# Overrated / Underrated genres of classical



## starry (Jun 2, 2009)

In different times I wonder if different genres may have been overrated or underrated. In more modern times the symphony almost came to define what people think of as classical. So symphonic composers have a tendency to get rated highly. 

In earlier periods like the 19th century the concerto may have had undue focus from listeners, and in the 18th opera may have been so popular it obscured some other genres at times.

The most consistently underrated may have been chamber music.


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## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

The trio sonata or music for a string quartet may be underrated as listening simply because it is intelligent conversation for the players.

It even gets an appearance on TNG (simply because you can't fit a symphony orchestra into tenforward). 

We go regularly to "chamber music" because we like baroque.

(By the way where else would you play music if you are indoors other than in a "chamber"?  )


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

Overrated: Anything from the period 1770 to 1810 (And this does not implicate anything about the quality of the music!)

Underrated: Organ Music (It is almost a pollable issue, how many TC-ers listen to Organ Music regularly?)

/ptr


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## apricissimus (May 15, 2013)

ptr said:


> Overrated: Anything from the period 1770 to 1810 (And this does not implicate anything about the quality of the music!)
> 
> Underrated: Organ Music (It is almost a pollable issue, how many TC-ers listen to Organ Music regularly?)
> 
> /ptr


For what it's worth, most of the organ recordings I've heard sound kinda muddy and indistinct. Maybe I'm not listening to the right recordings though.

Good, big organs in live performance can be very impressive though.


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## starry (Jun 2, 2009)

Taggart said:


> The trio sonata or music for a string quartet may be underrated as listening simply because it is intelligent conversation for the players.
> 
> It even gets an appearance on TNG (simply because you can't fit a symphony orchestra into tenforward).
> 
> ...


Within chamber music the string quartet might well be the most highly rated genre, largely thanks to the influence of masters of the classical period.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

ptr said:


> Overrated: Anything from the period 1770 to 1810 (And this does not implicate anything about the quality of the music!)
> 
> Underrated: Organ Music (It is almost a pollable issue, how many TC-ers listen to Organ Music regularly?)
> 
> /ptr


I love organs including the amazing street organs.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

apricissimus said:


> For what it's worth, most of the organ recordings I've heard sound kinda muddy and indistinct. Maybe I'm not listening to the right recordings though.
> 
> Good, big organs in live performance can be very impressive though.


What equipment are you using ?


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## starry (Jun 2, 2009)

Organ music is probably harder for people to identify with, it seems much more obscure than a piano which many have seen in person or even tried to play on at some point. And organ recitals won't take place at many regular concert venues as there isn't often an organ there. That may explain why over the centuries it ended up being less in the forefront of classical.


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## apricissimus (May 15, 2013)

moody said:


> What equipment are you using ?


I assume you mean playback equipment? Nothing high-end at all. Most of my listening occurs at my computer with a set of decent noise-cancelling headphones. I also have a very middle of the road stereo set up in the living room that tends to get much less use.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

apricissimus said:


> I assume you mean playback equipment? Nothing high-end at all. Most of my listening occurs at my computer with a set of decent noise-cancelling headphones. I also have a very middle of the road stereo set up in the living room that tends to get much less use.


Well I'm not an expert but presuming the source is OK it must be a problem at your end.
I've got organ recordings from the 60s that are fine.


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