Favorite composer and why?

[cuberdrift]

I'm certain that this kind of thread has been posted several times already so if there's anything wrong with this, please inform/move/delete but as I haven't seen one now, I thought of making it.

If I've missed anyone, please inform .Thanks  

Who's your favorite composer? Why? (Perhaps who's your top 5?) I'd go with:

1) Chopin - highly melodic and dance-like, exciting and dramatic, as if from outside, Chopin were a still picture, but would contemplate fiery and agitated thoughts in his mind

2) Debussy - always favored his rather disorganized-sounding compositions for their imaginative portrayal of a dream

3) Mozart - this one is simply addictive. His melodies are iconic and they never cease to get those nice, cheery (but touching) tones.

4) Beethoven - I believe I haven't met any pianist who composed with more naked passion and rage than Beethoven

5) Liszt - Love his bravura and elegance, especially his exciting virtuosity

EDIT: Prokofiev added. God, I thought he was already there! I apologize.
EDIT: Added Brahms. Sorry!
EDIT: Added some new composers. Please notify if there's someone else missing, and he will be added.

[cauliflower1]

What about Prokofiev?

[stiefel]

You missed Brahms -- my favorite. 

[blobberoo]

I just like Scarlatti's harpsichord sonatas. 

[cameronbiles]

No Gershwin 

[patrickd]

Medtner because of his Skaski and Sonatas.

[zezhyrule]

There are a lot of composers missing, no use whining that your favorite one is no where to be found. Just make a post saying that [completely obscure composer] is your favorite and the world is happy 

Btw, Kapustin is no where to be found  Or Carl Vine or Faure or... Hey, these guys aren't even obscure.

[maestro57]

I think half of the people on this forum know I'm a Beethoven fanatic.

Why? Because he was an angry person (reflected in his music) and I, too, am an angry, angry person.

 

[thalbergmad]

The Schumann virus should be removed from the list.

Thal

[abigailky]

I love Liszt and Rachmaninoff! Especially Rachmaninoff.... 

[pandylover18]

My favorite would have to be Chopin because his music speaks to me the most out of any other composer.

[lighthand045]

The Schumann virus should be removed from the list.

Second that.

[nanabush]

I was about to vote Ravel, but I think I have a stronger connection with Debussy, and his music was a stepping stone into learning Ravel.

I just remember popping in the Encarta '97 CD and looking up random composers when I was like 7, and listening to 'La Mer' and 'Pour le Piano' and just being mind blown because the harmonies, scales, textures were just something I had never ever heard in my little sing-alone tapes, on the radio, or anywhere else.  It was just like I had jumped into another dimension for like 30 minutes.  I still remember getting goosebumps and just freaking out and was pretty hopped up for the rest of the day.

I've also worked on a bunch of his music, and I find I can just read up on it for hours, and just get lost in his piano pieces and end up doing nothing all day but flipping through books and stuff.... ahhh free time, where did you go?