favorite classical composer?

Its hard to beat Beethoven. Vivaldi and Mozart in a close second.

I think you'll find many on this forum enjoy classical music very much.

What a difficult choice you present, and so many other excellent composers missing.

If I had to choose only one, it would be Chopin. But it's a bit like asking me if I want my arm or my leg cut off.

If you intend to talk about classical music most of the time, though, perhaps you've come to the wrong place? After all, this *is* a Web site specialising in Progressive Rock. But don't let me put you off; as I say, you'll find plenty here who enjoy claasical music, and I'm sure we would like to know all about your interests in Prog Rock too.

 

RAVEL

Ma mère l'oye

Le tombeau de couperin

Pavane

...

... and also:

Saint saens

Rachmaninov

Debussy

 

 

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

 

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

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.

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

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.

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".