Favorite Piano Composer

[kelly_kelly]

I'm hoping to find out who the popular composers are on this forum. Personally, I'm all for Chopin, but I know that there are some who would disagree  . 

[Derek]

I had to select Beethoven and Chopin.  I find Chopin's piano music the most consistently enjoyable, it seems like almost all of his output is at least satisfying to me, but many of his works move me to distraction.  And I love many of Beethoven's piano sonatas, variations in C minor, and he has this wonderful Gravitas in his music that no other composer achieves. And in terms of playing, its tremendous fun to play both of these composers.

I would have also selected Bach, if it were not for the fact that you asked specifically about piano composers and not keyboard composers

[Etude]

I think Rachmaninov is my current favourite, because of the way he brings back themes throughout his large works such as the concerti, and the sheer overall power that many of his works have.

[Kassaa]

Where's Rachmaninov.

[6ft 4]

You didnt include Bach?!?!?!

[Nightscape]

Some BIG names are missing from that list.  Not obscure names, either.....

Notably, Bach, Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Ravel, Rachmaninoff, and Scriabin all had a large output for piano (Ravel compensates for his amazing quality) and are quite popular with pianists.  My personal favorite piano composer is Ravel.  Each piece is a masterpiece!

[totallyclassics]

Chopin by far! Ii'm just getting back into piano after a 20 year break. Well,  I've been back into it for a year now.  I've played Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Clementi, and then finally Chopin!  I LOVE CHOPIN.   I'm on my third nocturne...the other stuff is too hard..plus i have a thing for the nocturnes!!  It feels good to be where I'm at now...I will NEVER leave the piano again.....The funny thing is, I just took my daughter in to get her the piano lessons.. A month later, she was taking voice, and I was taking piano!!!

[wintervind]

Tsk tsk-
Neither Schumann or Ravel
very sad

[026497]

Why there are no Bach, Schubert, Schumann, or Tchaikovsky?
They are my favorite.

[kelly_kelly]

I'm sorry about the lack of so many big names.. I picked the first few names that came of the top of my head.

[c18cont]

Ravel,

John

[nightmarecinema]

I'm going to have to go ahead and say Chopin. No competition in my mind.

[Bouter Boogie]

Gershwin's also missing 

[jeremyjchilds]

I love Brahms more than any other composer right now

[Waldszenen]

I love Brahms more than any other composer right now

Finally, someone who speaks my mind.

[alzado]

Doesn't anyone ever have an original idea?

[pianohopper]

What about Mendelssohn?

[hazypurple21]

Bach isn't a piano composer. He never wrote anything for piano, he wrote for keyboard. But I agree that the list is missing a few important composers.

[shoshin]

I think the piano was still be invented when Bach was around.  But if it was around he would compose some beautiful music with it. If Bach was with us today I think he'd be modeling sound waves with computers or something. He seemed like he was always trying  the latest and greatest instrument/technology.

[hazypurple21]

The early pianoforte was invented towards the end of Bach's life. He never composed anything for it, and there's even a story that he once played one and didn't like it.

[Waldszenen]

It's true; he played the earliest pianos and decided there would be no future in it (har har).


Everything he wrote was simply marked "Klavier", meaning keyboard, so his works at the time were played either on harpsichord or clavichord (Bach's own preference).

[JP]

Liszt.  Yes, I'm shallow.

 

[schrewbie]

Schumann. I don't think I liked him the person, but he has some really good songs. he also has some really crappy ones too though.

[Waldszenen]

Schumann. I don't think I liked him the person, but he has some really good songs. he also has some really crappy ones too though.

By "songs" do you mean his actual songs (lieder) or pieces?


If you mean lieder, then I must agree - he's my 3rd favourite composer of lied.

[tompilk]

1. Rachmaninov - by far
2. Chopin
3. Liszt
There. I might change my mind though...

[jerry xie]

bachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbac hbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbachbach
bach sounds the best!!!

[twinkletoesfaery]

Rachmaninov at the present moment. 

[joachimf]

At the moment it is Ravel. But I also care a lot for Schumann's piano music(especially Carnaval), and of course Chopin, Rachmaninov++
I also really enjoy Haydn's sonatas... I don't think he's been mentioned here at all..

[freddychopin]

Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff & Schubert

I can't choose...OK Chopin..

[pseudopianist]

Liszt and Scriabin

[dolcejen]

Rachmaninoff is my favorite composer by far. I love the power of his pieces, the awesome chord progressions, and the BEAUTIFUL melody lines he came up with. I love his Prelude from Opus 23 No. 5. (I have a recording of him playing it - sweet, eh?) I also like Ravel, Lizst, and Beethoven. I wish Aaron Copland wrote more beautiful PIANO pieces...his piano stuff is disgusting (at least the pieces I've heard) but I love much of his other compositions for orchestra.

[spirithorn]

Liszt.  Yes, I'm shallow.

My favorite is Chopin, but I don't think that anyone who is really into Liszt is shallow at all.

[gruffalo]

Rachmaninov and Debussy are both my favourite for playing and listening.

[omnisis]

I liked this poll however I would like to re-run this poll with more composers.  I have made a list below of all the composers that ppl wanted.  Please make additions and edits to the list and in a few days I'll start a new poll.  I think in the future for open-ended polls like this we should have a "ACCEPTING POLL CHOICE SUBMISSIONS" period where we create the options list *before* the poll is actually ran.

THE LIST
=======================
Rachmaninov
Scriabin
Bach
Liszt
Chopin
Beethoven
Mozart    
Debussy
Ravel
Tchaikovsky
Schubert
Schumman
Mendelssohn
Gershwin
Brahms
*Grieg*
*Prokofiev*

~omnisis