Who is "greater," Bach or Beethoven?

[greg]

Just like the one with Brahms vs. Bach.
I'll explain why I made this poll later, because if I did now, I might accidentally influence votes.

[The Diner]

Sorry, Bach. You helped lead the way but you were not the summit. 

[mahler10th]

Just like the one with Brahms vs. Bach.
I'll explain why I made this poll later, because if I did now, I might accidentally influence votes.

I have decided to occidentally influence votes here and now!
BEETHOVEN
I hope all are suitably influenced. 

[greg]

And also, make sure to vote in terms of "greatness" (whatever that means), and not personal taste. But if they happen to be the same, cool.

[Bogey]

[some guy]

Where's the "Neither" button???

Neither is "greater." They're different.

"Who is greater" is for sports fans, eh? (And in this case, it isn't even two players at the same position on rival teams, it's a shooting guard on a basketball team and a pitcher on a baseball team. They're not even trying to do comparable things.)

[Antoine Marchand]

Bach. I would bet my immortal soul. That's the strength of my conviction about this.

[mc ukrneal]

Again, absolutely no contest .. no one can compare to Bach in music, despite the result of any stupid poll here. Period. If you don't realize that, than you don't know much. And even though Brahms to some degree built on the formal innovations of Beethoven, he was far better!! (more well-rounded musically and minus any of the daft attention seeking melodrama that LvB loved to wallow in)

I was wondering, if we put aside our feelings and opinions about the music itself (the subjective stuff), are there any objective reasons for picking one or the other and what are they? Was either innovative in the use of music or new approaches/combinations? Did either have an impact on the existing generation or subsequent generations? Did either help other composers advance their craft? ETC...  This would be interesting for me to disuss. I am somewhat familar with the answers to those questions with Beethoven, but I really could not say very much on Bach. For me, if I were to vote, these issues would be of far greater importance than whether I liked a particular piece or not.

[greg]

[Brian]

Where's the "Neither" button???

Neither is "greater." They're different.

"Who is greater" is for sports fans, eh? (And in this case, it isn't even two players at the same position on rival teams, it's a shooting guard on a basketball team and a pitcher on a baseball team. They're not even trying to do comparable things.)

I'll help you out with that analogy.

Who is greater: Mickey Mantle or Michael Jordan?

[Antoine Marchand]

Who is greater: Mickey Mantle or Michael Jordan?

Easy, Michael Jordan. 

[The Diner]

And also, make sure to vote in terms of "greatness" (whatever that means), and not personal taste. But if they happen to be the same, cool.

It's all personal taste.

[Antoine Marchand]

Easy, Michael Jordan. 

BTW, I don't know anything about baseball, just excepting some favorite movies like "The Natural" and "Major League":

http://www.youtube.com/v/CL34mQTB5kI

[Marc]

BTW, I don't know anything about baseball, just excepting some favorite movies like "The Natural" and "Major League":

Well, neither Bach nor Beethoven can beat this one:

http://www.youtube.com/v/suoDWoLU9e8

[Opus106]

I have the best (same as 'great') solution: Michael Jordan playing Baseball -- or not.

http://www.youtube.com/v/JAiJpurX5Mo

[Antoine Marchand]

Series tied again: 

[Opus106]

Series tied again: 

Not so quickly, Antoine. Jordan played professional baseball, albeit for a short while.

[Antoine Marchand]

Well, neither Bach nor Beethoven can beat this one:

No doubt, sir.

http://www.youtube.com/v/z6Ia2Hd_IvM

[Antoine Marchand]

Not so quickly, Antoine. Jordan played professional baseball, albeit for a short while.

Have you read my signature, Opus? As Mallarmé said "everything in the world exists in order to end up in a collectible card". 

[Opus106]

Have you read my signature, Opus? As Mallarmé said "everything in the world exists in order to end up in a collectible card". 

And quite a visionary she was.

http://www.youtube.com/v/t-hupiwCFkg