If 'best' means the one I like best, I choose Lully.
If it means the one that I judge to be the best musically speaking - PASS!

 

It means the best for you. The one you like best. So, vote for Lully! He was a great composer. One of my favorites also.

 

"Best" = favourite, as usual.

Only one choice.

*waves hands in disdain*
Zut alors, ici dix:

1 Ravel
2 Debussy
3 Faure
4 Berlioz
5 Saint-Saens
6 Messiaen
7 Magnard
8 Dutilleux
9 Roussel
10 Poulenc

 

"Best" = favourite, as usual.

*waves hands in disdain*
Zut alors, ici dix:

1 Ravel
2 Debussy
3 Faure
4 Berlioz
5 Saint-Saens
6 Messiaen
7 Magnard
8 Dutilleux
9 Roussel
10 Poulenc

Hehe, had to make it more challenging with only one vote allowed. The fact remains that essentially all French composers with one notable exception (Varese) are amazing. By the way, I also like Magnard and Roussel from the less known composers in your list.

 

I voted for Berlioz, because as far as I'm concerned he penned the greatest opera ever written, Les Troyens.

 

Charles Koechlin.

[there is no option for 'other', so I have to mention Koechlin here in the thread]

 

Thank you. I did not know him, will look for him.

 

Where is Alkan?

....that aside....

1. Debussy
2. Debussy
3. Debussy

...etc.etc. ...

 

Saint-Saens gets my vote by a reasonable margin.

He would followed by Berlioz, Faure, Massenet, Ravel and Debussy in that order albeit with a fair margin between Faure and Massenet onwards.

I don't know much Bizet but I would place his Symphony in C in high regard.

 

Your taste is very similar with mine. My first three are Saint Saens-Berlioz-Faure

 

I picked Berlioz with Ravel a close 2nd.

 

Faure without question, the "father" of the french musical soul, as i percieved it. The quiet genius with a genius for quiet music. I do admire the daring, groundbreaking works of Ravel, Debussy and Satie but Faure is the very beating heart of french music. Melancholic, introspective, the sound of a romantic star gazing deep in thought.

 

Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese Varese

 

Can you clarify? Did you mean Varese or someone else? It was not very clear.

 

Saint-Saens is my favourite french composers. Such diversity! In general I love the teacher-student-line from Saint-Saens onwards to Faure and last Ravel, imo the best french composers.

 

Oops. The poll said who was best, not who was my favorite. I think Debussy was the best of the group because of his wide- and long-range impact. My personal favorite is Satie. But that's just me.

 

Where's Gounod?

 

missing, I should have included him.

 

Ravel for me, over Debussy by a hair. French impressionism might just be my favorite musical period besides late Romanticism, and in terms of its composers I find myself listening to Ravel slightly more.

 

I go with Ravel, also...great composer

 

Rameau, one of the greatest French composers. Fact.

 

Faure for me... Ravel a close second. Poulenc definitely up there.

 

In more or less chronological order:

Debussy
Varese
Messiaen
Boulez

 

Because there was only one voting option, I picked Varese but I really have to add, everyone looks to Germany as "the country, for classical music" but I look to France (and for film too), there are so many great composers of all eras (I'm a huge Rameau and Faure fan too) I'm practically half french

 

Berlioz by a long shot. He was the bridge between Beethoven and Wagner. I hear Berlioz everywhere in Wagner. Add to that the idée fixe, new orchestration, he did bring the drama to the music. Programmatic music unlike anything, sorry Beethoven.

I see him as the first avant-garde composer. In fact if he was german he would be top 10 composer. Symphonie fantastique was such a giant step compare to BEethoven'S ninth. Without his Romeo and julliet a good 10 years before Tristan and Les troyens, I ask myself how Wagner would have sounded ad would we put Wagner as a revolutionnary composer without all the tricks he took from Berlioz

 

Too tough for me to make a clear choice between Debussy and Ravel

 

Debussy or Ravel，I couldn't decide！ I　picked　Saint-Saens。

 

Sounds like a very fuzzy-logical train of thought for a robot.

Who programmed you?

 

Another poll with impossible choices, who was the best, by who's standard?

If it means the one that I judge to be the best musically speaking - PASS!

Amen to this.

 

Another poll with impossible choices, who was the best, by who's standard?

I wouldn't be mean to you if you chose WRONG ！！！

 

I am offended by the exclusion of Schmitt. I've been reading some old posts, I know 'Portamento' would too...

 

Sorry. Next time we will exclude Varese and include Schmitt.

 

Messiaen is the one for me.

 

I voted Debussy but I'm surprised that up to now Bizet is voteless. A very lovable and clever musician who wrote the immortal 'Carmen', L'Arlesienne Suites, and delicious Symphony.

 

Define "best." .

 

The opposite of the worst.