A hypothesis:
Oct. 15th, 2007 08:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
beautifulduckweedI was coming up with a list of my favorite composers as I trolled the Multnomah County Library for discs to add to my hold list, and they run thusly, in no particular order other than Bach, because Bach is a PIMP and if my Myspace friendlist was composed entirely of dead composers, he'd have my Number One spot, like, forever:
J.S. Bach
Beethoven
Rachmaninoff
Tchaikovsky (as I get older, I find his works a bit more cloying, especially his ballets, but they still have a very special space in my heart)
Looking at that list, I think I can generalize thusly: I seem to go for either restraint and mathematical purity in expression, or huge, messy emotion. HUGE. Though I suppose Beethoven isn't quite as messy as Rachmaninoff or Tchaikovsky. Oh, those wacky Russky Romantics and their pretty, pretty melodies and gorgeous over-statements.
There are other composers whose works I find interesting and need to explore more in order to gain a fuller appreciation--Schubert, Schumann, Ravel, Satie, Debussy, Grieg, Glass, Brahms, Liszt, Stravinksy, etc. My music education, when it comes down to it, was hugely inadequate, despite my ability to geek on and on about certain aspects.
And now for the special bonus snark round: Composers whose works I think are somewhat over-rated!
Mozart: The works he composed when he was suicidally depressed get a pass--but I generally find his pieces more fulfilling to play than to listen to, because the goddamn hummability of all his work eventually comes across as, well, cheap.
Handel: Despite my friend Mark's best efforts, I just can't get too enthusiastic over Handel. Some of his works are beautiful, but most of them are cursed with the same sort of triteness I find so grating in Mozart.
J.S. Bach
Beethoven
Rachmaninoff
Tchaikovsky (as I get older, I find his works a bit more cloying, especially his ballets, but they still have a very special space in my heart)
Looking at that list, I think I can generalize thusly: I seem to go for either restraint and mathematical purity in expression, or huge, messy emotion. HUGE. Though I suppose Beethoven isn't quite as messy as Rachmaninoff or Tchaikovsky. Oh, those wacky Russky Romantics and their pretty, pretty melodies and gorgeous over-statements.
There are other composers whose works I find interesting and need to explore more in order to gain a fuller appreciation--Schubert, Schumann, Ravel, Satie, Debussy, Grieg, Glass, Brahms, Liszt, Stravinksy, etc. My music education, when it comes down to it, was hugely inadequate, despite my ability to geek on and on about certain aspects.
And now for the special bonus snark round: Composers whose works I think are somewhat over-rated!
Mozart: The works he composed when he was suicidally depressed get a pass--but I generally find his pieces more fulfilling to play than to listen to, because the goddamn hummability of all his work eventually comes across as, well, cheap.
Handel: Despite my friend Mark's best efforts, I just can't get too enthusiastic over Handel. Some of his works are beautiful, but most of them are cursed with the same sort of triteness I find so grating in Mozart.
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no subject
Date: 2007-10-16 08:51 am (UTC)Your next favourite composer should be either Charles Wuorinen or La Monte Young, both of whom post-date Tchaikovsky.
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Date: 2007-10-16 05:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-17 08:54 pm (UTC)I fail my music PhD.
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Date: 2007-10-16 03:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-16 05:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-16 06:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-17 12:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-16 09:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-17 12:23 am (UTC)