The ten greatest "classical" composers?
By John Welford
@indexer (4852)
Leicester, England
October 11, 2015 11:50am CST
I have often thought about compiling a list of the ten greatest composers of western music, but have never been able to decide who to include and leave out.
There are surely three who would be on anyone's list, namely Bach, Mozart and Beethoven, but what about the next seven?
I would certainly include Tchaikovsky and Brahms, then probably Schubert, Handel, Dvorak, Verdi and Elgar.
That's my ten, but I've left off so many "greats" - Haydn, Stravinsky, Sibelius, Shostakovitch, Wagner, Puccini, ....
And no doubt there will be plenty of people who would say: "How can you possibly not include ..."
It's not an easy task!
11 people like this
12 responses
@topffer (42156)
• France
11 Oct 15
My preferred are Beethoven, Brahms and Chopin, and I would put Schumann, Debussy, Mussorgsky and Ravel in my list. I am lacking 3. I don't like Tchaikovsky and Elgar, and I can live without Bach and Wagner. I would keep Schubert, Haydn and Stravinsky.
3 people like this
@topffer (42156)
• France
11 Oct 15
@indexer I don't know any other composer who had many works edited and adapted by so many other great composers : Rimsky-Korsakov, Ravel, Stravinsky (with Ravel for Khovanshchina), Glazunov, Shostakovich, etc. Do you think that they would have been interested by the music of Mussorgsky if Mussorgsky was not himself a great composer ?
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
11 Oct 15
You managed to compile a totally different list to what I would have done. Puccini, Verdi and Tchaikovsky I would definitely agree with, but would personally include composers whose music we do not encounter so often.
To me Rimsky-Korsakov would be a must for such a list and many of his operas contain magnificent music and arias.
Wagner is one that I am unsure of because despite having a great talent he concentrated more on interpretation than trying to make the composition aesthetically pleasing, resulting in music that I can appreciate the quality of but do not enjoy listening to very much.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
8 Nov 15
@vandana7 The reference to WESTERN classical composers has suddenly drawn my attention to the fact that the majority of the famous names do seem to be from the West.
There has to be a fair number of good composers from Eastern countries, but I cannot think of any.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (98834)
• India
8 Nov 15
@Asylum ..I think eastern music is different from your music. It is equally melodious. Zen music is simply awesome. But I too do not know any famous eastern composers other than those who are from my country and more contemporary. Our music differs from Chinese and Japanese music also.
)@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
11 Oct 15
@LadyDuck That is the aria that usually gets sung out of context of opera and added to classical CDs etcetera. I have heard some excellent renditions of this, but sadly the majority of recordings appear to be by Maria Callas, who I certainly do not like very much.
1 person likes this
@connierebel (1557)
• United States
12 Oct 15
Wow, this is my kind of discussion! I love classical music, I always have since I was a little kid. It's not easy to narrow it down to 10 greatest composers. I'll have to come back after I've given it some thought. For now, I can certainly start off the list with Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Dvorak, Johann Strauss Jr. However, I don't think there can be only one list, as everyone has different tastes.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (98834)
• India
12 Oct 15
Nice discussion. :) I can't believe it Vivaldi's Four seasons didn't help. :) I like some of Beethoven's compositions, but not all. Tchaikovsky I can't identify at all with him. Wagner..I will give him a pass. Mozart, Chopin, Bach, Handel, but then, my knowledge in Western music is limited.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205815)
• Walnut Creek, California
12 Oct 15
Bach is my favorite. That wasn't very difficult. But who is next? Handel? And then there are the lesser known Baroque composers like Torelli and Corelli. Moving way forward, I really like Chopin. Going back to the late Romantic era, my favorite symphony is Saint-Sains's 3rd. And don't forget Bruckner.
1 person likes this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
12 Oct 15
All are notable in their way, but when it comes to choosing an all-time top ten it is very difficult to decide. It is also an invidious choice, because you keep having to say: "If you include X please explain why you have excluded Y?" For example, you have mentioned Bruckner - so why not Mahler?
