Your favourite composers

[Albion]

Unsurprisingly all mine are British. Any music library is incomplete without representation of

Cipriani Potter (1792-1871)
William Sterndale Bennett (1816-1875)
Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900)
Alexander Mackenzie (1847-1935)
Hubert Parry (1848-1918)
Frederic Cowen (1852-1935)
Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)
Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
Ethel Smyth (1858-1944)
Granville Bantock (1868-1946)
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
Gustav Holst (1874-1934)
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912)
Havergal Brian (1876-1972)
William Hurlstone (1876-1906)
Josef Holbrooke (1878-1958)
Rutland Boughton (1878-1960)
Cyril Scott (1879-1971)
John Foulds (1880-1939)
Arnold Bax (1883-1953)
York Bowen (1884-1961)
Arthur Bliss (1891-1975)
Herbert Howells (1892-1983)
Gerald Finzi (1901-1956)
Edmund Rubbra (1901-1986)
William Walton (1902-83)
Benjamin Britten (1913-76)
Malcolm Arnold (1921-2006)

What an astounding list! When I inevitably have to down-size, these discs will be my priorities - should fill a few shelves. Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, Shostakovich etc. will have to toddle off to the charity shop and rub shoulders with The Spice Girls...

I wanna—, I wanna—, I wanna—, I wanna—, I wanna really, really, really wanna zigazig, ah. Erm, no ta very much, but thanks for asking: rather pop on a bit of Bantock.

 ::)

[guest822]

You won't be surprised to hear that I wouldn't disagree with a word of that post. I would just add the name of Eric Coates (1886-1957). Call me populist if you like (but not so much so that I'd defend the ghastly Spice Girls. As dear old Terry-Thomas was wont to say, "What a shower -- an absolute shower!")  :D

[Albion]

You won't be surprised to hear that I wouldn't disagree with a word of that post. I would just add the name of Eric Coates (1886-1957). Call me populist if you like (but not so much so that I'd defend the ghastly Spice Girls. As dear old Terry-Thomas was wont to say, "What a shower -- an absolute shower!")  :D

Nope, no dissent here. There is just too much of this bloody wonderful British stuff to accumulate/ accommodate/ assimilate.

 ::)

Anyhow, I digress with the following inevitable result...



 :D

[cilgwyn]

You won't be surprised to hear that I wouldn't disagree with a word of that post. I would just add the name of Eric Coates (1886-1957). Call me populist if you like (but not so much so that I'd defend the ghastly Spice Girls. As dear old Terry-Thomas was wont to say, "What a shower -- an absolute shower!")  :D

Yes,the Spice Girls,"Girl Power!" ::) (Just don't mention Janis Joplin! ) and Bessie Smith,actually,taking on the Klu Klux Klan at one performance!! :o They blinked first,apparently! ;D But she could have died! (I was reading about this in the booklet notes with my cd set!)

[guest377]

You won't be surprised to hear that I wouldn't disagree with a word of that post. I would just add the name of Eric Coates (1886-1957). Call me populist if you like (but not so much so that I'd defend the ghastly Spice Girls. As dear old Terry-Thomas was wont to say, "What a shower -- an absolute shower!")  :D

Nope, no dissent here. There is just too much of this bloody wonderful British stuff to accumulate/ accommodate/ assimilate.

 ::)

Anyhow, I digress with the following inevitable result...




What the hell does this picture have to do with the topic?

 :D

[BrianA]

Favourite composers? Not very original I know but but the three top spots would go to Mahler, Beethoven, and Sibelius (not necessarily in that order).  I could add names until I had a list at least as long as Albion's, but the exact choice of names would depend on the day, the season, the weather, my overall mental and emotional state, etc, etc.

[cilgwyn]

I agree! Only recently I took off a cd because I didn't think I was enjoying it. A few days later I wondered why I didn't enjoy it?! ::)

[cilgwyn]

I'll try and think of them,if I can?! British composers would include (Not in order of preference,please note!):

Vaughan Williams
John Ireland
E J Moeran
Arnold Bax
Joseph Holbrooke
Gustav Holst
Arthur Sullivan
Daniel Jones
Havergal Brian
Hubert Parry
Edward Elgar
Granville Bantock
Richard Arnell
Arthur Bliss
Alan Rawsthorne
Constant Lambert
George Lloyd
Stanley Bate
Cyril Scott
Rutland Boughton
Ethel Smyth
Benjamin Britten
William Mathias
Edward German
Malcolm Arnold
Henry Purcell
Grace Williams

Harrison Birtwistle  (only joking! ::) ;D )
A shame to leave Delius out,in a way,because,while his stuff does meander around,North Country Sketches and Eventyr are,actually,two of my favourite British orchestral works!
I might add Ruth Gipps,based on the stunning orchestral works I know from that Chandos cd! (Come on Chandos! ::) ;D)

[Albion]

I'll try and think of them,if I can?! British composers would include (Not in order of preference,please note!)

Glad to see some Welsh representation. I would add Alun Hoddinott and Grace Williams, but then I could easily double the length of my list, and that excludes other nationalities. Who talked about down-sizing...?



 ::)

[BrianA]

I deeply, deeply love the music of Malcolm Arnold.  I could easily with a perfectly straight face add his name to that of the Big Three.

[cilgwyn]

I'll try and think of them,if I can?! British composers would include (Not in order of preference,please note!)

Glad to see some Welsh representation. I would add Alun Hoddinott and Grace Williams, but then I could easily double the length of my list, and that excludes other nationalities. Who talked about down-sizing...?



 ::)

I should have added Grace Williams! Duly,added! :) Alun Hoddinott? I find his music interesting,when I listen to it,but,I can't say he's one of my favourites! It would be nice to have that Lyrita cd of his symphonies,though. But if I liked it that much,I'd want more!! ::) ;D

[Albion]

I deeply, deeply love the music of Malcolm Arnold.  I could easily with a perfectly straight face add his name to that of the Big Three.

Bravo! A composer fully deserving a higher international profile.

[regriba]

I notice of course that the title of this thread is in the plural, but if it were in the singular, and seeing whose birthday it is today, my candidate would certainly be Vaughan Williams. I find his music has a range and depth that outshine that of many more famous names, and it puzzles me that it doesn't seem to be recognized properly outside Britain. Plus VW is able to be so characteristically himself, even in very different works. I remember once buying two VW cds at the same time, the Cotwold Romance and the music for Scott of the Antarctic, and wondering that even though the works were very dissimilar, both could be by no one but VW. Of course there is an element of personal taste included in my assessment, but I think his symphonies should be recognized as one of the great 20th century cycles, alongside Shostakovich etc.

Bax is also hign on my list, and "The Immortal Hour" is among my top ten ever favourite operas. The only composer on Albion's list whose music doesn't really "click" with me - for various reasons - is Britten.

[Albion]

I notice of course that the title of this thread is in the plural, but if it were in the singular, and seeing whose birthday it is today, my candidate would certainly be Vaughan Williams. I find his music has a range and depth that outshine that of many more famous names, and it puzzles me that it doesn't seem to be recognized properly outside Britain. Plus VW is able to be so characteristically himself, even in very different works. I remember once buying two VW cds at the same time, the Cotwold Romance and the music for Scott of the Antarctic, and wondering that even though the works were very dissimilar, both could be by no one but VW. Of course there is an element of personal taste included in my assessment, but I think his symphonies should be recognized as one of the great 20th century cycles, alongside Shostakovich etc.

Bax is also hign on my list, and "The Immortal Hour" is among my top ten ever favourite operas. The only composer on Albion's list whose music doesn't really "click" with me - for various reasons - is Britten.

RVW - a true giant. I agree about Britten, some works such as Peter Grimes, Billy Budd and the War Requiem strike me as outstanding but there is quite a lot that I would not rank so highly. It's odd that Britten has "travelled" but Vaughan Williams hasn't (although several non-British conductors have recorded the symphonies)...

 :-\

[Jolly Roger]

I'll try and think of them,if I can?! British composers would include (Not in order of preference,please note!)

Glad to see some Welsh representation. I would add Alun Hoddinott and Grace Williams, but then I could easily double the length of my list, and that excludes other nationalities. Who talked about down-sizing...?



 ::)

The omission of William Mathias is unthinkable when discussing favorites,esp Welsh. Hoddinot,interesting if not inspired.