prokofiev--best melodist of 20th century?

[Kromme]

I can't resist a stab at sarcasm by proclaiming Stravinsky the best melodist.In seriousness,I respect his music very highly. But, he was more analytical in his approach to tunes.He was not a very good melodist though,and I happen to think great tunesmiths are the better composer. Just my personal opinion.

I agree with every word.He is possibly the most robustly-rythmed composer.

[LovesBachandGershwin]

with stravinsky yeah I guess he is not a very melodic composer. i was just trying to hit all the big composers of that era I could think of.

shostakovich is so good, but for me its like mozart-beeethoven, prokofiev-shosty, depends on your preference. maybe its just his style, but I like prokofiev's orchestration much more than shostakovich and I prefer the prokofiev melody and style. shosty is awesome, but in different ways.

Mahler-- some of his melodies are like pure ecstasy, and some of them are pretty dull for me. he's the kind of composer that for me is awesome to listen to every few months but not any more than that. His orchestration seems kind of dry. Is that just me?

edit: Rachmaninoff and strauss are fantastic melodists but it depends on what style you like your melodies.

[Kromme]

You know in the neo-classical way Prokofiev is the most melodic composer i have ever listened but the beauty of the melodies of romantic period is quite superior to other periods.Strauss, Rachmaninov and Mahler,all 3 was highly expressive composers,old fashioned Romantic style composers.Thus their approach simply produces sweeter melodiesin my humble opinion.

[Art Rock]

No mention of Puccini when it comes to 20th century melodies?

I share the much expressed opinion that Shostakovich is THE 20th century composer (Mahler is too rooted in the 19th to count in my book), but not primarily in terms of melody.

On a side mote, ref the first post, I would put forward Schubert as the melodic composer of centuries ago, rather than Mozart.

[Contratrombone64]

Hi zoned,

You are very correct about Shostakovich being the greatest 20th cent. composer.

Cheers,

CD

Based on what??

[some guy]

Lest anyone think Contratrombone64 is just being an old grumpy gus, let me just ask, with him, "based on what???"

Really. Instead of all stuff about Shostakovich, how about hijacking this thread to talk about Prokofiev, maybe about other aspects of his art besides his unquestionably fine melodic sense? Or maybe to note that his interest in polytonality is not only harmonic but melodic as well; some of his more intriguing melodies (like in Divertimento) start off in one key and end up in another. Or that clarinet solo in the Quintet that gets onto one note, and then just stays there.

[Corno Dolce]

Hi CT64,

You're swingin' today, eh?

Anyway, Imnsho Shostakovich gets my vote since he was a tunesmith with a rhythmic ear and exploited the instrumentation he wrote for in such a nuanced fashion that he made Prokofieff seem arcanely academic. Quite often he made so much music with so few notes. Now, since most of the regular MIMF membership has alit on this thread and given their $0.64 cents worth, I think we can settle down once again and appreciate one another's passion for this or
that composer or genre. You know where I stand and I can likewise entertain your choices.

Best regards,

CD

[some guy]

Shostakovich ... was a tunesmith with a rhythmic ear and exploited the instrumentation he wrote for in such a nuanced fashion that he made Prokofieff seem arcanely academic.

What a strange remark! No, really. Rhythmic ear? Arcanely academic? I want some of what you've been smokin', dude, I mean it. (Nuanced fashion refers to those natty overcoats he used to wear, doesn't it?)

Any road, I don't think that comparisons of Prokofiev and Shostakovich will reveal anything about either composer and only some jejune information about the people who listen to them.

Both wrote some very fine music. Both wrote some dreadful music. Kinda like Mozart and Haydn, eh? But so what? The people who prefer Shostakovich value certain things. The people who prefer Prokofiev value other things. Most of us manage to enjoy individual pieces by both.

[Contratrombone64]

*chews the cud ...*

[Contratrombone64]

Lest anyone think Contratrombone64 is just being an old grumpy gus[sic].

Corno and I have a good relationship, very good. He knows me very well.

[Corno Dolce]

Hi some guy,

Send me your address in a pm and I'll send you the world's finest Hawaiian Pakalolo, ok?

You said you wanted some of what I've been smokin'

Cheers,

CD

[Kromme]

Maybe we should create a poll about this topic.Master Krummhorn can you give us a hand here,please?

[some guy]

No no no!! No more polls. Polls are anathema to serious intellectual discourse.

Oh. You mean a poll about varieties of weed. Oh. Well never mind, then. Poll on, bro!

But seriously, I did have a question for all the folks who think Stravinsky wasn't a great melodist. How much Stravinsky do you know? Well?

I remember my uncle observing once that after he'd listened to Le Sacre several times, he noticed how melodic it was. Sure, there's a lot of pounding and thumping going on, but what's really noticeable on repeated hearings are all the cool melodic lines. (Some of these are part of the pounding, you understand. Not all melodies are nice smooth pretty rock you sleep at nice things. Some of them are wake you up rough throw you around kick you in the seat of the pants nice things.)

[Corno Dolce]

Some Guy,

Since you're on the topic of weed - now, why ARE you so interested in weed, Hmmmm???

You brought it up - If ya gonna start something, ya gotta be prepared to finish it.

[rojo]

No no no!! No more polls. Polls are anathema to serious intellectual discourse.

Oh. You mean a poll about varieties of weed. Oh. Well never mind, then. Poll on, bro!

But seriously, I did have a question for all the folks who think Stravinsky wasn't a great melodist. How much Stravinsky do you know? Well?

I remember my uncle observing once that after he'd listened to Le Sacre several times, he noticed how melodic it was. Sure, there's a lot of pounding and thumping going on, but what's really noticeable on repeated hearings are all the cool melodic lines. (Some of these are part of the pounding, you understand. Not all melodies are nice smooth pretty rock you sleep at nice things. Some of them are wake you up rough throw you around kick you in the seat of the pants nice things.)

ROFL!

My partner just pointed out something; he says there are lyrics to the Sacre's opening bassoon solo. The bassoon sings these words to it; try it- "I'm not an English horn, this is too high for me, I'm not an English horn..." Poor bassoon.

A truly lovely melody, is my point here. And there are indeed lots of other lovely melodic bits in the Sacre including, but notwithstanding, the ones that are part of the pounding. Go Stravinsky!

(I really must try to fit the word 'jejune' into my vocabulary. It's very recherché. )

Art Rock- Good point about Puccini. Lovely melodies for sure.