<p>This is my first time posting on theis perticular board so I don't know if off-topic threads are allowed but I thought it'd be nice to spend a bit less time worrying about festivals and fellowships and a bit more time talking about what we all love: music.</p>
<p>I figured a favorite composers list wouldn't be a bad idea for that. Anyway here are mine.</p>
<p>1) Mahler
2) Stravinsky
3) Arvo Part
4) Phillip Glass
5) John Tavener</p>
<p>Johann Sebastian Bach
Josquin des Prez
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Claudio Monteverdi
Samuel Barber</p>
<p>Benjamin Britten
Alexander Borodin
Gabriel Faure</p>
<p>I range far and wide, but it always comes home to Bach. J.S. Bach.</p>
<p>In no particular order:
P. Tchaikovsky
G. Mahler
J. S. Bach
A. Piazzolla
D. Shostakovich
C. Debussy
G. Gershwin
L. Bernstein
J. Corigliano
S. Rachmaninov</p>
<p>I tend to go through phases where I listen almost exclusively to one composer’s music for a while!</p>
<p>^ So do I! But it comes in styles… I’ve REALLY been into “holy minimalism” for the past 3 months, thus why Tavener and Part are on my list.</p>
<p>Although Mahler will always have a soft spot as Mahler 9 was the first piece of music I had ever heard live in a professional concert. That concert is what made me decide I wanted to compose.</p>
<p>Mahler and Bach keep battling for the number one spot. It’s currently Bach thanks to Mr. John Harbison and his work with the Cantata Singers.</p>
<p>I change through the year but if I had to pick one it would be Shostakovich</p>
<p>Picking a favorite composer is like having to pick a favorite child! </p>
<p>But if I had to, it would be Brahms.</p>
<p>on a desert island: Beethoven and Bach</p>
<p>Listening to:
Bach (masses, cantatas, oratorios)
Mozart (operas, choral music)
Sometimes Beethoven, but he is usually to aggressive for me</p>
<p>Performing:
Brahms
Schumann
Duparc
Argento
Faure
Poulenc
Massenet</p>
<p>Bach. No doubt.</p>
<p>My favorite of all? PDQ bach (which means liking a lot of composers, since he was ‘influenced’ by all of them <em>lol</em></p>
<p>My other favorites</p>
<p>Bach
Tchaikovsky
Copeland
Bernstein
John Adams (especially as he started mixing styles)
Ravel
Brahms
Bruch
Allen Hovahness
Henry Cowell (his hymn and fuguing pieces, specifically)
William Schuman
Mendelsohn</p>
<p>And of course beethoven…</p>
<p>Vaughan Williams and Franck.</p>
<p>Opera for my desert island:
Mozart
Strauss
Puccini
Verdi</p>
<p>If I was also allowed to bring instrumental music from other composers, I’d pack up Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky and Debussy.</p>
<p>What a great list. So far I love all of the composers mentioned. Maybe we should vote on least-favorite composers. Top of list: Hindemith.</p>
<p>Wagner. Ugh.</p>
<p>I second Wagner. Ewwww.</p>
<p>Hehe, but so many are grateful for Hindemith for writing for their oddball instruments… not least the violists. Try the Op 11 Nr 4 sonata! There’s a really nice one played by Ori Kam somewhere on YouTube.</p>
<p>My favorites:
Brahms
Shostakovich
Wagner (though I often think some judicious editing would not hurt)
Ravel
Bach
Piazzolla</p>
<p>ever since playing firebird, stravinsky. there is nothing quite like the two booming bass drum entrances near the end of the finale.</p>
<p>mendelssohn
tchaikovsky</p>
<p>in terms of performing, i’ll pick poulenc (clarinet sonata)…i think mozart’s clarinet concerto is overrated :P</p>