Composers you don't like

[Karl Henning]

Wisdom!

[ibanezmonster]

As a great man once said, "There is plenty left to be said in C major."

B Major is a completely different story, though.

[Christo]

I mean how people here actually like Bernstein's Kaddish or Tippett's Symphony No. 3?

Here's one at least. 

[Josquin des Prez]

Personally, the most perplexing aspect of the dislike some people display towards Sibelius is in their excessive level of irrational hatred they direct towards the composer, which seems disproportionate based on whatever faults they perceive in his music. Its not just a question of not liking the music, or the style, there's something about Sibelius that just offends those people. A good example is Theodore Adorno.

Luckily for me, those are people whom i despise in the first place, so i have no reason to give the slightest amount of weight or credibility to their opinion.

[Lethevich]

Personally, the most perplexing aspect of the dislike some people display towards Sibelius is in their excessive level of irrational hatred they direct towards the composer, which seems disproportionate based on whatever faults they perceive in his music. Its not just a question of not liking the music, or the style, there's something about Sibelius that just offends those people. A good example is Theodore Adorno.

Luckily for me, those are people whom i despise in the first place, so i have no reason to give the slightest amount of weight or credibility to their opinion.

That hasn't applied for decades, though. It used to be the "cool" position to trash anything that had tonal melodies, but Sibelius has found himself a cushy middle ground where nowadays pretty much everybody likes him. He has the tunes for the dinosaurs, and the "sublimity" and craft for the aesthetically obsessed.

[Brian]

And I don't believe Beethoven represent Humanity better than Sibelius. He represents himself, an overtly passionate self who is perhaps easier for listeners to identify with than a cool, self-isolating personality like Sibelius.

Another example of different listeners hearing different things. I tend to agree with you, but I don't know that Beethoven is often "overly passionate" - he can sometimes be fairly cagey. My mother, on the other hand, does not hear "Beethoven being Beethoven" in (m)any of his works - she hears a composer consistently trying to represent Humanity and write universal music, and masking his own identity in the process.

Just throwing that out there.

[vandermolen]

I never really got on with Richard Strauss - especially works like Ein Heldenleben.  Gottschalk is another one I never really appreciated, also Nicholas Maw.  I'm sure that this is my loss but there it is. I much prefer the composers who were apparently influenced by Richard Strauss (Novak, Bantock for example) than by Richard Strauss's own music. I do quite like Till Eulenspiegel however.

[Josquin des Prez]

I couldn't get Strauss either. Then i listened to the Metamorphosen by Klemperer, and it somehow begun to grow on me. Strauss is like a Wagnerian classicist. The harmony, form and orchestration is the very definition of charm and Viennese refinement. He doesn't shatter your soul with every gesture, like a Mahler, he's just a very consummate craftsman.

[starrynight]

Another example of different listeners hearing different things. I tend to agree with you, but I don't know that Beethoven is often "overly passionate" - he can sometimes be fairly cagey. My mother, on the other hand, does not hear "Beethoven being Beethoven" in (m)any of his works - she hears a composer consistently trying to represent Humanity and write universal music, and masking his own identity in the process.

Not sure if Beethoven is actually trying to represent humanity in a general sense normally, but that might be how some people want to interpret his work (based on the 9th symphony I suppose).  His music can have a heroic sound to it with grand gestures but that is a feature of that period I think and perhaps something that grew out of the classical period.

[Josquin des Prez]

Another example of different listeners hearing different things. I tend to agree with you, but I don't know that Beethoven is often "overly passionate" - he can sometimes be fairly cagey. My mother, on the other hand, does not hear "Beethoven being Beethoven" in (m)any of his works - she hears a composer consistently trying to represent Humanity and write universal music, and masking his own identity in the process.

Just throwing that out there.

I'm sorry, but she's completely mistaken. Beethoven is the very definition of a composer who put himself and nothing but himself in the music.

[Madiel]

I disagree. I think Sibelius' music leaves many questions unanswered, like, for example, what is he being so quiet about? The question that I continue to struggle with is "what is it about his music that I'm not responding to?" This is really the question that has plagued with several composers. There are so many people who do enjoy Sibelius that it makes me wonder sometimes why can't I get into it too?

Hmm. Hang on, am I right in remembering that you also couldn't get into Holmboe either?

Because to me they are quite similar composers, and I think I like them for much the same reasons. So whatever it is I do respond to might be the very thing that you're not responding to!

[starrynight]

More people like Sibelius than like Holmboe, including me.

[vandermolen]

I couldn't get Strauss either. Then i listened to the Metamorphosen by Klemperer, and it somehow begun to grow on me. Strauss is like a Wagnerian classicist. The harmony, form and orchestration is the very definition of charm and Viennese refinement. He doesn't shatter your soul with every gesture, like a Mahler, he's just a very consummate craftsman.

Thanks - I must listen to  Metamorphosen.

[Brian]

Thanks - I must listen to  Metamorphosen.

I'm in the same boat as Josquin: I am not a keen Strauss listener, but Metamorphosen is a piece I do cherish, along with the Four Last Songs. I just looked through my listening logs for 2010, 2011, and 2012: only 18 listens in those years, and 9 of them were either Metamorphosen or the Four Last Songs.

[eyeresist]

R Strauss usually bores me stupid (though some might opine that's a short distance to cover). I lasted about 2 minutes into Salome.

[vandermolen]

R Strauss usually bores me stupid (though some might opine that's a short distance to cover). I lasted about 2 minutes into Salome.

This is my usual reaction but I know that my brother likes 'Four Last Songs' and I shall listen to Metamorphosen.

[Christo]

I never really got on with Richard Strauss - especially works like Ein Heldenleben.  ... I much prefer the composers who were apparently influenced by Richard Strauss (Novak, Bantock for example) than by Richard Strauss's own music. I do quite like Till Eulenspiegel however.

Exactly my position too, including the only piece by him that I happen to like. But you know that. 

[Winky Willy]

Worst composer who is also fat?

[Mirror Image]

Looking back at my comments, how could I say some of the things that I did about Sibelius?!?!? I mean really WTF?!?!? Anyway, let me say that I suppose during that time I was suffering quite a Sibelius drought and then I put on Symphony No. 6 all of these sudden doubts I had completely washed away. The man was an outstanding composer.

[North Star]

Looking back at my comments, how could I say some of the things that I did about Sibelius?!?!? I mean really WTF?!?!? Anyway, let me say that I suppose during that time I was suffering quite a Sibelius drought and then I put on Symphony No. 6 all of these sudden doubts I had completely washed away. The man was an outstanding composer.

Excellent, John - I was slightly amazed by your opinion on him before. He's like no-one else, but fits right in with your other favourites.

Perhaps Mahler has helped, too. (although they're completely different composers)
Coincidentally, that's the one symphony I haven't 'got' yet. Must try again soon.

Here's what Menuhin said about his visit to Ainola in 1955. (sorry about the poor translation by yours truely)

"I was in luck, as he wasn't drunk. Apparently, he drank a lot, but he was sober when we met, and very friendly and hospitable.It was a beautiful fall day and we sat on the porch. He was a relaxed old-timer, at peace with himself.
I was startled when he asked me "who is the greatest composer of the century". He himself was a candidate, and it would have been impolite to name someone else. Luckily, he got me out of trouble by saying that he thought it was Bartók. This pleased me, for I had known Bartók and value him greatly."
http://www.sibelius.fi/suomi/ainola/muistoja_muusikoita.html