is relative...

I mean if only "music people" bought classical music it would sell even less! I am not a scholar but I buy classical music. Satisfied?

[Lilas Pastia]

Couperin, Berlioz, Bizet, Milhaud and Tournemire. Doesn't leave much place for other favourites  . In round two I'd go for Pierné, Ropartz, Massenet, Honegger and Ravel.

[Lilas Pastia]

Regarding the french non-French: Honegger was Swiss, but he lived most of his life in Paris and was a French citizen. Belgian composers: Belgium as such is a recent creation (1815). It was even part of France for a while (under Boney). And most composers identified as belgians lived and worked in Paris most of their life. How about Honorary French Composers ?

[Grazioso]

Other worthy additions: Farrenc (one of the few notable women composers of her time), Onslow (late Classical/early Romantic and finally getting his due), Francaix (a miniaturist whose music is Gallic to the core).

[westknife]

At the risk of seeming a philistine, I'll admit that French is by far my least favorite of the major nationalities of classical music—I would almost always rather be listening to Austro-German, Eastern European, Russian, Italian, English, American, or Scandinavian music. Then again, I'm a relatively new classical music fan (only a few years now). I'm warming up to Debussy, I guess. Perhaps I'll come around some day.

[eyeresist]

Lalo didn't make the list, I notice.  I really like his piano concerto, but no-one else seems to have heard of it.

[Grazioso]

Lalo didn't make the list, I notice.  I really like his piano concerto, but no-one else seems to have heard of it.

A pleasant but little-known symphony, as well:

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Debussy
Berlioz
Saint-Saëns
Ravel
Massenet

[vandermolen]

Sauguet
Damase
Tournemire
Honegger
Durufle

[Brian]

My 2008 answer:

Berlioz
Saint-Saëns
Franck
Bizet
Ravel

My 2016 answer:

Berlioz
Fauré
Ravel
Poulenc
Other: Roussel

[San Antone]

Machaut
Debussy
Poulenc
Durufle
Dusapin