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Your top 5 composers

Discussion in 'Repertoire' started by pianolady, Nov 25, 2010.

  1. pianolady

    pianolady Monica Hart, Administrator Staff Member Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

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    This just popped into my head when I was writing in another thread -

    If you could gather your top five composers into one room for like a party or dinner (and you'd be there too), who would they be?

    Mine are:

    1. Granados
    2. Chopin
    3. Grieg
    4. Mompou
    5. Liszt
     
    pianolady, Nov 25, 2010
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  2. richard66

    richard66 Richard Willmer Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

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    Composers in general or only for the piano (including recital - singing for their dinner! :D)

    Of course one must consider their characters: imagine inviting someone like Stradella, who might make passes at you under your husband's nose and wonder why he gets into the soup.

    Would it be better to have a better composer but a boring person or a cultivated person but a minor composer?

    Maybe these will do?

    1. Grieg
    2. Bortkiewicz
    3. Schubert
    4. Haydn
    5. Mendelssohn

    It reminds me the story about Sibelius, who used to invite bankers to his dinner. Asked why he did not invite musicians he retorted, saying all musicians could talk about was money whereas the last thing bankers wanted to do was to talk shop, and since he would rather discuss music, that is what he could do with them.
     
    richard66, Nov 25, 2010
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  3. pianolady

    pianolady Monica Hart, Administrator Staff Member Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

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    I'm thinking classical piano composers. That's an interesting story about Sibelius - a good strategy he had. And as far as character goes - well, I'm hoping all of my people are not only great composers but also have interesting personalities. And if they don't, then I'll ply them with good food and lots of liquor so that they'll loosen up. :lol:
     
    pianolady, Nov 26, 2010
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  4. s_winitsky

    s_winitsky Member Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

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    Does Gershwin count? Maybe not the greatest composer of all history, but if I had to choose someone to invite to a party, I think it might be Gershwin :)

     
    s_winitsky, Nov 26, 2010
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  5. pianolady

    pianolady Monica Hart, Administrator Staff Member Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

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    That's an excellent idea! Then we'd get some great dinner music! And we could sing Gershwin toons too - like some sing-a-long time at the piano, if everybody's feeling good ("here, Mr. Chopin, why don't you have some more whiskey..." ).
     
    pianolady, Nov 26, 2010
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  6. s_winitsky

    s_winitsky Member Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

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    Haha! Yes I was actually thinking the same thing believe it or not :)

    One of the things I really enjoy doing, though I rarely get a chance to do it, is to accompany a singer on the piano. For mostly that reason I think its cool to know a few Gershwin songs by heart in several keys. You never know when you get a chance to meet someone who can actually sing ok :) Most singers seem to know the words to songs like 'someone to watch over me' or 'embraceable you'.

     
    s_winitsky, Nov 26, 2010
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  7. pianolady

    pianolady Monica Hart, Administrator Staff Member Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

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    Yes, it would be good to know some of these pieces by memory. You never know when an opportunity will present itself. I just accompanied some people last night (but not from memory). My family - I wandered over to my sister's piano and began playing out of the hymnal that was up on the stand. Found some hymns related to Thanksgiving and then everybody came over and started singing. And then last St. Patricks Day I was at a party at a neighbor's house and found myself playing out of a book they had on their piano, which was a collection of Gershwin, Rogers & Hart, Cole Porter, etc. and again people came over and started singing. It's fun, these impromptu sing-alongs. Not easy to play, though, if you've had a few cocktails, but it's okay if all the others have because then they don't care. :lol:
     
    pianolady, Nov 26, 2010
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  8. Rachfan

    Rachfan Active Member Piano Society Artist

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    My favorites in alphabetical order are:

    Bortkiewicz
    Catoire
    Debussy
    Liszt
    Rachmaninoff
    Ravel

    But who knows, as time goes on my list might change.

    P. S. I cheated and listed six. :lol:

    David
     
    Rachfan, Nov 27, 2010
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  9. pianolady

    pianolady Monica Hart, Administrator Staff Member Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

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    oh,I was going to list Rachmaninov too, but went with Liszt, instead. But who cares, we'll have 'six' favorite composers at our dinner party then.
     
    pianolady, Nov 27, 2010
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  10. andrew

    andrew Administrator Staff Member Piano Society Artist

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    alkanliszt
    Liszt
    Rachmaninov
    Alkan
    Liapunov
    Cziffra to provide improvisations

    There could be quite an impressive technique contest out of that. :) Talking of which, if I'm allowed six, I'll have Thalberg so that Liszt can give him an informal rematch.
     
    andrew, Nov 27, 2010
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  11. pianolady

    pianolady Monica Hart, Administrator Staff Member Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

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    Oh boy, Andrew - yes, we better have a couple extra pianos on hand!
     
    pianolady, Nov 27, 2010
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  12. richard66

    richard66 Richard Willmer Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

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    And I listed composers instead of pianists, but then I am strange: a pianist who does not like most of the piano repertoire!
     
    richard66, Nov 29, 2010
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