# Composer personae



## Abraham Lincoln (Oct 3, 2015)

If you had to choose a composer to represent yourself, who would it be and why?

Mine would be Mendelssohn because I am a history geek who draws pictures and loves J. S. Bach.


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre. 
She was a woman in the centre of things at the court of the Sun King, yet also she was on the fringe of things, not involved in court intrigue, but with a private life, devoted to music of all sorts and delighting in the improvisation of tunes. I'd like to be so talented.

But I think what draws me to her, and what we might have in common, is that she was 'a keeper': someone who took delight in art & nature and kept doing that even in the middle of worry and mishap. I wouldn't want her misfortunes, though, losing her mother, husband, and only son within a short time.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Élisabeth_Jacquet_de_La_Guerre


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## Nevum (Nov 28, 2013)

Mendelssohn also


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

Wagner.

With a dash of Berlioz, and admiring Rossini 's easy enjoyment of life and appetite for good food, wine, women and song and Massenet's charm and good taste.

But there's far more Wagner in me than I like!


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## Dawood (Oct 11, 2015)

Abraham Lincoln said:


> If you had to choose a composer to represent yourself, who would it be and why?


If they were representing me in court I would choose Wagner


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## Abraham Lincoln (Oct 3, 2015)

Dawood said:


> If they were representing me in court I would choose Wagner


Not in court - I meant a composer that would best represent who you are as a person.


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

Hmmm...ironically, I'd say Brahms for myself. 

Love for nature, sarcastic humor, prefers to live modestly, more of a cultural appreciation for religion than a spiritual one...I feel that of all the composers' personalities who I know about, Brahms' is the closest to my own. I only say "ironically" because, for a long time, I didn't care for his music :lol: but it's all good now, I love his work


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2016)

Abraham Lincoln said:


> If you had to choose a composer to represent yourself, who would it be and why?
> 
> Mine would be Mendelssohn because I am a history geek who draws pictures and loves J. S. Bach.


Do you have a penchant for uniforms too?

I know nothing of any composer's personalities so you can pick one for me.

I know you'll be kind.


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## Fugue Meister (Jul 5, 2014)

Carl Ruggles..... and I don't care what you think. :devil:


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

I'll go along with Cosmos' choice of Brahms. I rather like Brahms' alleged motto of _Frei aber Froh_, "Free but Happy". I think that Brahms was probably a fairly cheerful fellow, confident in his musical preferences and gifts, and delighted with the richly textured and sonorous music playing about inside his head that he could get down on paper and was often well-received--probably also a strong source of inner contentment. Go, Brahms!


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Huh. Every composer was multifaceted no doubt, but my average impression of him is of a gruff and prickly person.


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## bz3 (Oct 15, 2015)

Beethoven but not for any of the good reasons like heroic character or masterful command of his art. Moreso for the moodiness, severe personality, and pathological longing. I also tend to give even friends a dressing down from time to time, against my better and more sober judgment. But hey, that's what friends are for.


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## Meyerbeer Smith (Mar 25, 2016)

Dawood said:


> If they were representing me in court I would choose Wagner


Utter conviction in himself, and no conviction for his client?


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

clavichorder said:


> Huh. Every composer was multifaceted no doubt, but my average impression of him is of a gruff and prickly person.


You're right about his reported persona as a gruff and prickly person, but I think that persona can coexist comfortably with an inner contentment and self-confidence.


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Frei aber 'Fro?


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## Antiquarian (Apr 29, 2014)

Stravinsky, because he wasn't afraid to push boundaries, and make interesting music. But my friends would say Offenbach is a more fair representation, or if I'm in a bad mood, Hugo Wolf.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

StlukesguildOhio said:


> Frei aber 'Fro?


Poor soul whoever he is


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## Abraham Lincoln (Oct 3, 2015)

dogen said:


> Do you have a penchant for uniforms too?
> 
> I know nothing of any composer's personalities so you can pick one for me.
> 
> I know you'll be kind.


MENDELSSOHN MASTER RACE!

- Just kidding! ;P I actually don't know much about your personality though, so it would be nice if you could provide me with a description of yourself to help me choose the right composer -


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I would like to think Haydn for me, but I am quite a nervous anxious person in reality. Probably Tchaikovsky.


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## Antiquarian (Apr 29, 2014)

Pugg said:


> Poor soul whoever he is


I had to do a quick check to see if that wasn't one of my old school pictures. My hair is the same colour!


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2016)

Abraham Lincoln said:


> MENDELSSOHN MASTER RACE!
> 
> - Just kidding! ;P I actually don't know much about your personality though, so it would be nice if you could provide me with a description of yourself to help me choose the right composer -


INTP is enough I think!


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## Abraham Lincoln (Oct 3, 2015)

dogen said:


> INTP is enough I think!


Robert Schumann? Seems like he could be an INTP.


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2016)

Abraham Lincoln said:


> Robert Schumann? Seems like he could be an INTP.


I'll take your word for it.

Hmmm...mental disorder....delusions....mental asylum....
He sounds like a party animal....
....like me....


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## Dim7 (Apr 24, 2009)

More like INFP?


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2016)

Dim7 said:


> More like INFP?


Me or Schuey???


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## Dim7 (Apr 24, 2009)

Schumannnnnnnn.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Dim7, who do you identify with?


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2016)

Dim7 said:


> Schumannnnnnnn.


Goddamm Jungian nonsense.


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## Dim7 (Apr 24, 2009)

clavichorder said:


> Dim7, who do you identify with?


Personality wise, maybe Shostakovich.


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2016)

INTP?

The last time I was 'Myers-Briggsd', I came out with three letters different than my first experience. Conequently, either MBT is tosh, or I'm just an unreliable analyst of human behaviour and couldn't give a sane answer to the OP.


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## Adam Weber (Apr 9, 2015)

Supposedly I'm INTP, but I don't know how much it's worth. 

I took the test three times. Same result three times. 

I have no idea who I'd identify with, though. 

I'm perfectionistic, awkward and more depressive than I'd like, but I love the outdoors. 

I am in the habit of destroying everything I write, which has gotten terrible lately. I can't finish anything.

...

I must be Sibelius.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

I might choose Mozart. Perhaps I am thinking more of the Peter Schaffer character but the playfulness might represent me well and the brilliant musical facility might help to ensure that I am excused for any indiscretions. Or I might choose Beethoven as someone who was a radical and a rebel and who was perhaps a little too honest. And then I imagine Haydn would represent me creditably.


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