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Wow, thank you. I couldn't have said it better myself. I'm always afraid to admit that I can't listen to his music other than a study. Like you said I respect him, and admire his skill, but I hardly listen to it for enjoyment.

Add Schubert and Schumann to the list as well.

Almost all programmatic music is not "about abstract things" although it may have emotional content.



MacDowell : "To a Wild Rose," "To a Waterlily"

Rachmaninoff : "The Rock"

Debussy : "Poissons d'or"

Beethoven : "Wellington's Victory."

Regards,

You may also see "Poems of 1917" by Leo Ornstein. It consists of ten parts, all depicting aspects of trench warfare in WWI.

Aw man! I'm curious to know why people don't like Schumann... He's my absolute favourite composer and I've always found all of his compositions so easy to listen to.

Bach and Brahms.

What difference does it really make whether a bunch of complete strangers say they "like" composer X, Y or Z ????? The works of the majority of the composers identified in this tread have withstood the test of time - and will continue to be performed and appreciated long after we are gone and forgotten.

Heading back downstairs now to learn some beautiful works by Chopin, Brahms, Bach and Schubert. May even play a little (gasp) Schumann. So much great music - so little time.

How do you feel about the music of other baroque composers such as Handel? Are there other baroque composers who appeal to you considerably more than Bach?

While I have a lot of respect for Bach as a composer, baroque music simply does not appeal to me as much as later music from the classical and romantic period which is why I prefer music by other composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Brahms, Verdi, etc over that of Bach. Bach, however, is definitely my favorite baroque composer. I also have a significant preference for Bach's music over that of any contemporary classical music which I have heard. Composers I just can't get into would include just about all of the composers after the death of Rachmaninoff who are classified as Western classical composers.

Schumann's out due to my own musical weaknesses.

In my case it's rhythm that both pulls and anchors a piece, then melody and finally any harmonic layers. Schumann is harmonically complex but often lacks the strong rhythmic patterns used by composers such as Bach, Schubert and Beethoven. If I can't catch the "groove" it's difficult to appreciate the other musical components.

I'm going to go out on a limb and surmise that you, as a Schumann fan, are among the harmonically gifted.

I've noticed through threads like this that many naturally side with either rhythmic or harmonic compositional preferences. It usually follows that their favorite genres and composers align neatly within the same logical groups. (Note: I'm not implying in any way that these are the only two preferential musical distinctions.)

Agreed.

Simply not true.

Also agreed, with Carey.

Tchaikovsky can write a gorgeous melodic line, start to finish...his problem is more a matter of bringing all the melodies together and creating a large-scale piece that has some sort of logical form. His melodies don't ramble or meander, but his pieces do. There are exceptions, however -- for instance I think his 6th symphony is brilliant in every way, including construction.

(Very) loosely speaking, I more or less switch on at Mozart. There are probably too many exceptions to list (some Handel, some Haydn, ...) but Mozart onward is where the bulk of my music collection is centered.

Alkan. Everyone tells me how underrated he is, and how amazing his music is, but I've tried listening to it lately and I haven't found it to be particularly interesting.

Scarlatti.

-Daniel

With the exception of a few pieces, Debussy does very little for me.

Scriabin. I'm working on him though. My teacher says he's my kind of composer, but it may be a while.

Someone mentioned Cage. I don't take him seriously.

Tomasino

To me Schumann has too much predictable rhythmic patterns that I often get bored. But in general, I like his work, he has style different from others.

Am I the only one who can't seem to find the appeal of Mozart? Nothing against him, and I understand and appreciate his work from a compositional and technical point, however there are very few pieces that I can bare to listen from him.

You really have something to look forward to. I'd start with the etudes opus 8 and 42, then the first five piano sonatas. Incredible stuff and most accessible!

I think it was the 3rd sonata which really kicked things off for me, Ashkenazy's recording I believe. Then when I discovered Horowitz's psychotic, mind-blowingly psychedelic 10th sonata, I knew I had finally come to Scriabin.

Scriabin is not a composer I listen a great deal to -a little at a time is best- but what an outstanding musical mind. Don't let his personal megalomania put you off.