Greatest Living Composer -- WHO ??

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:
More on topic, I find it hard to answer this question as it seems to be interpreting a composer as different from a popular tune/song writer. When Mozart wrote his great work[s], surely he had no idea if it would be popular in the 21st century - was it not the popular music of the day. This I suggest is in contrast to Karlheinz Stockhausen who is not popular today and I suggest never will be. So perhaps we should look in a different direction to answer this question. I'm going to suggest Raymond Douglas Davies as the greatest living composer and if anyone doubts my sanity then I'll say Keith Emerson.

This, dear freinds, points up the dichotomy,

Thanks Rotf for it. It points out the absolute problem in production of quitessentialy "art music" from the time of Johannes Brahms' time on.

There was no division in music up to that time though there were shades of seriousness. Bach was more serious than the Hungarian Gypsy fiddlers. But both streams fed our Western musical culture without self-consciousness.

Elgar was once asked what he thoought of folk music and replied without irony that he was folk music - a view reasonably supported when he was at his [lifetime peak], when his First Symphony was prduced all over the civilised world 96 times within twelve months of being published.

The crisis that has arrisen in production of classical music since Brahm's time [the end of which equates to the 1890s] is that so called "Art Music" started to grow away from the Mass and towards an Elite. It became noisy, clever [for its own sake] and empty of a Universal message. Elgar may be viewed as an exception, but the Elite was already prepared to asign him the title of of "vulgar" as they sort to derail "Art Music" for their own snobbish perposes. Elgar actually stood for a unification, and was opposed to a division of the so called of the polpular from art in music. Like Haydn and Mozart he delighted in the idea that his music had the widest possible appeal. This not the case with most modern compsers of Art Music since Brahms' time with the honourable exception of Elgar, Sibelius and ceratin othe "old fashioned" composers of the era in the two decades since Brahms.

I personally find the the craft of art music in the modern era, without the accesible element foung in Mozart, Haydn, Bach or Elgar for four honourable examples, is tedious to a significant fault. Malcomb Arnold and Eric Coates are two English compsers who perfectly melded the two elements of perfetion of musical statement [the intelectual side if you like] and easy enjoyment of the whole audience, and both of whom are regarded as minor composers.

My nomination for greatest living comoser will surprise many: Howard Blake, composer of the Snowman. He may not mount to an equal of Elgar, Caotes, or Arnold, but his music contains an element of intelectual perfection with a true popular apeal.

ATB from George

Glass has his moments, but I always resent the fact that he seems to overshadow Reich - much the better minimalist composer I feel.

Morton Feldman's work, I am sure, will have staying power, but he died twenty years ago.

I'm inclined to go with Arvo Part - generally accessible stuff, but with underlying intellectual rigour and moral seriousness. I remember being stunned by Tabula Rasa, the first time I heard it. This week I've been listening to Fur Alina and Spiegel im Spiegel, as I go to sleep, and very beautiful they are too. I guess some will complain there's not enough development in these avowedly minimalist pieces, but there is actually more subtle variation than you find in the works of the American Minimalists. Others jibe that Part's music is spirituality-lite for the modern age, but I think he's the real thing.

Disclaimer - I haven't heard *much* contemporary classical (e.g. no Maxwell-Davies), so treat my post as an expression of uninformed prejudice, if thou thinkest fit.

Alas, those who named Stockhausen can no longer count him. Sad news.

Yep -he's off the list. Who's next?

John Barry anybody?

Jono

I like John Barry a lot but I'd vote for Ennio Morricone.

JB and EM are both good calls.

Ludovico Einaudi?

have to weigh in for arvo part. sadly, not a lot to choose from ...

Burt Bacharach maybe?
Simple tunes, which work with so many different singers portraying emotions so well.
Matt.

Brian Wilson.

James Macmillan is a very good all rounder who hasn't been mentioned. Chamber, Orchestral, and music for voices. Don't know if he's great though
SJ

Chuck D

quote:

Originally posted by manicatel:

Burt Bacharach maybe?
Simple tunes, which work with so many different singers portraying emotions so well.

Definitely one of the best living composers. But those tunes are anything but simple ... idiosyncratic, asymmetrical, deeply narrative, rich and complex tunes, yes. Simple, no.

All best,
Fred

I would propose Einojuhani Rautavaara. I think he is still with us, though I may be mistaken.
Ken

rautavaara is still on the planet, 'tho he had some kind of heart attack a few years ago. he just composed an orchestral work this year. good choice. i hear salonen, another finn, is leaving the l.a. phil to compose.