Moscheles, Ignaz

[hodi]

Is he considered a classical or a romantic composer?
thanks.

[thalbergmad]

He belongs to the Pixis/Kalkbrenner brigade of composers. Not really classical & not really romantic, but lived long enough to encompass both movements.

Anyway, his lovely concertos were included in the brilliant Hyperion series, so i guess he was considered to be of sufficient "Romansticity".

Thal

[webern78]

Is he considered a classical or a romantic composer?
thanks.

What thal said. Not that it matter anyway, he's average at best.

[thalbergmad]

He's average at best.

On average i guess i would agree he is average, but that is a grading built up from boring pieces and a couple of flashes of brilliance. I have always felt that neglected composers do have something to offer, but you have to wade through some muck to find a few pearls.

To me, it is all a matter of percentages. With Beethoven, one could submit that almost 100% is genius, but as you start to work your way down the list of "greatest", the percentage begins to go down until you reach 0% with Schumann.

The sonata melancolique and 7th concerto of Moscheles are in my opinion works worthy of being included in regular repetoire, but this probably will not happen unless pianists are prepared to look outside of the box.

Thal

[richard black]

I have always felt that neglected composers do have something to offer, but you have to wade through some muck to find a few pearls

Well said - couldn't agree more!

[welltemperedpianist]

If he were to lean towards one, he would be considered Classical, though many of his pieces really do lean towards Romanticism. He wasn't a "true" classicist though, and though fascinated (by Chopin, Liszt), he never let go of the classicism completely.

[hodi]

if you would play a recital
for example:
bach p&f
moscheles fantasy/sonata
mendelssohn - fantasy
what do u think? is it too weird or unappropriate? that moscheles is classical?

[thalbergmad]

I think he fits rather nicely between the two masters.

Thal

[hodi]

more opinions ?

[retrouvailles]

I think one of his best works would do well in lieu of a piece by, lets say, Mendelssohn or even Hummel (he is starting to become pretty well known). Moscheles isn't my favorite of the transitional Romantics, but he does have his charm in some of his pieces.

[thalbergmad]

transitional Romantics

What an excellent description.

Thal