favorite classical composer?

Rossinni

Tsjaikovski

Mozart

Orff

With the exception of Carl Orff (Carmina burana) I can't stand the singing parts, so no Opera's for me, just the ouvertures and the music

Wagner, Mahler, Orff, Mussorgsky, some of Dvorak, Schubert, perhaps Verdi.

Mainly things epic and loud, or with big cello bits in, I find.

Fitzcarraldo wrote: I would have loved to hear ELP cover some of Ginastera's compatriot Astor Piazzolla. I reckon an ELP version of Libertango or Adios Nonino would have been excellent...

Hi Fitz, this is César Mendoza.

The closer you may get to that kind of thing is provided by the eponymous debut album of the Argentinian band ALAS (released in 1976 or 77, right away I don't remember exactly) - picture a mixture of ELP-ish power trio sound with RtF-ish jazz fusion, with lots of hints fo Piazzolla, and even some hints of 'One Size Fits All'-era Zappa... and you'll realize what I mean.

Just a suggestion.

This thread is about classical composers. I voted on Tchaikovsly, but I also adore Beethoven, Bach, Prokofiev, Mussorgsky, Grieg, Bartok, Haendel, Chopin, Vivaldi... 

 

I love all the listed ones, and I even worship some of them: but I had only one shot, and my vote went to Tchaikovsky. I just can't resist his crystal clear and determined sense of melody, though at times he may sound a bit corny or "excessively romantic"... I just can't resist it.

And when he became dense, that is, when he wrote his last Symphony, the NO. 6, oh brother, has classical music ever been so sad in the most tormented sense of the word (except for Mov. 3).

I wish I could have voted for them all, but well, Tchaikovsky is the one.

 

I enjoy classical music from time to time, but not too often. I find I lose interest in it if I listen to too much at a time. As a result, I'm not too familiar with who's who etc. I went for Tchaikovsky simply because his "1812 overture" is my favourite piece of classical music.

By the way, there's a good sitcom called "Only fools and horses" over here. When the dimwitted "Trigger" hears some classical music for the first time, he tells Delboy it's "a karaoke version".

Maybe it would be more interesting to talk about favorite peaces of classical music : My top 5 (at the moment)

1. Bruch:Violin Concerto No1

2.Prokoviev:Piano Concerto No3 In C Major

3.Bruckner :Symphony No7 in Emajor

4. Mahler : Symphony No 10

5. Shostakovich :Jazz Waltzs

One that I always find meself returning to is the ever popular Rodrigo Concerto Of Aranjuez.I like the atmospheric Cor Anglaise which complements the classical guitar so well.

HEY!....WHY WASN'T FALCO ON THIS LIST?

I like a lot the early 20th century english composers like Vaughan Williams, Holst and Finzi. I especially like their vocal works, mainly folksong arrangements and church music. I find a lot of their work in the way groups like Genesis and Gentle Giant arrange their vocals.Check out the operas of VW, they are really beautiful.

Well as an ELP fan, you can tell who my favorites are gonna be... I prefer Prokofiev and Aaron Copland.  Then I'm pretty partial to Mussorsky, Bartok, Janacek and Ginastera.  Other than those.. I like Dvorak and Smetana.

I have to say tho that I was a fan of both Prokofiev and Coplands long before I heard ELP...  as a kid "Peter and the Wolf" was a favorite of mine... and Copland's "Appalachian Spring" was what I used to soothe me to sleep at night.  A truly beautiful piece...

Edited by threefates

It's good to see Messaien included in one of these polls. Every progger should listen to his music - and read up on it so you understand what's going on, because the background is as fascinating as the music is cool.

I particularly enjoy the French pianist/composer Didier Squiban, whose solo piano music is a kind of cross between Debussy, Poulenc, lounge bar jazz, Celtic Bretagne music and even snippets of Tony Banks (a la "Firth of Fifth").

I also like Liszt, Tartini, Elizabethan madrigals and 15th century lute music , and, as a trained pianist, I enjoy playing Chopin, Scriabin, Joplin and 19th century music hall.

...and the rest