What is your favourite composer?

[Corno Dolce]

You forgot coriander !!! You must never eat your tomato without it !
Anyway, your pizza will be ready and delivered within 30 minutes, if not, is free of charge (I'm not Spiderman....)

Rats!!! I forgot Coriander

Oh well, there will always be somedays when one forgets to put one's thinking cap on...

[Railton2]

I don't listen to so much classical. But I love listning to film score's of John Williams, which is also kind of classical music

[Teo]

This is rather like asking a mother with 12 children which is her favorite.
I can't choose a "favorite" composer, nor can I choose a favorite work by any particular composer,or a favorite,conductor,violinist,pianist,cellist,horn player, or opera singer etc.

I loooove how argumentative to the question you are Superhorn!

You give me an approach to answer this question, since I have the same problem with the question that you brought up.

I get a great LONGING TO BE HOME from Chopin. Remembering his Poland. Also surviving (TB? Whatever he had). Beethoven I get the feeling of surviving things like an abusive father, all the health problems he had including deafness and not only surviving but shining and even creating "Ode To Joy" in the darkest times.

For bringing gypsy music to the symphony and piano concerto: Abbe Franz Liszt is my hero. He also transcribed LBV's symphonies for piano - which allows me to love Beethoven for symphonic prowess as well.

For roots rudaments I love Bach and Handl, but that's just because I have some of their scores to play. Diabeli and Scarlotti I enjoy for that too.

For romantic piano I always have to love Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Schumann and Clara Weick-Schumann.

If there were one composer I could take on a deserted Island it'd be a hard choice between Chopin and Liszt though, now that I think of it Schubert and LVB would be possibilities too.. and I don't mean to leave out Mo (Mozart), and I've started Spanish composers now, Falla, Sarasate, Lalo but what I'm getting at is this:

There COULD be a favorite for a specific thing. This would likely change as I'm exposed to others though. Great question though! Love racking my brain for which is the fave! Thanks googols Johnny!
-Teom

[Pacific 231]

Mahler, Richard Strauss (Specially orchestral works), Sibelius and Wagner, the main composers in my mind. But it does not mean I do not like the others.

[zacharygriver]

My favorite composer, Franz Liszt, and I have played many of his compositions, and I hope to play everything as Leslie Howard.

[White Knight]

As one of my fellow forum members so aptly pointed out in his post, it is very hard--if not impossible--to pick just one or two names from the great pantheon of classical composers. I would put it like this: among my favorites I would include Maurice Ravel for his piece "Bolero" which for me is one of the most riveting and exciting works ever written due to his innovative use of dynamics with the ever increasing and building crescendo with which the piece ultimately climaxes. Not being a trained musician, I hope I expressed his technique and its effects correctly; my apologies in advance to any other MIMF members reading this if I have erred in my usage of musical terms or concepts.

[Soubasse]

I agree with most others here in that picking ONE is nigh on impossible. However, having said that, I've noticed with no small amount of interest that when pondering this very question, I'll tend to look backwards through the eras of Music History (ie, 20th Century, Romantic, Classical, Baroque, Renaissance, Medieval, Ancient) and I tend to work my through in a circular motion (hope that makes sense!). More often than not, I find that my aim still falls on the man who so perfectly bridged the gap from Classical to Romantic - Ludwig van Beethoven. For me, there are still few who come close to him in terms of mastery (and thoroughness) of compositional technique coupled with emotional depth, the latter of which paved the way for the Romantic and 20th Century "giants" to follow.

However, I should at least respect each era and note that I have definite favourites from each:
Medieval -Hildegard, Machaut
Renaissance - Tallis, Victoria
Baroque - JSB of course, Corelli, Vivaldi
Classical - LvB, Schubert
Romantic - Berlioz, Schumann, Chopin, Franck, Saint-Saens
Impressionist (as a link from Romantic to 20th Century) - Debussy, Satie, Ravel
20th Century - Holst, Vaughan-Williams, Stravinsky, Messiaen, Alain, Vierne, Bartok, Ligeti, Shostakovich, Rachmaninov

[QFE]

In a 1,2,3 order; (with many other 'Greats' missed out...)

Symphonic - Sibelius, Bruckner, Bax. With Honourable mentions to Marx and Hanson
Opera - Purcell, Wagner, (3rd place undecided as I'm not a huge oprea buff)
Piano - Chopin, Beethoven, Rachmaninov
Organ - JSB, Vierne, Howells

And the special award for best award for best all-rounder - William Walton. Any composer who can go to a formal dance and stick a banana down his trowsers is a total hero IMHO. His music is bloomin' good too.

[JHC]

Maurice Ravel for his piece "Bolero" which for me is one of the most riveting and exciting works ever written due to his innovative use of dynamics with the ever increasing and building crescendo with which the piece ultimately climaxes. .

Indeed! IMO the greatest crescendo ever written it's a pity it is scorned by the classical snobs
[Ravel did not think much of it either, now I don't know what to make of that???]

[White Knight]

Indeed! IMO the greatest crescendo ever written it's a pity it is scorned by the classical snobs
[Ravel did not think much of it either, now I don't know what to make of that???]

Colin, Hi. I hope your wife is alright. Your revelation that Ravel didn't like "Bolero" is fascinating and something--among many other things--which I did not know. Thanx for sharing that and please let us know how your wife is. All the best--Steve.

[JHC]

Colin, Hi. I hope your wife is alright. Your revelation that Ravel didn't like "Bolero" is fascinating and something--among many other things--which I did not know. Thanx for sharing that and please let us know how your wife is. All the best--Steve.

Steve,
I picked it up on another music forum it was posted by a young man who's knowledge of music was far beyond his years, and thanks for asking, my Wife is OK her opp has been put off to Jan, just when we had all arrangements sorted, still it happens

[Alban Berg]

mmm....too difficult!

Martin

[White Knight]

Indeed! IMO the greatest crescendo ever written it's a pity it is scorned by the classical snobs
[Ravel did not think much of it either, now I don't know what to make of that???]

Hi Colin, how are you this cold winter's nite? Do you know why Ravel did not think highly of "Bolero"? If you do please share the reason with us. I had never heard or realized that before! Peace--Steve.

[White Knight]

Hi Colin. Please extend my best wishes to your wife. My ear "procedure" is also to be done next month.

[JHC]

Hi Colin, how are you this cold winter's nite? Do you know why Ravel did not think highly of "Bolero"? If you do please share the reason with us. I had never heard or realized that before! Peace--Steve.

Well Steve it hot in NZ 30deg C. I suspect monsieur R thought it a bit crass, as it was a commissioned work he had to work within guidelines but you will understand all of that, google it. it was not his usual style which I tend to think of as expressionist as in Debussy btw I used to play a bit of Flute, Ravel and Debussy are just made for the Flute again IMO. also I heard a recording of musicians reminiscences on the Bolero it was hilarious, I wish I could find it. it was a nightmare for some I think the T Bone comes in very near the end an requires the player to play quite a difficult piece from cold so they were always a bit on edge in case they fluffed it.
I wish you well with your opp.