Thread: 1808-1812

I thought this could be an interesting poll. Who's your favourite/greatest composer born between 1808 and 1812? Why?

The poll is asking who you think is the greatest - and if you can't decide that, pick your favourite out of whichever ones were equal at the top for you.

This is a really tough one. They are all fantastic composers that I have at one time or another been most fond of. Currently it would be Schumann. His music is the strangest and most personal for sure, but I think what sells me on Schumann is the symphonies. Those symphonies are high spirited to say the least.

The obvious answer is SCHUMANN

Very close. I absolutely love Mendelssohn, but my vote went to Schumann. Schumann composed great works in a wide number of genres. All 4 symphonies are strong (I particularly like the 3rd and 4th). He wrote wonderful concertos for piano(!!), cello, and violin (not everyone thinks highly of the violin concerto, but I adore it). His piano chamber works are spectacular (quintet is one of the greatest). And of course his piano works and songs hold their own against just about anyone.

My second choice would most definitely have to go to Liszt. Though Schumann speaks more to my heart and was more consistently the greater "poet"(as was Chopin, though note how I saw "consistently," Liszt has some real moments...), Liszt seems to me to be the more versatile and fluid composer. And he was easily one of the most revolutionary figures in the history of music.

Curious though how Chopin is losing, though it is at an early stage in the voting. Take a random internet sampling and Chopin is almost guaranteed to win.

Originally Posted by clavichorder

Liszt seems to me to be the more versatile and fluid composer. And he was easily one of the most revolutionary figures in the history of music.

That's why I voted for him also.

Originally Posted by Manxfeeder

That's why I voted for him also.

And me. I actually found it tough between Schumann and Liszt, but in the end those reasons - and the fact that I like him the most - put him on top.

For me, it was a close call between Mendelssohn and Schumann - I eventually went with Mendelssohn. Although both great composers, Schumann is very much a hit and miss kind of composer for me. I find Mendelssohn more consistently enjoyable, and the way his structural perfection shines through is a big bonus. I'm also more emotionally attached to works like A Midsummer Night's Dream, the 3rd Symphony and the Songs Without Words.

I just consulted wikipedia to see what "other" would possibly be and discovered a few. Ferdinand Hiller is the only one whose music I've actually listened to and I can vouch for it. It seems like a more early romantic version of Hummel. Apparently very prolific, and possibly had a large solo piano output, something I'd like to know more about.

Fiery piano concerto:

It also seems that if you make it a five year period, adding 1813 to the years, we'll have Richard Wagner, Guiseppi Verdi, Charles Valentin Alkan, and Stephen Heller.

Originally Posted by clavichorder

It also seems that if you make it a five year period, adding 1813 to the years, we'll have Richard Wagner, Guiseppi Verdi, Charles Valentin Alkan, and Stephen Heller.

That was intentional. I thought it would make it a less interesting poll and, also, I don't think it really makes sense to compare composers who predominantly wrote Opera to the more varied ones we have on the list.

Originally Posted by Lisztian

That was intentional. I thought it would make it a less interesting poll and, also, I don't think it really makes sense to compare composers who predominantly wrote Opera to the more varied ones we have on the list.

I agree that its probably more interesting with that omission, but its still interesting that in only 5 years, so many great composers were born.

Originally Posted by clavichorder

I agree that its probably more interesting with that omission, but its still interesting that in only 5 years, so many great composers were born.

Indeed. I would think that's the greatest 5 year stretch of composer births ever. That could be another thread...

I voted Liszt, but mostly because I'm on a bit of a Liszt kick lately. It was very close between Mendelssohn, Chopin, and Liszt for me, though.

How all these polls and voting are going to destroy or at least distract our perception from the actual contribution of each one of these great composers. Music is not sports. We cannot actually count the "higher", the "stronger" or the "faster". We should consider ourselves fortunate enough to identify, by exploring and indulging in their immense Opus, their contribution to the development of Classical Music. That's enough!
All of these four mentioned in the poll had their strong and weak points, but we cannot really measure them and compare. A common feature of all of them is that they were all uneven in their production. Perhaps, Chopin was the least uneven, because he composed exclusively for his instrument (even his Piano Concertos and his meagre Chamber Music is utterly pianistic). However, he was very narrow in his scope by composing only for piano.
For the other three, despite their great achievements in some of his works, there is a good amount of uneven and less interesting works. So, none was that great, but all were so significant to be listened to and be considered as some of the most important figures in Classical Music History.

Principe