Best Composer ever

[hugobouma]

I have collected the following from various sites around the web...

You’ve heard of the Mozart Effect, i.e., listening to Mozart increases one’s spatial IQ. BUT, have you heard of the …
LISZT EFFECT: Child speaks rapidly and extravagantly, but never really says anything important.
BRUCKNER EFFECT: Child speaks very slowly and repeats himself frequently. Gains reputation for profundity.

[...]
BACH EFFECT: Child speaks in structurally perfect multiple voices, forwards, backwards, upside-down, augmented and diminished, solely for the glory of God.
SHOSTAKOVICH EFFECT : Child appears to work diligently, but on careful examination you find his work mostly consists of disguised remarks about how much he hates you.
And then, of course, the CAGE EFFECT — child says nothing for precisely 4 minutes, 33 seconds. Preferred by 9 out of 10 classroom teachers.

WEBERN EFFECT: Child speaks extremely thoughtfully and articulately, but in a very low volume, and no more than 6 hours during his entire life.
REICH EFFECT: When arguing with its parents, the child will reach an agreement simply by repeating his answer with minute and gradual variations. Arguments may last up to 2 hours.
BIBER EFFECT: Child is an average speaker, but sometimes switches to another language.
SCHNITTKE EFFECT: Child enjoys offending its teachers with cusswords and odd noises, turns out to be devoutly religious.
SCRIABIN EFFECT: Child is a very promising student. Converts to Scientology.
DE FALLA EFFECT: Child only likes to dance and sing, hardly ever talks about anything else.
MESSIAEN EFFECT: Child thinks it's a bird.

Just a few ones I thought of myself...

[Melodia]

That is also what bothers me about Mozart. The guy was obviously a genius, but his musical style only expresses that in a certain number of pieces; it seems to me he was afraid of putting too much of a strain on the listener.

When you consider when he lived, and who he wrote for, then you'll realize /that's exactly the point/.

[hugobouma]

...

When you consider when he lived, and who he wrote for, then you'll realize /that's exactly the point/.

Agreed. I think it's a pity that Mozart lived at the end of the 18th century--imagine the Romantic, Impressionist or even atonal pieces he would have written...

[Lyle Neff]

Haydn for me is more adventurous than Mozart.

[vinteuil]

Everyone can agree that Beethoven was the most revolutionary...then Schoenberg or Stravinsky....but Haydn revolutionized form, an aspect of music that is possibly the most critical part of all and the only one that has been almost entirely retained.

[pr1268]

I agree with a lot of others here that Bach was the "best" composer. I've read several consumer-grade books that also mention this in passing. I suppose he "pushed the envelope" with respect to musical style in his time more than any other composer.

My favorite composer is Gustav Mahler. While I admit he's an acquired taste, I find that his symphonies and song cycles have an indescribable rewarding quality when heard in their entirety (which, of course, requires a lot of time given the sheer length of his works). Plus, he's the finest orchestrator ever; his ability to manage vast resources of huge orchestras--and make pleasing music--is only matched by, say, Richard Strauss.

Ironically, my appreciation for Mahler came after some difficulty in understanding his music. And after having become familiar with Beethoven, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and other more mainstream composers' works.

[Yagan Kiely]

My currents 'favourites' (though I have a stringent way of working out my 'favourites') are:

1: Mozart/R.Strauss
2:Mahler/Shostakovich
3:Bach/Prokofiev
4: ??

[ThaSchwab]

Screw my other list ... it now goes as such:

1. Antonín Dvořák
2. Igor Stravinsky
3. Richard Strauss
4. Dmitri Shostakovich
5. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart/Ludwig van Beethoven (whose Bassoon Concerto and Symphony No. 9 will be performed in the next concert I attend )

[dwil9798]

I personally feel that Bach and Mozart had probably the least effect on music than any other compsers. Bach was overshadowed by composers such as Telemann and Handel, while Mozart stayed neatly in a class of his own as Haydn and Hummel paved the way to Romanticism. Beethoven was really the first composer to begin to accept this new style, which is why he is most remembered. I'm not saying I don't like Mozart and Bach's music, not in the least. They are probably my 2nd and 5th favorite composers of all time.

Also, I feel Debussy was the most influential on 20th century music. His music was, I feel, the first to explore new rythms, chordal techniques (which culminated in music by Schoenberg), and atonality. These are all just my opinions, though.

My current favorite composer happens to be Bruckner. The opening of the Seventh symphony always brings a smile to my face.

[Yagan Kiely]

Mozart stayed neatly in a class of his own as Haydn and Hummel paved the way to Romanticism

Hummel should be classed with Beethoven, not Haydn (wrong eras). But Mozart also played a big part in a move towards Romanticism. His focus on orchestral colour (orchestration), is atypical for a classical composer (his orchestration was a very major influence on Ravel). He is also the first western composer to write: whole tone scale, polytonality, and aleatoric music (or chance.game music). Mozart's later orchestral works point strongly to Romanticism with a much grander treatment of 'the symphony' with a larger scope of emotion. Obviously, Haydn is also in the same boat.

Bach was overshadowed by composers such as Telemann and Handel

How can you say that he was not influential (had the least effect), when composers from Mozart to... now are still being influenced by his revolutionary harmony and counterpoint?

[ThaSchwab]

he's the finest orchestrator ever

IMO, that honor goes to Maurice Ravel. Both for Pictures at an Exhibition and his own works. He really knew which parts should be played by what instruments.

[Yagan Kiely]

Ravel's harp writing is very nice indeed. For me, I'd go with R.Strauss ofr orchestration.

[dwil9798]

[b]Quote:[/b]
Hummel should be classed with Beethoven, not Haydn (wrong eras).

Sorry, meant to say Schubert. (Posted this late at night)

[/quote]How can you say that he was not influential (had the least effect), when composers from Mozart to... now are still being influenced by his revolutionary harmony and counterpoint?
[quote]

Sorry about that as well. I meant to say that during his lifetime he had little influence on other composers. Only after his death did people realize his genious. My whole post was aimed at their influence during their lifetime, not 400 years later (in which Bach's music still influences many). Sorry about that confusion.

[Yagan Kiely]

ahhh okay fair enough!

[bernsteinp]

For Piano:

1. Ravel
2. Rachmaninoff
3. Debussy
4. Satie
5. Mussorgsky

For Orchestra:

1. Rachmaninoff
2. Debussy
3. Beethoven
4. Ravel
5. Puccini




While they may not be the greatest, I have yet to find composers I enjoy listening to more.