Comments on: Top 10 Composers You Don’t Know

By: peter8172

peter8172 — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 05:38:44 +0000

If anyone in the USA has a good knowledge of Classical Music. I would think up to 90-95% of them would be familiar with or know at least Numbers 2, 7, 8, 9, 10 on this list. You might as well throw in Leonard Bernstein as well. But I have 7 more that I would like to share with you, and they are all American. 1). John Knowles Paine (The first American to compose a full length symphony). 2). Amy Beach, 3). Ferd Grofe (“Grand Canyon Suite”), 4).Edward MacDowell, 5). George Chadwick, 6). Horatio Parker, and 7). Arthur Foote. I do have a question if anybody can give me a bonafide answer to this one. Is the “Ragtime” music of Scott Joplin regarded as a form of Classical Music ?”

By: peter8172

peter8172 — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 09:20:24 +0000

Well, I have a few that I would like to add : 1). Francois Couperin (French composer for the Harpsichord early to mid 17th century, 2). Carl Philip Emanuel (or C.P.E.) Bach, 3). Fanny Mendelssohn (Felix’s sister) as she composed over 500 lieders herself, 4). The great American woman composer of the 19th century, Amy Beach (Ironically was born and raised in a small village called Henniker in New Hampshire the state which I was from), 5). You could have an argument for Keith Emerson (of Emerson, Lake & Palmer fame) as he composed a Piano Concerto which is on their album called “Works, Vol. 1 with the London Symphony Orchestra (and it does reek with overtones of George Gershwin), 6). Claudio Monterverdi (the first man to ever compose an opera), 7). Carl Vine of Australia, 8). Thomas Paine, 19th century composer from the state of Maine, 9). Jean Sibelius from Finland, 10). John Field late 18th century to early 19th century Irish composer (and Frederic Chopin was inspired by his piano work).

By: peter8172

peter8172 — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:58:20 +0000

I am surprised that Kurt Weill is not on this list as he is the composer of “A Three Penny Opera” which contains the very famous song “Mack The Knife.

By: Frank Thompson

Frank Thompson — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 03:04:46 +0000

Patting myself on the back for being familiar with the music of seven – glad for the opportunity to learn of the other three. Will mark this page and come back to it. I too am a fan of Mahler and Respighi, but seldom think of them as 20th century composers, even though they lived and wrote during that time. Stylistically they still relied a lot on the traditions of the previous century, and let’s face it, there music is performed often enough it would be hard to classify them as unheard of composers. Same with Copland – unheard of? Don’t think so.

By: MK Smith

MK Smith — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 06:35:39 +0000

I just know John Cage, and my favorite composition of his is Shadow Kick.

By: nawcri

nawcri — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 03:07:27 +0000

Adams. John Adams is the most famous living American composer, by far. His music is quite remarkable, especially his operas.

By: quasuararia

quasuararia — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 22:36:24 +0000

Name

By: musicalsarelife

musicalsarelife — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 06:42:53 +0000

I definitely agree. I honestly only knew Copland and Ives, but Copland is pretty darn famous.

By: GVR

GVR — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 01:57:51 +0000

Nice, mejjas43

By: GVR

GVR — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 01:55:52 +0000

I got 7 of the 10 at first glance, 2 more after thinking for a moment, missed one.