# 'Greatest' 20th century composer



## bobsgrock (Jul 4, 2013)

I'm sure this has been covered before but seeing as I am relatively new to this forum, I would like as many opinions as possible. Who is the greatest composer of the 20th century? Of course, this is a flawed question and highly subjective at that. Nevertheless, since music is such a personal experience, just about everyone has a particular opinion and will often go to fierce lengths to defend it. 
So, is it one of the big names that everyone recognizes? Or is there a lesser-known figure who deserves more attention? Is the person alive? Is it a woman? I cannot wait to see who people come up with.


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## JCarmel (Feb 3, 2013)

Igor Stravinsky...definetly!


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## Alypius (Jan 23, 2013)

There are several hundred "greatest". Why would one ever want just one?

Recommended reading: Alex Ross' _The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century_. It's non-technical, it's well written. It's a good place to start.


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2014)

Yes. It has been covered before.

And this thread will not cover anything different from what any of those other threads covered.

As for it's being flawed, I totally agree with you there. And that's been covered before, too.

I am curious about one thing. How did "flawed" and "subjective" get to be in the same sentence?


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

bobsgrock said:


> I'm sure this has been covered before but seeing as I am relatively new to this forum, I would like as many opinions as possible. Who is the greatest composer of the 20th century? Of course, this is a flawed question and highly subjective at that. Nevertheless, since music is such a personal experience, just about everyone has a particular opinion and will often go to fierce lengths to defend it.
> So, is it one of the big names that everyone recognizes? Or is there a lesser-known figure who deserves more attention? Is the person alive? Is it a woman? I cannot wait to see who people come up with.


Almost certainly composers during the first few decades to the middle of the 20th century rather than later. Stravinsky, Bartok, Shostakovich, Rachamninoff. These few are the top tier 20th century, and I can say enjoy their music.

But the 20th century also have a lot, a lot of other composers who are unfortunately not very well know at all, even amongst members here. To be fair, these people do have a lot of competition from all those before them. But it can be worth exploring if you are musically adventurous.


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2014)

ArtMusic said:


> Almost certainly composers during the first few decades to the middle of the 20th century rather than later.


Interesting assertion. Care to back it up?


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

Alypius said:


> There are several hundred "greatest". Why would one ever want just one?


THIS! Alypius is correct


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## Piwikiwi (Apr 1, 2011)

Stravinsky for the first half and Ligeti for the second half


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

some guy said:


> Interesting assertion. Care to back it up?


I did. I named four. I stated I also happen to enjoy their music. Good enough reason for me. Pure and simple.


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

bobsgrock said:


> I'm sure this has been covered before but seeing as I am relatively new to this forum, I would like as many opinions as possible. Who is the greatest composer of the 20th century? Of course, this is a flawed question and highly subjective at that. Nevertheless, since music is such a personal experience, just about everyone has a particular opinion and will often go to fierce lengths to defend it.
> So, is it one of the big names that everyone recognizes? Or is there a lesser-known figure who deserves more attention? Is the person alive? Is it a woman? I cannot wait to see who people come up with.


First off, let me be pedantic.
Well, given that you actually asked for "as many opinions as possible", you presumably already know there isn't such a thing as "the greatest". So I suppose you're either asking "Who is your favourite composer of the 20th century" or "Please recommend to me one 20th-century composer that you think I should hear". (I guess from your post history that you don't know much about 20th-century music but would like to get started.)

So, seeing as you asked the question in good faith, I think it should be answered in kind.

Unfortunately now I run into trouble because I don't actually have a single answer. The 20th century's music was too varied overall for me to able to compare my favourite composers and pick one.

I think Stravinsky might win by default.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

ArtMusic said:


> I did. I named four. I stated I also happen to enjoy their music. Good enough reason for me. Pure and simple.


Well, one of the four composed much of his best music in the second half of the 20th century, but pretty close.


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

Contrary to popular belief, Stravinsky was but one of many great composers in the 20th century:

Stockhausen 
Ligeti
Messiaen
Lutosławski 
Britten
Schoenberg
Webern
Carter
Bartok
Xenakis
Feldman
Boulez
Nono
Berio
Partch


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

If you're not in Fantasia, the cool kids have never heard of you 



Lope de Aguirre said:


> Contrary to popular belief, Stravinsky was but one of many great composers in the 20th century:
> 
> Stockhausen
> Ligeti
> ...


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

Welcome to the forum, bobsgrock. I'll say Stravinsky, since you asked for one. 

But I'll add Elliott Carter. Part of my fascination for this composer is that I'm still getting to know him: not only difficult works that I've been listening to for years (like the string quartets), but also works that I'm freshly discovering (whether because it takes me awhile to find them or because they're only just being recorded). Such a vast oeuvre! I make no claims about my own aesthetic discernment, but I'm constantly surprised and excited by his compositions. My latest happy discovery is his music for harp.


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## bobsgrock (Jul 4, 2013)

I appreciate all the comments. Yes, I do recognize the shortcomings of such a question, but I can already see some people passionately putting forth their favorite(s) and I think that is the key. I figured on seeing names like Stravinsky, Bartok, Shostakovich and Ligeti. I have heard some of the less-known composers like Elliott Carter but still find him too difficult to really appreciate. Perhaps returning to his work later will give some clairvoyance. I suppose most people would give their answer based on influence and popularity, and there is no doubt the names mentioned already have that. I have been listening more and more to Bartok, particularly, and find his work powerful and striking in a way unlike others who wrote similar works (such as comparing Bartok and Carter string quartets). Then, there is speculation about some sort of 'feud' between Bartok and Shostakovich which is most likely just hearsay but still interesting to be sure. One name I haven't seen too much of, although it has been mentioned, is Schoenberg. Given that he practically changed the fundamentals of 300 years of music before him, I thought he might pop up more. I have also been listening to his string quartets. Love the second with that soprano in the last two movements. Such innovation!


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

bobsgrock said:


> One name I haven't seen too much of, although it has been mentioned, is Schoenberg. Given that he practically changed the fundamentals of 300 years of music before him, I thought he might pop up more. I have also been listening to his string quartets. Love the second with that soprano in the last two movements. Such innovation!


I bet if the string quartet had been performed in a helicopter, things would be different :lol:


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2014)

ArtMusic said:


> I did. I named four. I stated I also happen to enjoy their music. Good enough reason for me. Pure and simple.


But Art, your assertion was that the greatest composer "almost certainly" would come from the first few decades to the middle of the 20th century rather than later.

Listing a few composers from those decades doesn't support that assertion. It's just a list of four composers from those decades is all. Aside from your enjoyment, which, for you, is certainly all that's important, for you, what is it that makes "Stravinsky, Bartok, Shostakovich, Rachamninoff" certainly greater than Cage or Stockhausen or Xenakis or Lachenmann?

What about Tudor or Dhomont or Oliveros? What about Amacher or Lopez or Karkowski? They're all from after mid-century (in common with the two guys on your list who wrote quite a lot of stuff after 1950). I happen to enjoy their music. It's enough for me. Pure and simple.

What it is not is any sort of basis for claiming that the greatest composer of the 20th century almost certainly is one of the earlier guys. Pure and simple.


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## chalkpie (Oct 5, 2011)

One of my fav's........


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

bobsgrock said:


> I have heard some of the less-known composers like Elliott Carter but still find him too difficult to really appreciate.


Tom Service has a nice introduction to the composer, in which he mentions two of Carter's more accessible works, the 1st String Quartet and the Oboe Concerto. If you don't know those pieces, they might be a good place to start. Happy exploring, in any case.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

bobsgrock said:


> One name I haven't seen too much of, although it has been mentioned, is Schoenberg. Given that he practically changed the fundamentals of 300 years of music before him, I thought he might pop up more. I have also been listening to his string quartets. Love the second with that soprano in the last two movements. Such innovation!


I'm probably one of the biggest Schoenberg fans on this forum. I'd put him right up there with Stravinsky, Bartok, and Messiaen (among other fine names) as among the 20th century's greatest, for his string quartets, his piano works, Moses und Aron, the choral works, Gurrelieder, the Variations for Orchestra, the concertos, Pierrot lunaire, and the song cycle Book of the Hanging Gardens, among other gems.


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## Alypius (Jan 23, 2013)

bobsgrock said:


> So, is it one of the big names that everyone recognizes? Or is there a lesser-known figure who deserves more attention? Is the person alive? Is it a woman? I cannot wait to see who people come up with.


A question back to you: Are you genuinely interested in learning about 20th-century music? Or do you wish to sit and watch others wrangle? Your opening posts sounds, in part, like the latter, but I will presume good will and presume that you are genuinely interested in learning about the dazzlingly creative world of 20th-century music. I suggest starting with works rather than composers. I have listed below a set of works in chronological order that might be an entryway into the range of 20th-century music. It will necessarily be incomplete and will reflect my own biases / preferences. So I hope others might do the same and list some of their favorites. I have obviously left out lots of very important and very enjoyable works.

1. Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto #2 in C minor, op. 18 (1901)
2. Mahler: Symphony #5 in C# minor (1901-1902)
3. Debussy: La Mer (1903-1905)
4. Ravel: String Quartet in F major (1903)
5. Albéniz: Iberia (1906)
6. Scriabin: Piano Sonata #5, op. 53 (1907)
7. Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit (1908)
8. Webern: Passacaglia for Orchestra, op. 1 (1908)
9. Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto #3 in D minor (1909)
10. Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde (1909)
11. Debussy: Preludes, Book 1 & 2 (1910, 1913)
12. Stravinsky: L'Oiseau de feu (Firebird) (1910)
13. Stravinsky: Petrushka (1911)
14. Schönberg: Pierrot Lunaire (1912)
15. Stravinsky: Le Sacre du printemps (Rite of Spring) (1913)
16. Prokofiev: Piano Concerto #2 in G minor, op. 16 (1913)
17. Ravel: Piano Trio in A minor (1914)
18. Ives: Piano Sonata #2 ("Concord"), S. 88 (1915)
19. Holst: The Planets, op. 32 (1917)
20. Prokofiev: Violin Concerto #1 in D major, op. 19 (1917)
21. Sibelius: Symphony #5 in E flat major, op. 82 (1919)
22. Prokofiev: Piano Concerto #3 in C major, op. 26 (1921)
23. Berg: Wozzeck (1922)
24. Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue (1924)
25. Villa-Lobos: Choros #8 for large orchestra & 2 pianos (1925)
26. Janáček: Sinfonietta (1926)
27. Szymanowski: String Quartet #2, op. 56 (1927)
28. Bartók: String Quartet #4, Sz 91 (1928)
29. Bartók: Piano Concerto #2, Sz. 95 (1931)
30. Ravel: Piano Concerto in G (1931)
31. Medtner: Piano Sonata in B flat minor ("Sonata Romantica"), op. 53/1 (1932)
32. Syzmanowski: Symphony #4 ("Symphonie Concertante"), op. 60 (1932)
33. Berg: Violin Concerto (1935)
34. Bartók: Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta, Sz. 106 (1936)
35. Orff: Carmina Burana (1936)
36. Shostakovich: Symphony #5 in D minor (1937)
37. Roy Harris: Symphony #3 (1937)
38. Martinů: Double Concerto for 2 String Orchestras, Piano and Timpani (1938)
39. Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez (1939)
40. Prokofiev; Alexander Nevsky, op. 78 (1939)
41. Messiaen: Quatuor pour la fin du temps (1940)
42. Wm. Schuman: Symphony #3 (1941)
43. Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra, Sz. 116 (1943)
44. Copland: Appalachian Spring (1944)
45. Messiaen: Vingt Regards sur l'enfant-Jésus (1944)
46. Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras #5 for soprano and orchestra of violincelli (1945)
47. Stravinsky: Symphony in Three Movements (1945)
48. Britten: Peter Grimes (1945)
49. Barber: Knoxville: Summer of 1915 (1947)
50. Strauss, R.: Four Last Songs (1948)

51. Shostakovich: Preludes and Fugues, op. 87 (1951)
52. Carter: String Quartet #1 (1951)
53. Shostakovich: Symphony #10 in E minor, op. 93 (1953)
54. Lutosławski: Concerto for Orchestra (1954)
55. Xenakis: Metastaseis (1954)
56. Boulez: Le marteau sans maître (1955)
57. Carter: String Quartet #1 (1951)
58. Stravinsky: Agon (1957)
59. Bernstein: West Side Story (1957)
60. Stockhausen: Gruppen (1957)
61. Shostakovich: String Quartet #8 in C minor, op. 110 (1960)
62. Ligeti: Atmospheres (1961)
63. Riley: In C (1964)
64. Ligeti: Requiem (1965)
65. Ligeti: Lontano (1967)
66. Carter: Concerto for Orchestra (1969)
67. Reich: Drumming (1971)
68. Crumb: Black Angels (1971)
69. Rochberg: String Quartet #3 (1971) 
70. Messiaen: Des canyons aux étoiles (1974)
71. Glass: Einstein on the Beach (1975)
72. Rzewski: The People United Will Never Be Defeated! (1975)
73. Nørgård: Symphony #3 (1975)
74. Reich: Music for 18 Musicians (1976)
75. Gorecki: Symphony #3 ("Symphony of Sorrowful Songs") (1976)
76. Pärt: Tabula Rasa (1976)
77. Schnittke: Piano Quintet (1976)
78. Holmboe, String Quartet #17, op. 152 (1983)
79. Kapustin: Eight Concert Etudes, op. 40 (1984)
80. Dutilleux: L'arbre des songes ("Dream of Dreams"): Concerto for Violin (1985)
81. Ligeti: Études pour piano (1985, 1994)
82. Adams: Harmonielehre (1985)
83. Nono: Promoteo (1985)
84. Gubaidulina: Offertorium (1980, rev. 1986)
85. Adams: Nixon in China (1987)
86. Lutosławski: Symphony #4 (1994)
87. Rautavaara: Symphony #7 ("Angel of Light") (1994)
88. Gubaidulina: Canticle of the Sun (1997)
89. Nørgård: Symphony #6 ("At the End of the Day") (1998-1999)
90. Kancheli: Styx (1999)
91. Dusapin: Seven Solos for Orchestra (1992-2008 -- the first 4 were 20th century)

I place them in chronological order because it lets you see both the unfolding of the century and its many-ness. Take a look at years 1940-1945. I think it is important to savor that Messaien and Britten and Copland and Stravinsky and Strauss and Barber and Villa-Lobos were all writing very differently all at the same time.


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

Wow, Alypius! Did you just knock that together, or was it something you had lying around "just in case?" Either way, nice job.


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## Alypius (Jan 23, 2013)

Nereffid said:


> Wow, Alypius! Did you just knock that together, or was it something you had lying around "just in case?" Either way, nice job.


A mix of the two. I had an older list, but needed to update it in light of some of my recent explorations. I keep a chronological list of all the music that I have. I find that a chronological approach debunks lots of biases against 20th-century music.


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## Stavrogin (Apr 20, 2014)

^ Nice playlist  Thanks.

Here's a list with the same intention, but I will limit it to 40 works. Very personal list of course.

1901, Sergej Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, Op.18
1904, Jean Sibelius - Violin Concerto in D minor, Op.47
1906, Gustav Mahler - Symphony No.6 in A minor 'Tragische'
1912, Arnold Schönberg - Pierrot Lunaire, Op.21
1913, Igor Stravinskij - Le sacre du printemps
1913, Sergej Prokofiev - Piano Concerto No.2 in G minor, Op.16
1914, Alexander Scrjabin - Vers la flamme, Op.72 
1915, Manuel de Falla - El amor brujo
1917, Claude Debussy - Violin Sonata in G minor, L.140
1920, Ralph Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending
1924, George Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue
1926, Leoš Janáček - Glagolitic Mass
1927, Edgar Varèse - Amériques
1931, Maurice Ravel - Piano Concerto in G major
1935, Alban Berg - Violin Concerto
1935, Charles Ives - The Unanswered Question
1935, Sergej Prokofiev - Suite No. 2 from Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64ter
1936, Béla Bartók - Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, Sz.106, BB.114
1936, Samuel Barber - Adagio for Strings
1940, Dmitrij Šostakovič - Symphony No.7 in C major 'Leningrad', Op.60
1941, Olivier Messiaen - Quatuor pour la fin du Temps
1948, John Cage - Sonatas and Interludes
1948, Pierre Schaeffer - Cinq études de bruits
1954, Iannis Xenakis - Metastaseis
1954, Witold Lutosławski - Concerto for Orchestra
1956, Karlheinz Stockhausen - Gesang der Jünglinge
1957, Pierre Boulez - Le marteau sans maître
1960, Krzysztof Penderecki - Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima
1961, György Ligeti - Atmosphéres
1962, Benjamin Britten - War Requiem, Op.66
1964, Terry Riley - In C
1969, Luciano Berio - Sinfonia
1970, Morton Feldman - Rothko Chapel
1975, Philip Glass - Einstein on the Beach
1976, Henryk Górecki - Symphony No.3 'Symphony of Sorrowful Songs', Op.36
1976, Steve Reich - Music for 18 Musicians
1977, Tōru Takemitsu - A Flock Descends into the Pentagonal Garden
1978, Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel
1985, Alfred Šnitke - Viola Concerto
1997, Giya Kancheli - Time… And Again


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*No Band Music?*

What no band music? 

GRRRR!!!!

OK. The band junkie will make some suggestions.

Gustav Holst:
_Suites Numbers One & Two for Band_
_Hammersmith Prelude and Scherzo_

Ralph Vaughn Williams:
_Folk Song Suite_
_Toccata Marziale_

Paul Hindemith: _Symphony in Bb for Band_. I am playing this with National Concert Band of America. The group will be performing the concert at Luther Jackson Middle School, 3020 Gallows Road, Falls Church, Virginia 22042 on Sunday, May 11, 2014 (Mother's Day) at 3:00 PM.

Arnold Schoenberg: _Theme and Variations for Band, Op. 43a_

Percy Granger: _Lincolnshire Posey_

Morton Gould: _West Point Symphony for Band_

Vincent Persichetti (bunch of band works):
_Divertimento for Band
Pageant for Band
Psalm for Band
Symphony No. 6 for Band
Masquerade: Variations for Band
Parable for Band_

Norman Dello Joio: _Variants on a Mediaeval Tune_


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2014)

So many treasures in the band repertoire. 

A few years ago, some former students of Barney Childs put together a weekend long festival of his music, which included a band piece. It was spectacular. I'd love to have a recording of it. Several recordings as it's an indeterminate work.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

EdwardBast said:


> Well, one of the four composed much of his best music in the second half of the 20th century, but pretty close.


Good old Shostakovich. He was certainly one of the finest of the 20th century.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Here's a list of top 20th-century composers -- well, 1900 through 1979. This is based on the results of multiple polls elsewhere. Both the number of works placed and their positions decade by decade were considered. There was quite a gap between Nos. 1 and 2 -- it helps to have a long composing career!

1 - Shostakovich
2 - Bartok
3 - Mahler
4 - Stravinsky
5 - Sibelius
6 - Prokofiev
7 - Messiaen
8 - Lutoslawski
9 - Ravel
10 - Poulenc


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Whichever ones are listed in the TC top 10 20th century composers poll, even if the poll creator did not list any of the actual top ten and left no option for "other" - as the ones you could vote for


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Not meaning to throw a wet blanket on the proceedings, but maybe an entire century is too unwieldy a unit for picking a "best." Compare the music of 1801 to that of 1899. There's a huge difference and it's even more pronounced in the 20th century. Maybe a half century or a generation makes more sense for our human scale. 

In that case I would second the vote for Stravinsky with Martinů a distant runner up and Ligeti with John Cage a close runner up. That's today. Next week may be different.

Edit: Mahler is problematic as he bridges both centuries, both chronologically and stylistically. We have of course had this discussion before too. For convenience I've placed him in the 19th century for my own musical pantheon, though like Beethoven I'm beginning to think of him in a world almost his own.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

some guy said:


> But Art, your assertion was that the greatest composer "almost certainly" would come from the first few decades to the middle of the 20th century rather than later.
> 
> Listing a few composers from those decades doesn't support that assertion. It's just a list of four composers from those decades is all. Aside from your enjoyment, which, for you, is certainly all that's important, for you, what is it that makes "Stravinsky, Bartok, Shostakovich, Rachamninoff" certainly greater than Cage or Stockhausen or Xenakis or Lachenmann?
> 
> ...


None of those later half 20th century composers make the cut for me, unfortunately. I have listened to pieces and even attended concerts featuring their music (mixed with earlier periods). My big loss; I know, too bad. (But thankfully, I have heaps more from Baroque and Classical to fulfill my listening needs anyway.) But, someday I might be lucky enough to get there.


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## Beef Oven (Apr 23, 2014)

Maybe Elgar or Rachmaninov. Or perhaps Lloyd Webber, for a more up to date choice.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

For me it's still Prokofiev in first place.

Second choices, Copland and Bernstein.


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## Blake (Nov 6, 2013)

Schnittke. A fearless artist.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

Ppppppppppppppppppp


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## vtpoet (Jan 17, 2019)

Alypius said:


> I have listed below a set of works in chronological order that might be an entryway into the range of 20th-century music.


Damn. That's a great list! I'm less familiar with the repertoire of the latter 20th century, so it's great to find something like this.


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

In my top 99 survey this is where 20th century composers ranked in order among the top 50. I listed death years in case you want to argue some were 19th century composes. Those that died later in the century no ... :

12. Richard Strauss died 1949
14. Prokofiev died 1953
15. Shostakovich 
16. Sibelius died 1957
17. Stravinsky
19. Ravel
20. Britten
22. Debussy died 1918
25. Vaughan Williams
26. Rachmaninoff died 1943
27. Elgar
28. Mahler died 1911
33. Bartok
34. William Walton
38. Faure died 1924
40. Hindemith
41. Messiaen
47. Poulenc
49. Sullivan of Gilbert & Sullivan died 1900


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## Roger Knox (Jul 19, 2017)

Lots of excellent music in the choices and the list already posted! Some personal preferences date from my young years. In the 1970's I probably would have said Stravinsky, or Bartók, with Schoenberg a strong candidate. At this point I'll stick my neck out and say Bartók. He had a long string of successes in every genre chosen. His style was original, and it connected but was not limited to traditional music he collected in Hungary and elsewhere. As a successful pianist he had performer's instincts. More recent publications and recordings of his early works have only enhanced his lustre, e.g. the Piano Quintet. Top works include: _The Miraculous Mandarin_ ; Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste; Second Violin Concerto; Third Piano Concerto; String Quartet No. 4; Violin Sonata No. 2; Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion; and for solo piano Out of Doors and Rumanian Folk Dances.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

The 20th century had such a wide array of styles one could make up several valid lists without any names overlapping. But the term "greatest" is troublesome since 1) it is hard to nail it down beyond a subjective appraisal, and 2) except for the first half of the century there's not been enough time for the wheat to have been filtered out from the chaff from the latter half.

The criteria I used to construct this list included:

Born after 1880 but before 1951
Had written major works in a number of different genres, i.e. chamber, orchestral, stage, voice, choral
Might have been the exponent of a new style or a school
Had an impact; possibly controversy

My nominees (not based on my favorites since most of these composers are not among my favorites):

Stravinsky
Schoenberg
Shostakovich
Prokofiev
Poulenc
Bartok
Carter
Messiaen
Cage
Britten
Ligeti
Kurtág
Stockhausen
Takemitsu
Schnittke
Lachenmann
Krzysztof Meyer
Péter Eötvös
Gérard Grisey


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## 59540 (May 16, 2021)

Hindemith, in my opinion.


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

Not that I care, but there seems to be a lot of zombie posting lately. But, I guess since most members tend to only like music from guys who have been dead for centuries, what's the problem with reviving a 7 year old thread 

Stravinsky
Bartok
Elliott Carter
Charles Wuorinen
Penderecki
Joan Tower
Harrison Birtwistle
Ligeti
Lachenmann
Schoenberg
Berg
Webern
Samuel Barber
George Perle
Lucian Berio


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## sibylla (Jun 13, 2021)

Schoenberg Stravinsky


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## advokat (Aug 16, 2020)

Unless one is a person who subscribes to a counter-factual notion of permanent progress, according to which the music each century must, perforce, become better and better, one must admit that 20ies century was rather barren as regards good composers. But not completely barren. The following composers who were active in at least some part of the the 20ies century were excellent:
Rachmaninov
Taneyev
Sibelius
Ravel
Medtner
Turina
Gretchaninov
Durufle
Poulenc
Mompou
Schostakovich
Dohnanyi
I can name about twenty others, almost all of them either Russian, Spanish, French, or Hungarian, with a couple of Italians thrown in. But that is about all.


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## fbjim (Mar 8, 2021)

Simon Moon said:


> Not that I care, but there seems to be a lot of zombie posting lately. But, I guess since most members tend to only like music from guys who have been dead for centuries, what's the problem with reviving a 7 year old thread
> 
> Stravinsky
> Bartok
> ...


shameful anti-minimalist bias! (joking)

but seriously, I'd be similar but replacing the serialists with Reich, Feldman and Adams. (Young realistically belongs there but he has the slight problem of seemingly making his music a pain in the *** to actually listen to) And throwing Webern in there, since he's my favorite serialist by a good margin.


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## Doublestring (Sep 3, 2014)

My top 20:


Stravinsky
Schoenberg
Bartók
Debussy*
Ravel
Ligeti
Shostakovitch
Prokofiev
Mahler*
Villa-Lobos
Berg
Strauss*
Britten
Rachmaninoff*
Saariaho
Gershwin
Xenakis
Stockhausen
Scriabin
Gubaidulina

(*would be higher if their 19th century works counted)


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

fbjim said:


> shameful anti-minimalist bias! (joking)
> 
> but seriously, I'd be similar but replacing the serialists with Reich, Feldman and Adams. (Young realistically belongs there but he has the slight problem of seemingly making his music a pain in the *** to actually listen to) And throwing Webern in there, since he's my favorite serialist by a good margin.


If I were to have made this list 5 to 10 years ago (maybe as recently as 3 years), there would have been some minimalists on it.

But, minimalists have, for at least the present, fallen out of favor with me. I will return to them in the not too distant future, to see if I my interest is rekindled.

Wait a second! I forgot to list Webern?!

I just added him. Should have been on my list, for sure.


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## 59540 (May 16, 2021)

Simon Moon said:


> Not that I care, but there seems to be a lot of zombie posting lately. But, I guess since most members tend to only like music from guys who have been dead for centuries, what's the problem with reviving a 7 year old thread
> 
> Stravinsky
> Bartok
> ...


Most of the people on your list are dead as well.


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## Lisztian (Oct 10, 2011)

advokat said:


> one must admit that 20ies century was rather barren as regards good composers.


No, one must not.


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

dissident said:


> Most of the people on your list are dead as well.


Of course, although most of them died in latter half of the 20th century, not the 1700 or 1800 hundreds.

But, since I was joking in the first place, your point is moot.


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## Botschaft (Aug 4, 2017)

Simon Moon said:


> Of course, although most of them died in latter half of the 20th century, not the 1700 or 1800 hundreds.
> 
> But, since I was joking in the first place, your point is moot.


You listen to mostly dead people? How absurd! :lol:


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

advokat said:


> Unless one is a person who subscribes to a counter-factual notion of permanent progress, according to which the music each century must, perforce, become better and better, one must admit that 20ies century was rather barren as regards good composers. But not completely barren.


You seem to be following the standard Talk Classical playbook of, stating your subjective opinion, as if it is objective fact.

I only listen to classical music from the 20th and 21st centuries, and my main problem is keeping up with so much good music, by many great composers. None of the 20th century composers I consider great, are on your list.

So, I admit the complete opposite of your contention, the 20th century was very fertile for great composers, IMO.


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## fbjim (Mar 8, 2021)

Botschaft said:


> You listen to mostly dead people? How absurd! :lol:


Now I want to rewatch The Princess Bride...


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

Botschaft said:


> You listen to mostly dead people? How absurd! :lol:


I am not so sure about that...

I can very easily come up with a list, of 20th and 21st century composers, that I rate very highly, that are still alive.

This is off the top of my head, so I am sure I am missing quite a few...

Thomas Ades
Joan Tower
Unsuk Chin
Magnus Lindberg
Sofia Gubaidulina
Harrison Birtwistle
Joseph Schwantner
Augusta Read Thomas
Per Norgard
Max Richter
Erkki-Sven Tuur


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## Red Terror (Dec 10, 2018)

There is more than one: Bartok, Stravinsky, Schoenberg.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

I know I posted a longer list previously, but if I had to choose just one, I'd choose

*Schoenberg*.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

In no particular order

Debussy
Bartok
Ravel
DSCH
Mahler
Sibelius
Messiaen
Stockhausen
Britten


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## JTS (Sep 26, 2021)

Botschaft said:


> You listen to mostly dead people? How absurd! :lol:


Amazing that many of them conduct and play the piano too!


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## Andante Largo (Apr 23, 2020)

*My Favorites Composers from 20th Century*


Sibelius, Jean (1865 - 1957) [Finland]
Respighi, Ottorino (1879 - 1936) [Italy]
Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Mario (1895 - 1968) [Italy]
Karłowicz, Mieczysław (1876 - 1909) [Poland]
Perosi, Lorenzo (1872 - 1956) [Italy]
Rachmaninov, Sergei (1873 - 1943) [Russia]
Melartin, Erkki (1875 - 1937) [Finland]
Delius, Frederick (1862 - 1934) [England]
Peterson-Berger, Wilhelm (1867 - 1942) [Sweden]
Röntgen, Julius (1855 - 1932) [Germany/Netherlands]
Grechaninov, Alexander (1864 - 1956) [Russia]
Różycki, Ludomir (1884 - 1953) [Poland]
Graener, Paul (1872 - 1944) [Germany]
Dohnányi, Ernő (1877 - 1960) [Hungary]
Berg, Natanael (1879 - 1957) [Sweden]
Wolf-Ferrari, Ermano (1876 - 1948) [Italy]


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

If I were to be objective, the composer of the 20th Century is Igor Stravinsky without a doubt in my mind:










I can think of no other composer who has had the kind of cultural impact Stravinsky had during his lifetime and it still seems that no one has stopped listening. Newer generations continue to find his music and with good reason, it still sounds as fresh and vibrant as it does back when he was alive.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

SanAntone said:


> I know I posted a longer list previously, but if I had to choose just one, I'd choose
> 
> *Schoenberg*.


I'll expand on this:

*Cage*, *Feldman*, *Stravinsky*, *Shostakovich*, *Boulez*, *Carter*

After these it is too soon to know who will emerge as "great" from the post 1970 generation.


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## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

Sibelius for me, and it's not close. Shosty would be #2.


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## christomacin (Oct 21, 2017)

Blancrocher said:


> Welcome to the forum, bobsgrock. I'll say Stravinsky, since you asked for one.
> 
> But I'll add Elliott Carter. Part of my fascination for this composer is that I'm still getting to know him: not only difficult works that I've been listening to for years (like the string quartets), but also works that I'm freshly discovering (whether because it takes me awhile to find them or because they're only just being recorded). Such a vast oeuvre! I make no claims about my own aesthetic discernment, but I'm constantly surprised and excited by his compositions. My latest happy discovery is his music for harp.


I don't have much to say about Elliott Carter that would be productive here, other than that it blows my mind how much music he composed between the ages of 80 and 103.


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## christomacin (Oct 21, 2017)

> So, is it one of the big names that everyone recognizes? Or is there a lesser-known figure who deserves more attention? Is the person alive? Is it a woman? I cannot wait to see who people come up with.


No composer who is currently alive could even conceivably be considered the "Greatest Composer of the 20th Century". I like Arvo Part and John Williams, but I don't think they realistically can fill those shoes. Not that they're all BAD necessarily, just not candidates for that august title. If you had asked as late as 30 ago, or 20 years ago, or even 10 years ago, you would still have had a few potential candidates left alive who made their mark as a potentially "Greatest Composer of the (Past) Century", although they might be controversial to some. However, we are 22 years into the new Millenia. I think the game now is to become the "Greatest Composer of the 21st Century, surely?

As for the 20th Century, in terms of sheer numbers of works in the repertoire coupled with popularity in might be Shostakovich. In terms of both popularity and stature, albeit with a lot fewer individual works, it might be Mahler. Bartok and/or Stravinsky would be a safe middle of the road answer, so I'll go with that. I know, not very original, right?


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

A toss up between Shostakovich and Sibelius. If forced to choose between the two, I would pick Sibelius. I am excluding 19th century "leftovers" like Elgar, Glazunov and Rachmaninoff (who actually composed most of his greatest works in the 20th century).


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

My current favorites are Mahler, Sibelius and Prokofiev. But in terms historical significance and overall influence, I think that Stravinsky would be the greatest.


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## Eva Yojimbo (Jan 30, 2016)

If I ignore the composers who straddled the 19th/20th century divides like Mahler, my personal favorite is Messiaen, but if I were basing it on things like influence/importance I'd probably nominate Stravinsky or (as much as I'd hate to admit it) Schoenberg.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

haziz said:


> A toss up between Shostakovich and Sibelius. If forced to choose between the two, I would pick Sibelius. I am excluding 19th century "leftovers" like Elgar, Glazunov and Rachmaninoff (who actually composed most of his greatest works in the 20th century).


I consider Shostakovich and Sibelius both to be 19th c. leftovers.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

One 20th / 21st century composer whose music I've been utterly blown away by recently is Ben Johnston. His SQ cycle is by far my favorite post-Beethoven. Although his use of just intonation might seem daunting to some (personally I am in LOVE with this stuff), a lot of the music itself is actually pretty accessible by 20th century standards, at least to my ears. String Quartet no. 4 "Amazing Grace" is a good place to start for those accustomed to tonal music. I've ordered the score for his SQ 7 and can't wait to dig in further!


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

As for the "greatest", I might nominate a different practitioner of Just Intonation, Harry Partch. I believe that in the decades and centuries to come he will likely be appreciated as a seminal figure in the history of art music, if he isn't today.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

I have a distaste for these crowning the great questions. I'm inclined to just say: No such thing.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

EdwardBast said:


> I have a distaste for these crowning the great questions. I'm inclined to just say: No such thing.


Me too , that is why I like you post . :angel:


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## chu42 (Aug 14, 2018)

For me:

1. Stravinsky
2. Ligeti
3. Stockhausen
4. Messiaen 
5. Bartok
6. Prokofiev
7. Schoenberg
8. Shostakovich 
9. Lutoslawski
10. Crumb

Sibelius and Rachmaninov also come to mind but they were an extension of Romanticism and thus it's hard to judge them in the same vein as the modern innovators.


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## 59540 (May 16, 2021)

SanAntone said:


> I know I posted a longer list previously, but if I had to choose just one, I'd choose
> 
> *Schoenberg*.


Yeah I'd have to agree. Well, either Schoenberg or Stravinsky, although my favorite 20th century composer is probably Hindemith. (edit)...or maybe Webern. Choices choices.


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## Red Terror (Dec 10, 2018)

Phillip Glass
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Eric Whitacre


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Red Terror said:


> Phillip Glass
> Andrew Lloyd Webber
> Eric Whitacre


Gross. Those are three of my least favorite composers.


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## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

greatest does not exist in my lexicon. most important historically are stravinsky, bartok, stockhausen, xenakis, lucier. they are also my favourites.


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

SanAntone said:


> I know I posted a longer list previously, but if I had to choose just one, I'd choose
> 
> *Schoenberg*.


To each his own. We will have to disagree on this one! I cringe to think of a universe where Schoenberg is the greatest composer of any century. Sorry, but I simply detest his music. He may have been influential (a very bad influence IMHO), but very far from greatness at least in my book.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

SanAntone said:


> Gross. Those are three of my least favorite composers.


I believe he was joking, San Antone.  For me, all three of these composers are horrendous.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

haziz said:


> To each his own. We will have to disagree on this one! I cringe to think of a universe where Schoenberg is the greatest composer of any century. Sorry, but I simply detest his music. He may have been influential (a very bad influence IMHO), but very far from greatness at least in my book.


The horror! The horror!  Schoenberg is a fantastic composer and history has proven this, haziz. It seems you're very much an anti-Modernist listener and I just have to shake my head. I love tonal _and_ atonal music equally. There's greatness found in both. If you can't hear it, then the fault lies with _you_ and not with the composer.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

I guess it depends upon how we define "greatest." For me greatness is linked to impact or influence.

I said *Schoenberg* because of the impact his music and career had on the composers who came after him. I would say that every post-Schoenberg composer was influenced in some regard, either to emulate his ideas about composing music or overtly rejecting them.

*Cage* is another composer with great impact, but I tend to think his music is not as important as his ideas, although I very much enjoy listening to his music.


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## Highwayman (Jul 16, 2018)

I don`t know how to define "greatest" but I definitely associate it with Schoenberg the most.


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