randy_byers: (2010-08-15)
[personal profile] randy_byers
Anthony Tommasini of the New York Times is compiling a list of the ten greatest composers since the late Baroque era. His first definite choice is J.S. Bach. However, the article in the series he's writing on the topic that caught my eye today is the one on 20th Century composers. He says two will definitely make his list: Debussy and Stravinsky. Two others are maybes: Britten and Bartok. He gives his reasons, and they are interesting. He ends with a question: "So whom are we missing? Any votes for Shostakovich? Prokofiev? Messiaen? Ligeti?"

Thought this might be of interest to at least a few of you. Meanwhile, I need to listen to more Stravinsky, and I never did get a copy of Britten's opera, The Turn of the Screw. His A Midsummer Night's Dream was one of my great musical discoveries last year.

Date: 2011-01-12 06:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kalimac.livejournal.com
I'm not going to play "greatest", because what makes great? Surely "influential" is prominent, and the most influential composer of the century after Stravinsky was Schoenberg, but, though not negligible, is he truly great in any other way?

I will, however, name my ten favorite 20th century composers, chosen by the simple technique of how much music of their I have in my collection. This is just 20th century composers, mind you.

1. Dmitri Shostakovich
2. Serge Prokofiev
3. Alan Hovhaness
4. Philip Glass
5. Ralph Vaughan Williams
6. Malcolm Arnold
7. Henry Cowell
8. Jean Sibelius
9. Carl Nielsen
10. Aaron Copland

Stravinsky is 11th, Britten 13th, Debussy 24th, Bartok 25th, Messiaen (whom I actually like) 51st, and Ligeti (whom I don't) 233rd.

Date: 2011-01-12 07:05 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] randy-byers.livejournal.com
Where does John Adams fall on that list? Harmonielehre was another of my great musical discoveries of 2010.

Date: 2011-01-12 07:07 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kalimac.livejournal.com
Adams squeezes in to the top 20.

Date: 2011-01-12 07:08 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] randy-byers.livejournal.com
Come to think of it, my Debussy collection expanded last year as well, particularly chamber and piano music.

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