I was just wondering what people's favourite composers are, especially from the baroque, classical and romantic periods. Many people would say that I have rather unsophisticated tastes in classical music, since I tend to prefer 'second-rate' composers over the so-called 'greats'. My particular favourites change fairly regularly, but I'd say that the two composers that I'm most into at present are:
Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826):
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921):
Who are yours?
Liz
Mine is Bartók Béla (a Unitarian, like Benjamin ).
People usually say that it is possible to appreciate but impossible to like his music. I vehemently disagree, as you can see. The reason why I like him that he is my mum's favourite composer, too (she wrote her thesis on him) and she instilled the passion for his music in me (in us) pretty early.
My two favourites by him:
Duke Bluebeard's Castle
Cantata Profana
Speaking of Saint-Saëns, a question to Greg or any French speakers: How do you pronounce his name? Do you pronounce the "s" at the end of his name? There are always heated debates over it.
PS: I've never met anyone whose favourite composer was Saint-Saëns, even though he is great. I find it funny that he categorises pianists as animals in The Carnival of Animals. LOL!
Benjamin [inactive]
I remember playing something by Bartók once. Unfortunately, my clarinet teacher (who also plays the piano) absolutely hates his music for some reason.
People often laugh when I say that Saint-Saëns is one of my favourite composers. I think it's because people tend to associate him mainly with Le Carnival des Animaux — which he refused to have published or have performed publicly until after his death, for fear that it would overshadow his more important work (which it did). I suppose on the one hand it's unfortunate that he's mainly remembered for Carnival of the Animals, but then without it he might not really have been remembered at all.
It seems to be the convention at least in England not to pronounce the S on the end of his name, but I've also heard that one is supposed to.
I also find certain aspects of Saint-Saëns' life interesting — especially about how he apparently once danced in a pink ballerina suit for the benefit of Tchaikovsky.
Liz
The Carnival of Animals isn't really bad, either - just the pianist bit is hilarious.
Everyone seems to hate Bartók. They are stuck with Mozart. (Mozart is great, but there is life after him.)
Yeah, there is a tendency over here as well to not pronounce the "s" even though I think you are supposed to but I don't know why. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything about his being Belgian or anything else. That would probably explain why the "s" is pronunced if it is pronounced at all.
The ballerina dress dance must have been funny. I'm just wondering how Tchaikowsky could benefit from such a generous action.
Benjamin [inactive]
Liz wrote:
The Carnival of Animals isn't really bad, either - just the pianist bit is hilarious.
I've played The Carnival of the Animals in orchestra. Unfortunately, I didn't get the clarinet solo.
KSa
Baroque period: Johann Pachelbel
Romantic period: Fryderyk Chopin, Robert Schumann
Deborah
I suppose that if I were to be stuck on a desert island, alone, for the rest of my life, and could only play one composer's music, I'd pick Bach, because 1) I love his music, 2) he wrote so much of it, and c) unlike some other music that I dearly love, Bach's music is welcome no matter what mood I'm in.
I'm not familiar with anything by Saint-Saëns except Carnival of the Animals, but when I was a teenager, one of the classical music stations in San Francisco used an excerpt from his organ concerto as theme music for one of its programs. I loved it.
I love Bartók's music, in large part because it makes me feel like dancing.
Other favorites: Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Brahms, Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky. And even though I don't generally care for his symphonies and concertos, I love Tchaikovsky's lighter works, such as a lot of his ballet music and the Suites for Orchestra. I also fell in love with his opera, Evgeni (Eugene) Onegin when I was about 12. Just about all of my favorite waltzes, polonaises and mazurkas are by Tchaikovsky. But I love Chopin's military polonaise, too.
Deborah
I should add Chopin to my list of favorites. But I can't listen to his music if I'm feeling sad. Same goes for Tchaikovsky, and, especially, Debussy.
). 
(Mozart is great, but there is life after him.)
