Who is the third greatest classical composer?
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Topic: Who is the third greatest classical composer?
Posted By: FatherChristmas
Subject: Who is the third greatest classical composer?
Date Posted: August 12 2020 at 11:57
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Mozart and Beethoven are widely recognised as the two greatest classical* composers of all time, but who is the/is there a third? I'm asking this because I used to think Wagner was the third, but I've been doing some research and I found there are people who are arguing for Haydn and Bach, and some who are saying it's just Mozart and Beethoven, so I'm a bit confused.  *Yes, I know Beethoven was in the Romantic period, I mean"classical" as in not popular music. ------------- "Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence" - Robert Fripp "I am an anti-Christ" - Johnny Rotten |
Replies:
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: August 12 2020 at 12:04
| Whoever you want it to be. |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: August 12 2020 at 12:13
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First, you are relying on a false premise. I have never seen a critical list of composers that didn't have J.S. Bach as the greatest of all time or was at least top 3. Do a Google search. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: Shadowyzard
Date Posted: August 12 2020 at 12:25
| Among the "big names", I'd say Handel can be him. Actually he is my second favourite, after Beethoven. |
Posted By: Jaketejas
Date Posted: August 12 2020 at 15:08
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I'm with Dark Elf on this. Mozart and Beethoven both had great difficulty wrapping their heads around J.S. Bach's fugues. Handel is way up the list, too, but Bach is typically rated number one. Some others I really like are Domenico Scarlatti (who wrote a bazillion sonatas ... Sonata in A being my favorite) and Muzio Clementi, a brilliant pianist who competed with Mozart. They say Mozart won, but I'm not sure if that was just because he was more brazen (the squeaky wheel gets the grease). Clementi's pieces are absolutely beautiful. |
Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: August 12 2020 at 15:39
Philip Glass has always been my numero uno classical composer. He's one of the few classical composers who's still composing, as opposed to decomposing. 
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Posted By: Shadowyzard
Date Posted: August 12 2020 at 18:00
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There are also awesome stuff from less known or obscure composers. I always take delight in exploring the Classical territories. (Dvorak is very well known, of course. But not seen as one of the "giants", I guess.) |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: August 12 2020 at 19:24
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I place Bach as my favorite because the Brandenburg Concertos are simply sublime and my favorite pieces......then Mozart, Beethoven, etc...
------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: Mortte
Date Posted: August 12 2020 at 21:51
| My fav is Sibelius. |
Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: August 13 2020 at 03:57
Sorry, but not true. The composer who is widely regarded as the greatest of all time is Johann Sebastian Bach. Do a survey among classical musicians, conductors and composers, and Bach will always win by a wide margin. It will be a photo finish for second place between Mozart and Beethoven that usually Beethoven wins. Just read this: https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/johann-sebastian-bach-named-greatest-composer-of-all-time-38644485.html" rel="nofollow - https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/johann-sebastian-bach-named-greatest-composer-of-all-time-38644485.html Or this: https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/23/arts/music/23composers.html" rel="nofollow - https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/23/arts/music/23composers.html As to Beethoven: His early works are in the style of Viennese classicism. His latter works are in the style of romanticism.
-------------  BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
FatherChristmas wrote:Posted By: FatherChristmas
Date Posted: August 13 2020 at 04:05
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Well, actually, that's a bit of a relief for me, since Bach and Elgar are my favourites. ------------- "Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence" - Robert Fripp "I am an anti-Christ" - Johnny Rotten |
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: August 13 2020 at 04:24
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my wife already explained it well. I am a classically trained pianist
myself, and I always start the day with playing a prelude and fugue of
Bach. I have a soft spot for the works of Carlo Gesualdo; you might like him. he killed his wife and her lover when he surprised them in bed, but since he was a nobleman he got away with it. but he regretted it deeply and spent the rest of his life writing wonderfully sad madrigals in repentance. but listen for yourself: -------------  A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: August 16 2020 at 15:57
Typically Bach is considered number three.
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Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: August 16 2020 at 15:59
| Ok, I guess I'm wrong then. If Bach is number that's fine by me. He wrote some of the best music ever. |