My hatred for Bach is looked down upon

[kakeithewolf]

I don't actually dislike the mazurkas the way I dislike waltzes. I just don't really care for them that much, not the way I like his other music. I do agree that some are musically interesting and innovative.

If really think about it, there are few dance forms I do like...minuets are often rather annoying also...but one of my favorite pieces to play is a gigue...

What about gavottes and loures?

[outin]

I still haven't gotten around to playing gigues yet, or any other baroque/classical dance forms. ;_; Sigh, at least now I'm not ignoring the baroque guys. Too much romanticism, needed some diversity!

Even if you don't go to the Baroque guys...These dance forms you can find as more modern versions too...Here's an example:

[outin]

What about gavottes and loures?

I haven't played any Gavottes actually... maybe I should...there's one pretty nice by Rameau that isn't too difficult...

Loures? Aren't they like Gigues really?

[pianoman53]

I agree with Forte.

It seems like, if a majority likes it, or has a certain opinion, you always have a different one.

Ex 1. Piano trio - piano cello and string
You say "NOOOO!!! IT'S THREE PIANOS!!!!"

Ex 2. Bach - The biggest genius the music world ever seen.
You say: No, shut up. He sucks!

Ex 3. Toccata and Fuga in D minor.
You say "I know no one likes it. But I do!"

And then I didn't even look very hard.

[senanserat]

Oh my... I go away for some weeks and you guys cannot behave D;

I'm appalled I raised you all better than this.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

I agree with Forte.

It seems like, if a majority likes it, or has a certain opinion, you always have a different one.

Ex 1. Piano trio - piano cello and string
You say "NOOOO!!! IT'S THREE PIANOS!!!!"

Ex 2. Bach - The biggest genius the music world ever seen.
You say: No, shut up. He sucks!

Ex 3. Toccata and Fuga in D minor.
You say "I know no one likes it. But I do!"

And then I didn't even look very hard.

1.  That is FALSE.

There was about 127 people who took that test and the vast majority got that question wrong, which is why we all the the two points back.

And I pretty much have somewhere around the same tastes as everyone else here with the exception of a few things.  Like...

Bach
Rach 3 original recordings
Kinda Mozart

You can't be like, 'oh yeah you don't like Bach?  STOP THE WORLD you're trying to be different from everyone else in every way possible'.  That's ONE composer, don't pretend like he he's the entire genre of classical music.

2.  Because you didn't look very hard, you decided to just make up example 3.

[cabbynum]

Some of you all are being asses for no reason. Are you bored? Do you feel like it would be fun to go stir up some trouble?

Discuss the music, not each other.

[j_menz]

Kinda Mozart

Wolfie's lesser known little brother?

[cabbynum]

Wolfie's lesser known little brother?

My family just asked why I burst out laughing. I tried to explain. It didn't work at all. I found that really funny actually.

[outin]

My family just asked why I burst out laughing. I tried to explain. It didn't work at all. I found that really funny actually.

Happened to me too, but I'm on a bus...People looked at me like I'm some grazy woman:)
Jmenz does that to you sometimes...

[kakeithewolf]

I haven't played any Gavottes actually... maybe I should...there's one pretty nice by Rameau that isn't too difficult...

Loures? Aren't they like Gigues really?

Gavottes are pretty good, give one or two a try.

And loures are somewhat like gigues. They're known as slow gigues, because they are low tempo and calm, as opposed to the lively nature of the gigue. Structurally, it is a gigue, though.

[candlelightpiano]

I used to hate Bach, too, so I can relate.  But I fell in love with Bach/Gounod ave Maria and Bach's Air so now I kinda like Bach.

[chicoscalco]

Do you guys think music can only be measured by personal taste? We would be lost if that was the case... I'm not the biggest fan of Mozart's piano works, but I cannot say he sucks. I know he is what he is because there are factors more important than my opinion. It's not the general opinion, it's something much more academical. Beethoven is not a great composer because of Fur Elise, although that is his most famous work for the piano.
An even better example: Chopin. His music is very popular, yet, although genius, he is not in the same rank as Bach Beethoven Mozart. It's not the general consensus that classifies Bach as a great composer, it's something much more serious and concrete.

[outin]

Do you guys think music can only be measured by personal taste? We would be lost if that was the case...

Music CAN be measured in many ways, not only by personal taste. That doesn't mean it isn't just as good measure as the others. I don't see why we would be lost even if it is used more? Personal tastes are formulated by the environment as well as naturally, so they won't differ in the general population as much as you would think.

An even better example: Chopin. His music is very popular, yet, although genius, he is not in the same rank as Bach Beethoven Mozart. It's not the general consensus that classifies Bach as a great composer, it's something much more serious and concrete.

Now that statement seems just too ridiculous as such for me to comment on. Maybe if you elaborated: In what sense he is not in the same rank? Because he didn't bother with opera and very little with orchestration? In what sense would his keyboards works fall behind on the other 3 you mention? Average length? I don't think it's any small achievement to create a one page (or even shorter) masterpiece that one can still be amazed after hearing it hundreds of times over the years.

And actually, it is always some kind of concensus (among certain groups) that classifies who is considered great. That's how culture works. There's no such thing as universal greatness that can be measured. Even the greatness of Bach is a product of a certain time period. Seems to me many people in these days lack historical perspective...

Every one of these composers had their individual style to work and create new things. They all excelled in that. There's no way to objectively state that one of them had a style superior to others. What is left for us is the music and no matter how much your try to analyze it, ultimately it's worth should IMO come from the amount of pleasure it can present to the listener/player. (Although scholars and readers seem to be greatly rewarded by some composers.) And there's no way around the fact that the listerners/players will be different.