# Five composers preserved for humanity



## Muse Wanderer (Feb 16, 2014)

If I had to preserve the works of 5 composers for humanity, who would these be?

I would take an approach to preserve as much great music in order for it to blossom again.

Plant the seed in the soil for the rest of humanity to be inspired from and move on to new fertile grounds.

The pivot point of humanity's musical achievement, in my opinion, is exemplified by Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach's music has been an inspiration to composers up to our own time, and his loss would be a terrible tragedy of indescribable proportions.

The problem lies with Herr Wolfgang and Herr Ludwig! Both classical but still somewhat polar opposites. Who can lay the foundations for the future human generations? I would have to say Wolfgang as his output is huge and he shines into so many genres including opera. There is no suitable replacement for him.

Now the romantic idiom needs represantation and Richard Wagner, the pinnacle of harmony, fits the bill. He represents a long direct line of musical practice from JS Bach and rounds off this vast period nicely. Besides this we just cannot ditch Der Ring des Nibelungen, that would be blasphemy!

Next in line is Arnold Schoenberg. To my ears he represents the ideas of JS Bach and romantisicm in an entirely new language. He is so similar to Bach, Wagner and Brahms but yet so different! He did shape the 20th century musical language so he has no substitute, apart from Igor Stravinsky but then only one can be chosen.

Last in line needs to speak to our ears in a contemporary style in order to draw a line of where we are now. This is so tricky though. It is difficult to find greatness as time has not judged these composers. I am tempted to choose Morton Feldman but he is not as eclectic despite having his unique way of expressing himself. So the last composer for me would be Gyorgy Ligeti. He has variety with his early works being so different from his late ones (just listen to those piano etudes!). He excelled at what he did and spoke in the language of his own time.

So there you have it, enough brilliant composers to start off the musical journey for future mankind...

Johann Sebastian Bach
Wolfgang Mozart
Richard Wagner
Arnold Schoenberg
Gyorgy Ligeti


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