Latest verson of someone trying the Phil Goulding thing and coming up with a list of "Greatest-50 composers" are the interesting folks over at 'Classic FM.' It is, of its kind, the most self-consciously recondite list I've yet encountered. They do not rank ordinally- they simply render the names, first in alphabetical order, then in chronological order. For the purpose of my initial discussion, I'm breaking it down by nationality- most-to-least.
First (12 entries)- Germany:
CPE Bach
JS Bach
Beethoven
Brahms
Gluck
Handel
Hildegard von Bingen
Mendelssohn
Schumann
Telemann
Wagner
Weber
Hildegard gets another moment in the sun. The glaring omission, of course, is Richard Strauss.
Now, does anyone have any guesses for the next nation on the list? What would you say?? What do you think???
How about France (11 entries)-
Berlioz
Debussy
pretty much appear on all lists of this nature. O.K.- another nine names await. Any more guesses? Maybe Saint-Saëns (definitely a 'Classic FM' favorite)? How about Ravel?? Perhaps give Bizet some credit for Carmen's Magellanic journey? Possibly Franck? In an experimental mood? One of Les Six or Satie?
No. Let the Early Music Soil-Fiesta begin!
Binchois (who?)
Couperin
Du Fay
Josquin des Prez
Léonin
Lully
Machaut
Rameau
and the person whom they apparently regard as the greatest living composer-
Boulez.
Now that we see which way the (chronological) wind is blowing, it shouldn't be surprising to find the Italians ranking next, with nine names, and Puccini sidestepped-
Boccherini
Corelli
Monteverdi
Paganini
Palestrina
Rossini
D. Scarlatti
Verdi
Vivaldi
Next up, Austria (6 entries)-
Haydn
Hummel (?)
Mahler
Mozart
Schoenberg
Schubert
Some names conspicuous by their absence, none moreso than Bruckner.
When will we get to the Russians? Not yet- make way for England (5)-
Britten
Dowland
Purcell
Tallis
Vaghan-Williams
Suppose 'Classic FM' couldn't have left off 'Raif,' but Dowland? If a song-writer was sought, couldn't room have been made for another Austrian, Hugo Wolf, who wrote more memorable ones in a lifespan that was nearly a quarter-century less than J.D.'s?? Oh, yeah- we found a way to leave off Elgar, too...
Ready for Russia, now?! They rate a trio-
Shostakovich
Stravinsky
Tchaikovsky
Do they have more resentment towards the Russians than Ed Snider & Bobby Clarke, or what?
Four names left-
Liszt & Bartók (from Hungary)
Chopin (from Poland), and
L. Bernstein- USA
The "demographics" that appear particularly hard-done by this enumeration are the composers of the late 19th-into-early-20th century span. Now [without looking at anyone else's list(s)], do YOU have a candidate for most shocking omission? Most inexplicable inclusion?? Your thoughts welcomed!
First (12 entries)- Germany:
CPE Bach
JS Bach
Beethoven
Brahms
Gluck
Handel
Hildegard von Bingen
Mendelssohn
Schumann
Telemann
Wagner
Weber
Hildegard gets another moment in the sun. The glaring omission, of course, is Richard Strauss.
Now, does anyone have any guesses for the next nation on the list? What would you say?? What do you think???
How about France (11 entries)-
Berlioz
Debussy
pretty much appear on all lists of this nature. O.K.- another nine names await. Any more guesses? Maybe Saint-Saëns (definitely a 'Classic FM' favorite)? How about Ravel?? Perhaps give Bizet some credit for Carmen's Magellanic journey? Possibly Franck? In an experimental mood? One of Les Six or Satie?
No. Let the Early Music Soil-Fiesta begin!
Binchois (who?)
Couperin
Du Fay
Josquin des Prez
Léonin
Lully
Machaut
Rameau
and the person whom they apparently regard as the greatest living composer-
Boulez.
Now that we see which way the (chronological) wind is blowing, it shouldn't be surprising to find the Italians ranking next, with nine names, and Puccini sidestepped-
Boccherini
Corelli
Monteverdi
Paganini
Palestrina
Rossini
D. Scarlatti
Verdi
Vivaldi
Next up, Austria (6 entries)-
Haydn
Hummel (?)
Mahler
Mozart
Schoenberg
Schubert
Some names conspicuous by their absence, none moreso than Bruckner.
When will we get to the Russians? Not yet- make way for England (5)-
Britten
Dowland
Purcell
Tallis
Vaghan-Williams
Suppose 'Classic FM' couldn't have left off 'Raif,' but Dowland? If a song-writer was sought, couldn't room have been made for another Austrian, Hugo Wolf, who wrote more memorable ones in a lifespan that was nearly a quarter-century less than J.D.'s?? Oh, yeah- we found a way to leave off Elgar, too...
Ready for Russia, now?! They rate a trio-
Shostakovich
Stravinsky
Tchaikovsky
Do they have more resentment towards the Russians than Ed Snider & Bobby Clarke, or what?
Four names left-
Liszt & Bartók (from Hungary)
Chopin (from Poland), and
L. Bernstein- USA
The "demographics" that appear particularly hard-done by this enumeration are the composers of the late 19th-into-early-20th century span. Now [without looking at anyone else's list(s)], do YOU have a candidate for most shocking omission? Most inexplicable inclusion?? Your thoughts welcomed!