Best - and Of Course - Worst Wannabe Classical Composers

[Cato]

Both?

Rather grim, pessimistic appraisal!

In spite of their attempts at "crossing over," I do not believe the wannabes are really overwhelming concert programs!

Or am I mistaken?  Are "pop concerts" or other similar types really occurring  more often?

[karlhenning]

... but there's only op6 we have of Corelli.

Paul, I'd like you to meet Harry 

[paulb]

Paul, I'd like you to meet Harry 

Karl
i think I know this guy, Harry, you want me to meet, from over at amazon. . I believe this is the same guy that strongly objected to my opinion over there, that Corelli takesa   back-seat (trunk even) sense of importance to both Bach and Vivaldi, though  both owe a  debt to Corelli.
The guy is a   real Corelli-ite. Rare breed.

Yes Cato I do feel that Elliott Carter represents closeure to that great musical epoch known broadly as Classical Music.
But then last week i heard 3 Youtube live segements of Boulez works. I have the 4 cd set now on wish list, soo order, and will have to wait to see if Boulez INDEED does make CM High Art status.
Based on those 3 clips, i feel Boulez will.
What is outside of Boulez and Carter (still composing at 99 yrs!), you can tag with any label you wish: avant garde, late 20th C instrumental music, transient ambience, "classical-muisc-wanna-bees".
I mean there are people who write music and then there is High Art.
Ligeti is far from anything called High Art. To me its anti-music. I could name dozens of composers who seem to get draged into CM discussion boards.
Lutoslawski/ What is his music? Sure its sound, but will this exist in 100 yrs from now?
I seriously doubt it.
Will KA Hartmann become discovered in 100 yrs from now? I would like to hold a  hope for this.

I know Avro part was a  close friend of Schnittke, but what is Part next tio Schnittke? A nothing -ness.

We all have our opinions, these are mine, which you feel free to disagree respectfully  about.

[PSmith08]

Is it not continuing because you see nobody beyond Boulez to continue it, only a series of Billy Joels invading the concert halls with pseudo-classical music?

While I am known to break out into "The Longest Time" at random times with little to no provocation, it isn't that serious music has stopped. It's still out there. Indeed, there is a lot of very interesting and challenging music being composed. We are, in my opinion, at a strange time in the world of art music, which is to say that we are now post-serialist and post-minimalist, and the diversity of styles and grammars means that we're still sorting out the scene.

[paulb]

While I am known to break out into "The Longest Time" at random times with little to no provocation, it isn't that serious music has stopped. It's still out there. Indeed, there is a lot of very interesting and challenging music being composed. We are, in my opinion, at a strange time in the world of art music, which is to say that we are now post-serialist and post-minimalist, and the diversity of styles and grammars means that we're still sorting out the scene.

oh I'm always open to new composers, new music, There may be other High Art out there other than Boluez. If so I'lll discover it, the music meant for you always finds you.
But frankly I have enough music to see me through to the end. I'll die a  very happy man music-wise. I've always sought the finest of the land, and so have found it.
Beethoven was one who though made an initial impression on me, that was as far as it went. Now if i am driving and have the CM station on , and Beethoven comes on, most likely I'll turn it off. I prefer silence. just had to get that in due   to the topic "all others are inferior to Beethoven".
I'm with Debussy and Ravel in consideration of Beethoven's music.

[lukeottevanger]

If Stravinsky thought highly of Berners (he did, at least at one stage) that's good enough for me. And, playing his stuff through, it becomes clear he can be a fine composer, at least when he wants to be.

[anasazi]

Unfortunate to who? Would it be better if he stopped composing completely? Or if less talented composerd would have scored those movies. I believe Korngold benefitted the world more composing movie scores.

Yes quite.  Let's not overlook that Korngold did not set out to compose music for films.  Jack Warner (head of the Warner Bros. Studio) spent a lot of time (and money) trying to hire Korngold.  What finally did get Korngold to the USA was not entirely Jack Warner, but mostly Adolph Hitler, who ran many excellent musicians out of Europe, often for good.

[The Mad Hatter]

Hello, I'm back briefly once again.

I'm going to throw in my lot for Jonny Greenwood, the guitarist from Radiohead and composer-in-residence for the BBC Concert Orhestra, who has composed a couple of documentary soundtracks for the BBC. Some of his work - as far as I am concerned - ranks very highly alongside the work of most modern composers (and a good deal higher than some). Some more of it is...well...not so good.

I particularly like these tracks from the Bodysong soundtrack: the free jazz-inspired Splitter; Convergence, which sounds like Steve Reich in reverse; and the gorgeous, weird Tehellet.

Much as I dislike him personally, I will also speak in favour of John Williams as the best melodist since Prokofiev, and a very good orchestrator too.

Herrmann was and remains the best of the film scorers, and the level to which he's ignored by music-lovers is appalling.