Bach? Mozart? Beethoven? Wagner? Who is the greatest?

[contrapunctus]

     Hi, I am a new member so I would like to get the gist of how members around this forum think. Thanks!

     My personal favorite is Bach because he s the only person who could write contrapuntal music, which is the best!



                                                                                  P. H. Domico

[Fugue]

I think my name would indicate who my favorate is: Schoenberg, or course.

Just kidding, its Bach!

[Siberian Husky]

Wagner?...what the

[abe]

I wouldn't put Wagner in the top ten, or 15 even. He surely wasn't a very prolific composer. Bach and Beethoven, on the other hand, were the greatest (and mozart).

I'm sure there are other threads (many others) dedicated to this exact topic if you want to search them and see more responses.

[contrapunctus]

Wagner is one of the greatest opera composers ever. You probably even got married with his music.

[Kassaa]

Where's Chopin

[Kassaa]

Where's Liszt

[apion]

Sorry, Brahms is the greatest.  Why the f#@k is Brahms not on your list?

[Lance Morrison]

I went through a Wagner phase,,,,,yet now he really pisses me off. His operas have their moments--the emotion in his music is sometimes overwhelming---and he was a master of orchestration. But his method of leitmotifs, which seems to me to be a good idea in theory,  is SO bloody ill-conceived and ill-executed.....his vocal writing, which again is good in concept, ends up being uncreative and dull......and his librettos seem long-winded and unpoetic to me. Answering just why his music is somewhat repulsive to me is difficult, but contains the mentioned reasons.....

it is ridiculous how popular he was and continues to be.

i must give him kudos for using Norse mythology as a base for the ring cycle....

[shoshin]

Its a disgrace to both Bach and Beethoven to put Wagner in the poll.

[JamesS]

My personal favorite is Bach because he s the only person who could write contrapuntal music, which is the best!

Um, what about Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Schumann, Schubert, Liszt, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Schoenberg, Webern, Berg, Shostakovich, did they not write contrapuntal music??!!!

This is a list of Greatest composers, not favourite composers! Just because because you don't like Wagner doesn't mean he isn't a great composer! I think you either get Wagner or you don't, if you don't then you still have to realise that without Wagner music would be very different. His music, especially his use of tonality influenced Debussy and his chromaticism influneced Schoenberg. Not to mention what he achieved in the music drama. His music may not be to your taste but please don't be ignorant of the fact that he is a great composer.

As for more I would go for Beethoven, for obvious reasons. Though I don't think there is just one greatest composer, I would say that any list must include: Bach, Betehoven, Wagner, Schoenberg, Debussy, possibly Haydn as well. Remember this is not defined by who you like the most, but who was the greatest.

J.

[kilini]

1. This topic is incredibly overused.
2. You have almost NO one in the poll.
3. What a bloody nice way to start a flame war.

[greyrune]

why has Rach not yet been mentioned???  and i'm surprised no one before me voted Mozart.   It's definately not my favourite music by he is probably the most prolific and the greatest genious among those options.

[Sergey R]

It's impossible to have a fair poll for this kind of thing because there are SO MANY composers you could never fit them all in. And when there are composers left out, they may be the favourites of some of the people on this board who will then get angry. The topic then develops into an argument which is beside its originally intended purpose.

[keys]

oh stop whining and put 'other'. I like how Wagner is still Controversial! I think that's a good sign.. strong emotions attached to your music even after all these years.  I personaly think that Beethoven is the greatest, he is also my favorite. 2nd place would go to Bach (very close 2nd place, Beethoven won because I love him).

[pianonut]

contrapunctus, is that you?

i've missed talking.  was very busy at the end of the semester - and i think you were saying you were too, with practice.

how come you don't just come right out and say 'pick bach.'  with a name like contrapunctus, i think you are hinting though.  i tend to like pretty much every composer for whatever they offer.

it's really hard to choose - like if you had to go to a deserted island with only one composer's music - maybe then i would choose beethoven (takes a moment, votes beethoven)...but unless i am really pressed, they are all so important.  unless a person plays a variety of music, they really miss out.  of course, some pianists specialize.   a fellow i heard on the radio the other day asked his prof's at a russian conservatory if he only learn chopin.  he learned all the mazurkas, waltzes, nocturnes, and did quite well for himself (i personally don't like his interpretations on some) - but unfortunatly didn't get his name.

i was tempted to do the same in grad school, and specialize in only music that i like.  but, then, my teacher plays all kinds of awesome music, and if he hadn't introduced me (by listening to him and his students) to the various other composer's out there, i would not know what i was missing.  it's nice to hear a recital that you really don't know the composers and are surprised by the music.

[Hamfast]

Who is the greatest composer?

Chopin, Chopin, or Chopin?

hmmmm...I think, Chopin is The Greatest!!!!

correct, and what is your answer?

yyyaaeemm... I think, Chopin is The Greatest composer...

Congratulations! good answer!!! and you? what do you think about it?

hmmmm......Chopin???

Oh yes!!! great!!!! and you?

[mikeyg]

Who is the greatest composer?

Chopin, Chopin, or Chopin?

hmmmm...I think, Chopin is The Greatest!!!!

correct, and what is your answer?

yyyaaeemm... I think, Chopin is The Greatest composer...

Congratulations! good answer!!! and you? what do you think about it?

hmmmm......Chopin???

Oh yes!!! great!!!! and you?

I think not...

Definately Bach.  He built the foundation of keyboard literature and his Brandenburg Concertos are amading orchestrial.  Not to mention all the passions and choral works.

Then Beethoven, then Mozart. 

And who's Wagner   

[gee]

3 musical geniuses and one no namer  makes for a very comprehensive survey eh?

[contrapunctus]

3 musical geniuses and one no namer  makes for a very comprehensive survey eh?

I do not know why you people insist theat Wagner is a not-so-good composer. His opera's are some of the best: very showy and exciting. It is a thrill to listen to him. Very similar to R. Strauss except more convntional.



I also do not understand why all you people like Chopin. He is just an average composer. He has obviously no good counterpoint or maturity in his music. They are heart on sleave works and have no emotional restraint what so ever. Maybe if he lived longer...

[JP]

I do not know why you people insist theat Wagner is a not-so-good composer. His opera's are some of the best: very showy and exciting. It is a thrill to listen to him. Very similar to R. Strauss except more convntional.



I also do not understand why all you people like Chopin. He is just an average composer. He has obviously no good counterpoint or maturity in his music. They are heart on sleave works and have no emotional restraint what so ever. Maybe if he lived longer...

Blasphemy! 

[Derek]

Beetween Beethoven and Bach I'd say that is indeed a close race. But I'd say Bach, partially because of how prolific he was. And because he just kicks ass. I mean come on.

[laurenlynnette]

I also do not understand why all you people like Chopin. He is just an average composer. He has obviously no good counterpoint or maturity in his music. They are heart on sleave works and have no emotional restraint what so ever. Maybe if he lived longer...

          Learn how to spell "sleeve" and maybe we'll believe you about Chopin...    
Seriously, if Chopin's "average" then there must be millions of people out there who can compose music like he did... 

As far as emotional restraint, I have to agree with you.  Sometimes Chopin does get schmaltzy - even for my over-dramatic tastes...  However, I think perhaps that is the key to Chopin lovers verses "not so Chopin lovers" I am naturally emotional and dramatic, so Chopin is appealing to me.  For a not so dramatic person, well, maybe not so much...

[keys]

I do not know why you people insist theat Wagner is a not-so-good composer. His opera's are some of the best: very showy and exciting. It is a thrill to listen to him. Very similar to R. Strauss except more convntional.



I also do not understand why all you people like Chopin. He is just an average composer. He has obviously no good counterpoint or maturity in his music. They are heart on sleave works and have no emotional restraint what so ever. Maybe if he lived longer...

I think the reason that Chopin is so popular compared to Wagner is that you are on a PIANO forum. Chopin is pretty much the centre of our universe. He understood how the piano is superior to everything else

[Sergey R]

Exactly.

And bassoon comes second. But I'm probably biased because it's the only other instrument I play...

[ligurian]

Just a question...Why would anybody even CONSIDER having Liszt or Rachmoninoff as their favorite composer???  Liszt was a poppycock artist as was Rahmoninoff. The real greats were Bach, Beethoven and Mozart, (and maybe Chopin although he's kind of in limbo). Thats just IMHO tho...

[Siberian Husky]

mozart gets no credit these days and its a shame..as inferior as his music may be compared to his followers..his music was a huge stepping stone in music..in all aspects..not just piano

[LVB op.57]

For the two overall greatest, I'm speaking objectively when I say Beethoven and Bach. However, my favorite operas are those by Mozart.
I would never consider Chopin to be in the same class as the three mentioned above. I like some of his piano music too, and his etudes are a cornerstone in the repertoire, but he showed no versatility.

[Mozartian]

Wagner would have voted Wagner, if you want to know his opinion.

[Lance Morrison]

Wagner would have voted Wagner, if you want to know his opinion.

actually I believe he would have voted Liszt

[Mozartian]

actually I believe he would have voted Liszt

Of course he would've, how silly of me.

[Teddybear]

Mozart is the only one whose compositions I can play so that it makes any sense.

T