The Eight Composers you couldn't Live Without. 8 only, no additions,no other rules

[antongould]

At the request of the thread sponsor the Top Twenty until last evening

1 Beethoven
2 Bach
3 Brahms
4 Mozart
5 Elgar
5 Mahler
5 Schubert
8 Vaughan-Williams
9 Shostakovitch
10 Wagner
11 Bruckner
11 Sibelius
11 Tchaikovsky
14 Schumann
15 Haydn
16 Stravinsky
17 Chopin
17 Debussy
17 Strauss, R.
20 Bartok
20 Dvorak
20 Handel
20 Puccini
20 Purcell
20 Verdi

[EdgeleyRob]

Thanks Anton.

[salymap]

At the request of the thread sponsor the Top Twenty until last evening

1 Beethoven
2 Bach
3 Brahms
4 Mozart
5 Elgar
5 Mahler
5 Schubert
8 Vaughan-Williams
9 Shostakovitch
10 Wagner
11 Bruckner
11 Sibelius
11 Tchaikovsky
14 Schumann
15 Haydn
16 Stravinsky
17 Chopin
17 Debussy
17 Strauss, R.
20 Bartok
20 Dvorak
20 Handel
20 Puccini
20 Purcell
20 Verdi

OOH, Dvorak has come to his rightful place, and I didn't say a word.

Thanks anton

[doversoul1]

At the request of the thread sponsor the Top Twenty until last evening

1 Beethoven
2 Bach
3 Brahms
4 Mozart
5 Elgar
5 Mahler
5 Schubert
8 Vaughan-Williams
9 Shostakovitch
10 Wagner
11 Bruckner
11 Sibelius
11 Tchaikovsky
14 Schumann
15 Haydn
16 Stravinsky
17 Chopin
17 Debussy
17 Strauss, R.
20 Bartok
20 Dvorak
20 Handel
20 Puccini
20 Purcell
20 Verdi

In a way, I suppose this list makes sense of Essential Classics. It will be interesting to compare with the other set of eight composers.

[Thropplenoggin]

A pint of Newcastle Brown Ale for AG's efforts. My only complaint with the Top 4 is that Mozart and Bach should be joint 1st. Quality and quantity.

[salymap]

We seem to be still waiting for 8 names from doversoul

[Anna]

We seem to be still waiting for 8 names from doversoul

Perhaps that might push Purcell up a few places? Surprised to see Haydn and Chopin down so low - and it seems everyone can live withhout Liszt!! I do think that, deservedly, Beethoven is the main man!

[remdataram]

I'm really surprised at Liszt's absence.
Much as I like Beethoven, Bach usually occupies first position, followed by Mozart.
Brahms in 3rd is a surprise and I think the positions of Elgar and Vaughan-Williams are unlikely to be reflected in polls elsewhere.
Really interesting!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I'm really surprised at Liszt's absence.

Why? Very few people, even if they like and admire his Music, would put him in their "top eight". As much as I admire the Piano Sonata, the Faust Symphony and the Années de Pèlerinage, I wouldn't regard his Music as "something I couldn't live without".

[vinteuil]

I think the positions of Elgar and Vaughan-Williams are unlikely to be reflected in polls elsewhere.

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[Sir Velo]

Prokofiev's and Ravel's complete absence a surprise to me, as too Britten's in his anniversary year. Thought we had at least a couple of sure fire Britten supporters on this forum.

[Anna]

Also, bit of a surprise, knowing the following he has on this MB - no Britten - and R. Strauss was a bit of a surpise. Puccini and Verdi are understandable if you're not into opera.
Edit: cross posted with Sir V. about Britten. (Blame my slow typing) and yes, where is Ravel?

[antongould]

As the chart seems to have generated some discussion a full view of all who got more than one vote is

1 Beethoven
2 Bach
3 Brahms
4 Mozart
5 Elgar
5 Mahler
5 Schubert
8 Vaughan-Williams
9 Shostakovitch
10 Wagner
11 Bruckner
11 Sibelius
11 Tchaikovsky
14 Schumann
15 Haydn
16 Stravinsky
17 Chopin
17 Debussy
17 Strauss, R.
20 Bartok
20 Dvorak
20 Handel
20 Puccini
20 Purcell
20 Verdi
26 Britten
26 Byrd
26 Liszt
26 Messiaen
26 Rachmaninov
26 Tallis
26 Victoria
26 Walton
34 Alkan
34 Barber
34 Barrett
34 Cage
34 Eton Choir Book
34 Feldman
34 Finzi
34 Holst
34 Ligeti
34 Mendelssohn
34 Nielsen
34 Ravel

Like some I find the absence of Prokofiev surprising. Unless I am mistaken, which has happened many times before, he failed to trouble the scorer.

[remdataram]

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Now that IS a reaction! I'm glad I didn't suggest that they shouldn't be in the list at all.

[Shade]

Bartok
Schubert
Bach
Mozart
Janacek
Purcell
Biber
Ravel