Thread: Is There a Great Composer You Plain Just Don't Like

Originally Posted by Moscow-Mahler

I think I've never been really touched by the music of Liszt, despite my great admiration of Wagner. His piano concertos are interesting, but what did he want to say by them, I don't now.

While I love the piano concerti and think they're great, highly innovative and original pieces, they really aren't among his best works, and they aren't at the level of Grieg, Schumann, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, etc.

With Liszt, the solo piano music, better orchestral works, and the choral works are where it's at.

C for Chopin and Cheesy. Can't keep listening without getting bored.

Originally Posted by Lisztian

While I love the piano concerti and think they're great, highly innovative and original pieces, they really aren't among his best works, and they aren't at the level of Grieg, Schumann, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, etc.

With Liszt, the solo piano music, better orchestral works, and the choral works are where it's at.

So impartial for someone decked out in Liszt. I love it!

Handel has never been a composer that I've enjoyed.

Chopin just kinda bores me.

Sometimes I find it hard to handel chopin music. I have to rush out of the store so I can get away from it.

I think I need to revisit Chopin. I've never really thought too much of him, but I haven't really listened to very much.

Originally Posted by Cnote11

Sometimes I find it hard to handel chopin music. I have to rush out of the store so I can get away from it.

I think I need to revisit Chopin. I've never really thought too much of him, but I haven't really listened to very much.

What have you heard? And what is it about him that you're not fond of?

Refer to Miaou's and iforgotmypassword's posts. I just find it rather bland and boring... I don't remember exactly what I've heard as I've heard numerous things growing up but I can not identify them by name. The only pieces I can identify are the entirety of the Nocturnes. I'm going to give them another go because, in all honesty, it just sounds like something I would love.

Originally Posted by Cnote11

Refer to Miaou's and iforgotmypassword's posts. I just find it rather bland and boring... I don't remember exactly what I've heard as I've heard numerous things growing up but I can not identify them by name. The only pieces I can identify are the entirety of the Nocturnes. I'm going to give them another go because, in all honesty, it just sounds like something I would love.

I find the two very best Nocturnes to be 27/2 and 48/1 - although a few others are brilliant too. The Nocturnes as a whole can bore me at times too, but those two - especially the latter - never fail to move me.

But I do think that the Nocturnes, for one who has been bored by Chopin before, may not be the ticket in. I think the Scherzi and Ballades could be better there.

Originally Posted by Cnote11

Sometimes I find it hard to handel chopin music. I have to rush out of the store so I can get away from it.

I think I need to revisit Chopin. I've never really thought too much of him, but I haven't really listened to very much.

Well played.

I shouldn't say I don't like this composer because I do. However, I have to say I have never been that fond of Beethoven's music. I respect his genius but I find I always prefer Mozart. Or sometimes I feel like listening to the Baroque greats such as Bach and Handel. Or strangely I even prefer the romantic giants, Liszt, Wagner, Richard Strauss, Mahler before Beethoven, save a few of his pieces. Am I insane? probably.. That being said though Mozart is my absolute favourite. To me Beethoven just broke through more boundaries than Mozart but that doesn't mean the music is better. As well frankly, I don't buy into the whole Beethoven has more emotion than Mozart argument which some people try to start. I think Mozart had just as much expression in any of his pieces than Beethoven ever did.

Wagner. I like some of Wagner, but after forty years of persistence find the 'Ring' an utter bore and totally overblown both critically & artistically - a waste of 13 hours listening time; as Rossini famously said ' Wagner has wonderful moments, but very dull twenty minutes.'

I would also make a strong case for Benjamin Britten, a composer I admire but just can't connect to, followed by Mahler who strikes me as a person who you would meet at a party or through work and has to repeat himself at least five times to make a point. As time goes on I might come to like some of these composer's music, but I just can't see it in the near future!

Sibelius, can't stand his music, never have been able to.

Originally Posted by Jaws

Sibelius, can't stand his music, never have been able to.

What are your feelings re: Carl Nielsen?

Not yet, but I'm still a novice

I mostly like Chopin's Etudes and Ballades. And a lot of the Nocturnes and Preludes are very beautiful. Some Nocturnes are a bit cheesy, yes.
I love the energetic and wild Etudes like Op 10. No.1, No. 4 No. 9, no. 12 and Op. 25 No. 11 and no. 12.
I'm usually on piano forums and he is absolutely revered there. A bit too much if you ask me, but for sure he is one of the gods of (romantic) piano music.
Somehow Chopin doesn't have a high "replay value" for me, maybe because it's so perfectly made, but once in a while there is really nothing better than listening to Zimerman play his Ballade No. 1 or no. 4.