Comparing Composers

[Teresa]

Nice looking manuscript. I was always envious of people who had the ability to create good-looking scores by hand. My manuscript was never very neat.

Thanks very much for your kind comments.  However I would gladly trade neatness for more talent and to be more prolific.  I am not a very good composer. 

[Saul]

Thanks very much for your kind comments.  However I would gladly trade neatness for more talent and to be more prolific.  I am not a very good composer.

Why don't you post something here and let the wolves attack? I'm sure they are sharpening their teeth as we speak...

[Teresa]

Why don't you post something here and let the wolves attack? I'm sure they are sharpening their teeth as we speak...

I use pencil and manuscript paper I have not learned how to put my music on the computer yet, any pointers?  It would be a good way to experiment with new sounds I cannot duplicate on my keyboard or guitar.

[Scarpia]

I stand on no pedastal.  I just refuse to jump in the pigswill.

And what do you call this?

[mc ukrneal]

This thread reminds me of this (I cannot get it out of my head): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teMlv3ripSM&feature=related

[Saul]

This thread reminds me of this (I cannot get it out of my head): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teMlv3ripSM&feature=related

As I stated before, any composer today that can write classical music that follows the rules and traditions of classical music and doesn't compose atonal BS 12 pain headache music such as Schoenberg and his gang, is way superior then any of them beginning with Prokofiev until the latest atonal gatherer of banal sounds.

That was the entire reason of this thread, not to showcase my work, though it somehow happened, that was not the original intention.
I have nothing else to add to this thread, because it was hijacked by those who can't stand a different position in things, and therefore resort to personal attacks. Lots of maturity is still needed in order to discuss things here in a normal manner.

[Sid]

Saul, to paraphrase Sibelius, "don't worry what the critics say, nobody has put up a statue for a critic." Just keep on doing what you're doing. It's easy for others to criticise, when we haven't seen any of their compositions here or elsewhere. You're a brave person to weather the flack & expose yourself like this. Good on you.

[Teresa]

...I find Prokofiev's orchestral output more appealing than his chamber and solo instrumental works.

I'm an orchestral man. I enjoy symphonies, ballets, concerti, symphonic poems, etc. This is what I get the most enjoyment out of. There aren't many chamber works that I enjoy. I spend my time listening to music I enjoy, not what somebody else deems acceptable.

What drives me to any composer's music is the music's emotional content and my own intellectual curiosity.

A man after my own heart  Prokofiev is one of my very favorite composers and yes the orchestral works from the Scythian Suite, Lieutenant Kijé, Romeo And Juliet to the Piano Concertos and Symphonies.  I wonder if Saul knows Prokofiev's Symphony No. 1 "Classical" is in the style of Haydn?

[Luke]

Saul, to paraphrase Sibelius, "don't worry what the critics say, nobody has put up a statue for a critic." Just keep on doing what you're doing. It's easy for others to criticise, when we haven't seen any of their compositions here or elsewhere. You're a brave person to weather the flack & expose yourself like this. Good on you.

Then 'we' haven't been looking very carefully. Plenty of my stuff here and elsewhere, plenty of Karl's stuff here and elsewhere too.

[Teresa]

As I stated before, any composer today that can write classical music that follows the rules and traditions of classical music and doesn't compose atonal BS 12 pain headache music such as Schoenberg and his gang, is way superior then any of them beginning with Prokofiev until the latest atonal gatherer of banal sounds.

That was the entire reason of this thread...

I thought the reason for this thread was to compare how one likes different composers?  Your first post provided YouTubes of Bach's Double Violin Concerto and Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2.  You liked the Bach, I and others liked the Rachmaninov.  Nothing wrong with that. 

FYI Rachmaninov NEVER wrote atonal music and I have heard most of his compositions and have never heard any dissonance.  The ONLY rule I know Rachmaninov broke was the use of parallel octaves in his Prelude in C# Minor.

[Luke]

Teresa, just FYi, there's plenty of dissonance in Rachmaninov. There's plenty in Bach and Mozart too, dissonance makes the world go round, musically speaking. Use of dissonance doens't make a composer atonal - you're right that Rachmaninov was never atonal, of course. Also FYI, parallel octaves (the rule) are to do with part-writing; parallel octaves (the keyboard technique, to double a melody at the octave as Rachmaninov does in the C sharp minor Prelude and in almost every other piece too) are nothing to do with that and are not a rule-infringement at all

[Que]

Discussion on Saul's own compositions has been transported to Saul's music space.

Q

[(poco) Sforzando]

Why don't you post something here and let the wolves attack? I'm sure they are sharpening their teeth as we speak...

That's nonsense, Saul. If you're going to proclaim your own work superior to that of several recognized composers, and if on examination it proves amateurish, you can't act surprised if people aren't going to point out the weaknesses. You seem to take the attitude that the only valid reaction to your pieces is fawning praise. Greg here on the other hand, who seems to me considerably more talented, is always open to learning what others have to say and that strikes me as a good sign.

When Stockhausen first met Stravinsky and the two were discussing the younger man's work, Stockhausen's first request was, "Tell me what you don't like."

[karlhenning]

Discussion on Saul's own compositions has been transported to Saul's music space.

Q

Thank you!

[karlhenning]

Saul, to paraphrase Sibelius, "don't worry what the critics say, nobody has put up a statue for a critic." Just keep on doing what you're doing. It's easy for others to criticise, when we haven't seen any of their compositions here or elsewhere. You're a brave person to weather the flack & expose yourself like this. Good on you.

It isn't often that one sees such warm public support for incompetence.

BP want to bring you onto their PR team!

(Of course, it's no great reflection on you that you mistake this, erm, 'performance' of Saul's for "bravery.")

[Saul]

Saul, to paraphrase Sibelius, "don't worry what the critics say, nobody has put up a statue for a critic." Just keep on doing what you're doing. It's easy for others to criticise, when we haven't seen any of their compositions here or elsewhere. You're a brave person to weather the flack & expose yourself like this. Good on you.

Thank you Sid, your support is very appreciated.

You're right, even Schubert was called an Amateur and Bernstein famously said that Beethoven was a terrible orchestrator, and Schumann was criticized for having too little education in music theory.

Yes, the critics if they so choose to, can destroy the greats and exalt the banalists, its all a matter of choise.



God bless...

[(poco) Sforzando]

You're right, even Schubert was called an Amateur and Bernstein famously said that Beethoven was a terrible orchestrator, and Schumann was criticized for having too little education in music theory.

Yes, the critics if they so choose to, can destroy the greats and exalt the banalists, its all a matter of choise.

In other words:

"The great composers have always been criticized.
Saul has been criticized.
Therefore Saul is a great composer."

[karlhenning]

How fondly one imagines that adverse criticism could not possibly be apt ; )

[Scarpia]

You don't get it gentlemen.  As you try to put Saul in his place, so the speak, the only thing that registers with him is that you have left off discussing discussing Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner, Bartok, Shostakovich, Stravinsky, to discuss his music.  Of course, given that he is such a towering genius, your petty criticisms are as absurd as Teresa's criticisms of Mozart.   If you really want to put Saul in his place, discuss something else on this board!!!!

[Scarpia]

Another thought, does anyone remember the phrase "the drivel he calls his music." 

I wonder what has become of Robert Antacki, the proto-Mozart of a precursor to this board.  Are his works being performed by the Vienna Philharmonic, and if not why?