the most over played and overrated composer is...

[imbetter]

discuss

[mattgreenecomposer]

Underrated.... Grieg

[imbetter]

Underrated.... Grieg

it says overrated 

[Etude]

Mozart.

[opus10no2]

Mozart.

I'd agree.

Though this is a subjective opinion, and I do love Mozart in the right quantities, but he is played too often, especially in the last couple of years.

[rach n bach]

Mozart... well, at least in these "Mozart for the mind" stuff.

[imbetter]

mozart is very overrated

[soliloquy]

Mendelssohn, Brahms, Mahler, Schumann, Haydn

[thalbergmad]

I find myself in complete agreement with soliloquy.

In addition, Schumann should be wiped off the face of the earth and completely erased from history.

Thal

[webern78]

Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, Liszt, Berlioz.

As for Mozart, he is definitely overplayed (particularly the early stuff, which should be erased from the face of the earth), but whether he is over-rated or not i cannot say. I think he is actually one of the most miss-understood among the major composers. Some of the stuff i hear about him, even among fans it's just outlandish...

[tompilk]

schumann

[cloches_de_geneve]

Beethoven

[mephisto]

I find myself in complete agreement with soliloquy.

In addition, Schumann should be wiped off the face of the earth and completely erased from history.

Thal

If you think Brahms is a bad composer I think you should see a shrink

[opus10no2]

Beethoven

I believe he is the greatest composer of all time, but he could only be considered overrated if people saw the margin between him and others as large, because I don't, but it's large enough for me to have no doubt.

[mephisto]

I believe he is the greatest composer of all time, but he could only be considered overrated if people saw the margin between him and others as large, because I don't, but it's large enough for me to have no doubt.

Well said, even my friends who all play in rock bands are completly in to the symphonies like th 5th, 6th and 9th.

[mccoy]

Mozart.

I'd agree.

What?? Mozart may be "overplayed", but is indeed underrated, if anything.

(just to meet the original question, which was sadly changed later on by the author into that boring "over"/"over"-thing...)

[tocca]

Most overrated and overplayed... must be myself actually!
I have composed very little, and i'm the only one who've played it. That's definately overplayed! And one person once said it was ok... definately overrated. 

[jre58591]

oh, well, schumann of course. him and schubert.

[thalbergmad]

If you think Brahms is a bad composer I think you should see a shrink

I do x 2

[bench warmer]

Philip Glass.
 Keeps combining the same damn measures in every piece he writes and it's monotonous.

[jre58591]

its called minimalism.

[webern78]

If you think Brahms is a bad composer I think you should see a shrink

I second this motion.

[a-sharp]

I have to 2nd Phillip Glass 

[ahinton]

I have to 2nd Phillip Glass 

Why? Isn't just one at least three too many?

Best,

Alistair

[imbetter]

for me its alistair hinton 

[kony]

for the piano:

Chopin.

*awaits the barrage of insults and noob-labelling*

[imbetter]

chopin was a genius and people like him so much because of it.

[bench warmer]

its called minimalism.

Thanks, now I have a name for the disease.

[frederic chopin]

for the piano:

Chopin.

*awaits the barrage of insults and noob-labelling*

Grrr....hiss.... 

[phil13]

This is an example of stupidity in the making.

There is no single composer that is both overplayed AND overrated, because for every piece that is overplayed and overrated, you will find another piece by that same composer that is both underplayed and underrated. In addition, almost every composer that is overplayed (meaning they have a lot of pieces that are overplayed- the composer him/herself can't be overplayed.   ) are actually underrated, because people get completely sick of the pieces and stop recognizing them for the genius works they are. Beethoven's Fur Elise, when played by a truly masterful pianist, is still exquisite to my ears, no matter how many times over it is butchered. So is the 'Pathetique' Sonata. Mozart's Serenade in G major is another example (although I much prefer it when all 4 movements are played, rather than just the first.) Do we forget that these works are played ad nauseum because people LIKE them?

Furthermore, nobody is going to be in agreement on this sort of thing. It's not exactly a thing we can measure- how overplayed or overrated a piece or composer is. Someone who dislikes Chopin's works will post his name, thinking only of the Minute Waltz, the Etudes Op.10 No.3 and Op.10 No.12, etc., and someone who loves ANY of his works- overplayed or underplayed or neither- will refute the former. Same goes for every composer already mentioned here- Schumann, Schubert, Brahms, Mozart, even Phillip Glass, and the same goes for every composer which will, no doubt, be brought up later... (I realize I may be exaggerating reasoning for posting the certain composers, but hopefully you understand the general concept I'm trying to convey.  )

These types of threads never end well.

Phil

[soliloquy]

This is an example of stupidity in the making.

There is no single composer that is both overplayed AND overrated, because for every piece that is overplayed and overrated, you will find another piece by that same composer that is both underplayed and underrated. In addition, almost every composer that is overplayed (meaning they have a lot of pieces that are overplayed- the composer him/herself can't be overplayed.  ) are actually underrated, because people get completely sick of the pieces and stop recognizing them for the genius works they are. Beethoven's Fur Elise, when played by a truly masterful pianist, is still exquisite to my ears, no matter how many times over it is butchered. So is the 'Pathetique' Sonata. Mozart's Serenade in G major is another example (although I much prefer it when all 4 movements are played, rather than just the first.) Do we forget that these works are played ad nauseum because people LIKE them?

Furthermore, nobody is going to be in agreement on this sort of thing. It's not exactly a thing we can measure- how overplayed or overrated a piece or composer is. Someone who dislikes Chopin's works will post his name, thinking only of the Minute Waltz, the Etudes Op.10 No.3 and Op.10 No.12, etc., and someone who loves ANY of his works- overplayed or underplayed or neither- will refute the former. Same goes for every composer already mentioned here- Schumann, Schubert, Brahms, Mozart, even Phillip Glass, and the same goes for every composer which will, no doubt, be brought up later... (I realize I may be exaggerating reasoning for posting the certain composers, but hopefully you understand the general concept I'm trying to convey.  )

These types of threads never end well.

Phil

tards never get sick of Tchaik1 or nutcracker.

[phil13]

tards never get sick of Tchaik1 or nutcracker.

Okay, so those 2 pieces are overplayed...along with the Violin Concerto...but how many of them appreciate Tchaik 2, or the Concert Fantasia, or many of the piano works?

I think you can see the point I'm getting at.

Phil

[soliloquy]

Okay, so those 2 pieces are overplayed...along with the Violin Concerto...but how many of them appreciate Tchaik 2, or the Concert Fantasia, or many of the piano works?

I think you can see the point I'm getting at.

Phil

You have to judge as such:

Number of times Tchaik1 is played vs. number of times Tchaik2 should be played more.  I would venture a guess and say Tchaik1 is probably performed a few thousand times a year, and that Tchaik2 does not need to be performed that much, therefore Tchaikovsky is overplayed.

[phil13]

You have to judge as such:

Number of times Tchaik1 is played vs. number of times Tchaik2 should be played more. I would venture a guess and say Tchaik1 is probably performed a few thousand times a year, and that Tchaik2 does not need to be performed that much, therefore Tchaikovsky is overplayed.

That seems a bit vague. After all, in order to truly see if Tchaikovsky is 'overplayed' per se, we would have to use that equation on a larger scale, making every important work he composed a factor. That is why it seems impossible to me to judge such a thing, with any composer.

Phil

[webern78]

 Tchaikovsky symphonies are boring as hell, except for the last one maybe.

String Sextet is where it's at... 

[bench warmer]

....String Sextet is where it's at... 

I heard that with enough cash or credit, you could buy one of those sextets in Vegas.

[pianistimo]

some say saint-saens only composed arpeggiations.  i tend to think otherwise and like the simpleness of saint-saens (even if there are a lot of arpeggios).  his concerto or fantasy? for harp and flute is so beautiful.  sometimes simplicity is ridiculed.  maybe some of schumann's pieces were short.  but they were short AND sweet.  but, it is all the eye of the beholder.

i suppose that saint-saens is not 'over played.'  frankly, the only things i think are overplayed are songs on my daughter's radio station.  we hear the same three songs when i drive her home from school EVERY day.  the kids never get tired of them.  HOW can this be.  they drive me CRAZY.  anything can be overplayed.  just play it every day. 

[elevateme_returns]

Brahms

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

which brahms pieces could you possibly overrate?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

[rach n bach]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

which brahms pieces could you possibly overrate?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

If he is even mentioned, he is overrated. 

[ronde_des_sylphes]

I think a lot of the "big name" composers are overplayed, and some are also overrated. The two that particularly irritate me are Mozart (in terms of piano music) and Schumann (in general).

I thoroughly detest the manner in which many recital programs are so conformist; I think this is intellectual laziness and lack of musical curiosity. There is so much almost unknown repertoire out there which is music of a very acceptable level, and yet it seems that almost none of it is ever performed. Are Liszt's Transcendental Etudes so much better than Liapunov's? Is Tausig's Ungarische Zigeunerwiesen so much worse than Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies? Are Chopin's piano concerti so much better than Henselt's concerto? Etc, etc.

[thalbergmad]

Is Tausig's Ungarische Zigeunerwiesen so much worse than Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies?

In my humble opinion, it is better.

Thal

[thalberg]

All pop music is overplayed and overrated.  It's all crap and you hear it ALLL THE TIME and people pay five times for one of those concerts as they would for Cleveland Orchestra or Murray Perahia.

All classical music--mozart, chopin, everyone....are all underplayed and underrated if you take into account the fact that there are 6 billion people in the world, and they've all probably heard of the beatles yet couldn't tell you how many symphonies beethoven wrote.

[soliloquy]

Also... Wagner.  lol

[steinwaymodeld]

I think a lot of the "big name" composers are overplayed, and some are also overrated. The two that particularly irritate me are Mozart (in terms of piano music) and Schumann (in general).

I thoroughly detest the manner in which many recital programs are so conformist; I think this is intellectual laziness and lack of musical curiosity. There is so much almost unknown repertoire out there which is music of a very acceptable level, and yet it seems that almost none of it is ever performed. Are Liszt's Transcendental Etudes so much better than Liapunov's? Is Tausig's Ungarische Zigeunerwiesen so much worse than Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies? Are Chopin's piano concerti so much better than Henselt's concerto? Etc, etc.

The Tausig and Liapounov are sweeeet, i don't know if they are better than the liszt one though. But they should be played way more often that's for sure (Also the Tausig/Weber Invitation to dance)

Henselt Concerto is better than the 2nd Chopin concerto I would say.
Henselt's Concerto is probably one of my favorite along with the 'regulars'.

Also, Wagner and Mahler would be my pick.and Shostakovitch should stick with non-piano-solo work.

[elevateme_returns]

If he is even mentioned, he is overrated. 

what do u mean by that??? i cant believe thats coming from someone with rach in their name.

[opus10no2]

All pop music is overplayed and overrated.  It's all crap and you hear it ALLL THE TIME and people pay five times for one of those concerts as they would for Cleveland Orchestra or Murray Perahia.

All classical music--mozart, chopin, everyone....are all underplayed and underrated if you take into account the fact that there are 6 billion people in the world, and they've all probably heard of the beatles yet couldn't tell you how many symphonies beethoven wrote.

It's supply and demand.

Popular music is art, just on a simpler scale, and popular music is superior in it's form, if superior means the amount of people it can be enjoyed by and moved by.

Superiority and inferiority aside from subjectivity can only be judged in any absolute way by ascertaining what cause they are superior at achieving.

[webern78]

It's supply and demand.

But that's business, not art.

Popular music is art, just on a simpler scale, and popular music is superior in it's form, if superior means the amount of people it can be enjoyed by and moved by.

By that token Telemann is a superior composer then Bach, since he was by far the most popular and 'readily enjoyable' in his own time. I'd call superior something that is more readily enjoyed by people of distinction rather then the masses.

[piano_ant]

Schumann overrated? what?

I think Liszt tends to be overrated...and overplayed...but honestly no 'classical' music is over-anything today...except overly criticized...

[cygnusdei]

I adore Schumann's symphonies - I think they are thoroughly successful in realizing classical ideals using the full resource of the symphony orchestra. I wish I could say the same about his piano works. I'm at loss as to why the Fantasy op. 17 or Sonata op. 22 are considered masterpieces. If they're not overplayed, they are certainly overrated in my book.

[thalbergmad]

It's supply and demand.

Completely true.

In the 1830's the composer Francois Hunten sold more sheet music than Liszt and Chopin put together.

Now (apart from me), who plays Hunten?

Thal