Greatest Classical, Baroque, or Romantic composer

[Kaiser of Arabia]

See the title.

For me, it can only be Wagner. Though Tschiakovsky is pretty good too. So is Handel, and Schubert. Mozart is pretty good as well, and Bach is awesome too.

Guys?

[Beirut]

I'm partial to Tchaikovsky, and I love Beethoven's 9th. Really, really... really loud on Sunday mornings.

Wagner is great too. Ziegfried's Funeral is a ball buster extraordinary. Gives me goose bumps every time.

[Laridus Konivaich]

Elgar. < -- Note the full stop, this isn't even worth debating ~;).

[Big_John]

if one wanted to be as objective as possible, the greatest would have to be either bach, mozart, or beethoven (imo, in that order). guys like wagner, tchaikovsky, etc. would be a step below. i've run across several music-appreciators of one sort or another that consider j.s. bach to be the pinnacle of western art music, if not all music ever.

however, if i look at the question as "favorite" composer, i'd go with prokofiev. he's been a favorite of mine for a long time. before him it was tchaikovsky.

[Narayanese]

Hmm, don't loke classic music, especially not old one. Boring without lyrics, and the music is too chaotic.

From the period (baroque/romantic) "Á Sprengisandi" (listing to it now, oh love it, it's even better now that I've seen translation) and "Deck the halls" are very good.
Any old ballads or sonnets you can recommend btw?

~:cheers:

[JAG]

Bach. That guy was simply amazing, wrote such beautiful music, I don't listen to classical music much, but when I do Bach always stands out.

[Roark]

Stravinsky for me. Total nutter.

[Byzantine Prince]

I like Mozart, Tzaikovski, Chopin, Ravel, and whoever did Bolero.

[dessa14]

Strauss, Bach, Shoshtakovich sp?
thanks,
dizzy

[Big_John]

I like Mozart, Tzaikovski, Chopin, Ravel, and whoever did Bolero.many composers wrote 'boleros', afaik. but the exceptionally popular bolero that you are likely referring to (sometimes called a study in crescendo) was composed by maurice ravel.

[Redleg]

Personally I like both Bach and Wagner, but will listen and appreciate almost all of the classical composers - no matter what time period

[edyzmedieval]

My favourite is Strauss. I like those waltzes very much, and I have just learned dancing Vienese Waltz ~D

I also like Bach, Chopin, and Beethoven.

But I can't refuse Vivaldi with his Seasons(especially Spring and Autumn).

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
My taste is broad. But given your time periods, old Ludwig has it. :joker:
.

[Proletariat]

Sebastian or Ludwig.

[Louis VI the Fat]

I'm mostly into German romantic composers.

Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms stand out.

[Lechev]

Bach's my fave. Love his Brandenburg's concerto 1~6 as well as his concerto for violins. His "Toccata fugue in d minor" is simply classic

[Skomatth]

Bach's Musical Offering is genius.

[Marcellus]

I would probably have to say either Bach, Mozart or Beethoven, although I like classical/baroque/romantic music from a wide range of composers.

[Kagemusha]

My favourites are Wagner,Tsaikovski and Sibelius.I like to listen to the classical at night,when its peacefull.Im not sure if my neighbours appreciate it though. :bow:

[ah_dut]

Beethoven for pure insanity and breaking ground

[Adrian II]

Guys?
I'm a real sucker for the old stuff, and I mean all of it from Lully to Messiaen and back. I used to play the piano, it helps you appreciate the creativity of composers and the complex elegance of the best pieces of classical music. My favourites are Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Skrjabin and the French impressionists and post-impressionists. It's no coincidence that all of them, bar Tchaikovsky, composed much (and beautifully) for piano.

T. takes the biscuit though. Even after all those years (I grew up on classical music) Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony is still a piece I have great trouble listening to. It hurts, physically.

[xemitg]

shostakovich's 5th symphony is some great stuff. I was talking to a student at UF and she said you can't buy sheet music of his stuff anymore. A shame... existing copies are like gold.

I must say its heartening to see interest in the greats from some of my peers. Today most kids don't understand orchestra... a tragedy.

[Shiro]

bach, beethoven, and handel

germans all

[edyzmedieval]

I must say its heartening to see interest in the greats from some of my peers. Today most kids don't understand orchestra... a tragedy.

I know... It's very true...

I like symphony and orchestra, and I am only 14. My mom never left my head, she always had an eye on me because she thought I was gonna leave the track.

[dessa14]

hey mate, i was able to get some reprinted sheets of shostakovich's fifth symphony in particular the other day, in my local city, but then again i live in australia.
thanks,
dizzy

[Adrian II]

hey mate, i was able to get some reprinted sheets of shostakovich's fifth symphony in particular the other day, in my local city, but then again i live in australia.
thanks,
dizzyHi Dizz. Please elaborate?

[Taffy_is_a_Taff]

Sibelius, Holst,

also a fan of Wagner, Mozart, Beethoven, Mussorgsky and a few others.

[ichi]

While there are several truly great composers, none can compare to Mozart. The complexity and intricacy of his music is extraordinary. Even the other greats, men whose egos often precluded them from making compliments, acknowledged Mozart as the greatest.

ichi :bow:

[Proletariat]

I figured there would've been more mentions of Vivaldi by now. You philistines.

Chopin really pwns them all. Lock teh thred!!!!111

[Big_John]

the woman goes for chopin.. typical.. :snobby:

[dessa14]

sorry adrian, what i mean't to say.
on a trip to my local city the other day, i found some sheet music of shostakovich, and was able to get, in particular his fifth symphony.
thanks,
dizzy

[TheSilverKnight]

I prefer Handel and Vivaldi for European Baroque, I don't listen to Classical or Romantic much. Bach comes in close as well. I love his masses, orchestral suites, Brandenburg concertos, and Violin concertos.

I have listened to Baroque music from the Spanish colonies, and in that period, Domenico Zipoli (Italian born, lived in Ascuncion, Paraguay), Ignacio de Jerusalem (Italian born, worked and lived in Ciudad de Mexico), Manuel de Zumaya, Juan de Araujo, Carlos Patino and Esteban Salas stand out greatly.

If I may suggest some CD's to check out.

For Handel -
Just about any Handel CD is really great, if you get it at a good price.

For Vivaldi -
Aforementioned, but I usually get the 2-CD sets of his opus works, Op. 3, Op. 4, and Op. 9 (L'Estro Armonico, La Stravaganza, and La Cetra).

For Bach -
Aforementioned for both Handel and Vivaldi (see above).

For Latin American Baroque composers -
Mexican Baroque (by Chanticleer) for works by Jerusalem and Manuel de Zumaya

Matins for the Virgin of Guadelupe (by Chanticleer) for the Matins, a Latin American service, written by Ignacio de Jerusalem.

A Latin American Baroque Christmas (by Coro Exaudi de Habana, conducted by Maria Felicia Perez), for works by Esteban Salas, Juan de Araujo, Beatus Vir by Carlos Patino, and Villancicos by Roque Ceruti, another favourite of mine.

El Gran Barocco (by Coro Exaudi de Habana, conducted by Maria Felicia Perez), a great collection of Latin American Baroque, featuring the aforementioned composers as well as some different stuff, such as the Peruvian Catholic Hymn "Hanacpachap Cussicuinin", a piece composed by an anonymous Peruvian composer.

Missa Mexicana (by the Harp Consort and Andrew Lawrence King), a collection of music by 17th century Mexican composers. It's a charming collection of pieces by Juan Gutierrez de Padilla, Juan Cabanilles, Santiago de Murcia, and a few others worthy of notice.

Domenico Zipoli - Cantate e Sonata - is a marvelous collection of vocal works and sonatas by Zipoli during his stay in Paraguay.

I hope I have done something good here, since I spent 15 minutes typing this ~D

Cheers ~:cheers: ~:)

[Togakure]

Tapping into Chopin requires a sensitivity that many women have; that most men lack. And before you knock me, consider that I've studied formally for twelve years, and have been playing for over three decades. Chopin was a God, and is far and above my favorite, both to listen to and to play.

Baroque: J.S. Bach
Classical: Beethoven
Romantic: Chopin (I love Liszt too, particularly his Hungarian Rhapsodies)
Impressionistic: Debussy (and Ravel)
Modern: Barber (and Gershwin)

[Moros]

well I enjoy beethoven and handel the most tough I don't listen that much to Classical musique.
but if you're really talking about the best then I'd will probably be Bach or Mozart.

[Sigurd]

I’ll go nationalistic on you and say Edvard Grieg…