# Embarrassing Omissions/Underrepresented Composers



## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Certainly everyone must have those composers that they recognize they should have more music by... but for whatever reason just have never gotten around to it. Something else always seemed to beckon more.

With me its clearly Stravinsky and Verdi. I have but 4 discs by Stravinsky and I like them all quite a bit... with the possible exception of Les Noces, which I have admittedly struggled with. In spite of the fact I like his music and acknowledge his historical importance I actually have far more music by Bartok, Richard Strauss, Shostakovitch, Prokofiev... even Schoenberg... who I don't like all that much.

When it comes to Verdi, I have his Requiem, a collection of overtures and other highlights, and only one complete operas: _La Traviata_! This in spite of the fact that I must surely credit a live performance of Aida with having first turned me on to opera! I have more operas by Donizetti, Bellini, Puccini, and certainly Richard Strauss.

Now that I have admitted to my short-comings, let's hear all your personal confessions.

Fess up!


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## Conor71 (Feb 19, 2009)

I feel like I should have more Handel, Stravinsky and Liszt and maybe a few more Australian composers as well - Apart from these Gaps Im pretty happy with my collection and feel it is pretty well balanced.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

I should probably have more Schoenberg and the complete Webern, but... I don't. I've got most if not all of Berg's orchestral music (between Boulez's 5-disc Sony set containing his recordings of orchestral music and Wozzeck and a separate DVD of Christine Schafer singing in Lulu).

Probably a bit more Ravel also would do me some good.

And according to me... I've got too much Richard Strauss. 2 CDs.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

There are several big name composers I'm not very familiar with. They're not all modern or contemporary as you would expect. For whatever reason, I've never connected with them:

Berlioz
Chopin
Mahler
Tchaikovsky

And some slightly lesser known:

Scriabin
Varese

To this list you can add any composer who worked almost exclusively in opera, such as Verdi or Gluck.

I have no idea why this would be so.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

The second Viennese school. I have two Berg cd's, one Schoenberg and no Webern.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Same here, I only have Berg's Lulu suite, but have various discs of the other two.
I should in his violin concerto at least, I suppose


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## karenpat (Jan 16, 2009)

For me that list would include a LOT of composers....:lol: I listen to more opera than symphonies/instrumental music, so a lot of composers who didn't write any operas will certainly be on the list...I suppose I'll expand my tastes little by little.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

emiellucifuge said:


> Same here, I only have Berg's Lulu suite, but have various discs of the other two.
> I should in his violin concerto at least, I suppose


This is correct. Berg is the most comprehensible of the trio. The violin concerto is not more "difficult" than Szymanowski's 1st, or Szigeti's version of Prokofieff's 1st. It's emotional content is very high (if you are in a 'sensitive' mood the angst may cross the pain threshold), but I am glad I have heard it.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

My focus in music is rather narrow. I've sampled a lot of of just about everyone but have repeatedly come back to the same 15 or so composers. I have not yet developed a love for Wagner, Bruckner, Chopin, Verdi, or Hindemith. The fault is mine, not theirs.

On the other hand, I've started getting into French music that I had not been into before (i.e. Saint Saens and Debussy). Some interests change over time.


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## bassClef (Oct 29, 2006)

To the OP, or anyone who would like to hear more Stravinsky, there's a very reasonable 22-CD box set (£18 in the UK) of his works, most of it conducted by him so it's the definitive interpretation (and good quality too). There's really no excuse not to buy this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Works-Igor-Stravinsky/dp/B000PTYUQG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291497270&sr=8-1


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

I feel like I should have more Handel...

Yes... in comparison with my collection of Bach, Handel is dwarfed... yet I still have 35 discs worth of Handel's music with a decent representation from every genre. I need to really begin to work my way through the oratorios and the operas more.


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

And according to me... I've got too much Richard Strauss. 2 CDs.

You can never have too much Strauss.


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## Guest (Dec 5, 2010)

What I find most embarrassing is how many composers new to me are already octogenarians. I know I don't have time for everything, and the recordings of course are not eighty years old, or even fifty. But still. There it is. Lidholm (89), Kelterborn (79-close enough!), Mamlock (87-at least I'd heard _of_ her), Becker (82 when I first heard of him).

Much less embarrassing for me are people like Simon Steen-Andersen, who was 32 when I first met him, or Kui Dong, who is only 44.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Well, like some above, I'm not much into opera, so that's an "omission" in my collection, but I don't think that it's necessarily "embarrassing."

I've only started collecting classical again after basically a 10 year hiatus, so there are many ommissions in my cd collection. I'm more into symphonic, concerto, chamber, choral and solo instrumental (some lieder is ok). Things like Schubert's string quintet (though I have it on an LP which has definitely passed it's use by date!) & his lieder, Brahms' string sextets, Mozart's Requiem, Monteverdi's Vespers, anything by Chopin, virtually everything of J.S. Bach (but most "embarassingly" his B minor mass), most of the Brahms, Sibelius, Prokofiev, Shostakovich symphonies & string quartets (though I do have most of thier concertos), most of Beethoven's string quartets & symphonies, any of Haydn or Mozart's string quartets, concertos & sonatas (though I do have some Haydn symphonies, but not a single one by Mozart!), virtually none of Stravinsky's serial works, Bartok's Cantata Profana, any of Tippet's or Petterson's symphonies (though these two are more for the aficionados, admittedly, but they interest me a bit). & if you asked me what interested me the most now, it's Australian composers - I've only got a smattering of those, and I want to get much more. Same with composers from the USA - I've got a smattering of them, but I feel there's always room for more (I especially want to get Ive's symphonies, of which I only have the 1st, and have his first piano sonata but have only heard and never owned the concord). & the list continues!

But I must say that over the past 20 years or more I have been an avid listener to classical radio, so my knowledge of the basic repertoire is probably as solid as anyone else's here, it's just that I'm not a specialist in anything. I lean more towards music from the classical era on, especially the last 100 years. I was a semi-regular concert goer in the '90's and in the last year have returned to this, going to about 30 concerts in the past year (most of these have been chamber but I have also seen symphonic, choral, lieder and solo instrumental)...


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## Nix (Feb 20, 2010)

I need more of pretty much everybody... the only composers I have sizable amounts are Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Sibelius and Shostakovich... and thats cause you can usually get things with these guys in complete cycles (i.e. symphonies, concertos, string quartets...)

Oh, I also have lots of Barber, but that's to be expected


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

StlukesguildOhio said:


> Certainly everyone must have those composers that they recognize they should have more music by... but for whatever reason just have never gotten around to it. Something else always seemed to beckon more.


Interesting thread. The key word you used was "recognise". I certainly recognise I should have more works by Richard Wagner. I love opera. I recognise Wagner's genius in strong musical characterisation of drama and its characters but it takes a bit of effort at times to come around to even some of his more popular operas. I have only no more than maybe ten of his stage works/operas.

I don't have any CDs featuring music by Karlheinz Stockhausen. But do I recognise that I should have more music by Stockhausen? At this point in time, I am inclined to say "no".


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## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

While I'd say I'm pretty familiar with most of the big classical and romantic names, I certainly need to listen to more by Bruckner (the symphonies are so long!!).. Sibelius, and some of the major Italian opera composers like Verdi, Russini, and Puccini.


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## alexandrew (Dec 5, 2010)

Before, I had big gaps in my listening, a lot of major composers were missing. So I bought both the Grammaphon 111 55 disk things which really helped me get a bit of everything  really helpful. However, I do think that contemporary composers are waaaay underrepresented in the box sets.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

I am also one of those that really need more of everyone, but I've kind of gotten that problem sorted out. Thank heavens for Spotify.
But I would very much like to have more Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, other than his symphonies and Chopin. And more opera recordings. The only opera recordings I have are a Tristan with Kirsten Flagstad and Furtwängler, Cosí fan tutte with Schwartskopf and Karajan and Lustige Weiber von Windsor with Münchner Rundfunks and Ulf Schrimer.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Lutoslawski. I have only one disc of his works which I've always quite liked and it escapes me as to why I keep putting other purchases on perpetual hold, especially as a number of them are inexpensive. The other is Gluck - he played a central, not to say controversial, role in the development of opera in the 18th century yet I have nothing of his at all.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Only have a little Maxwell Davies, Stockhausen, Wellesz, Messiaen organ works - and not enough Weinberg.

Want list: mainly a few rather unknown symphonists, like Leif Kayser, Peder Gram, Boris Arapov, and some others. 

Haven´t got all of Myaskovskys string quartets & piano sonatas yet either.

Any missing opera repertoire is not an important issue to me (works like Korngold "Die Tote Stadt", Gluck "Iphigenia", Shostakovich "The Nose" and so on).

Otherwise I´ve got pretty much everything, the major composers included .


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## Il Seraglio (Sep 14, 2009)

No specific composers, but I desperately need more French opera in my collection. Rameau, Lully, Gluck, Berlioz, Bizet. I've fallen in love with the genre.

I still have yet to purchase any Monteverdi too.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

elgars ghost said:


> Lutoslawski. I have only one disc of his works which I've always quite liked and it escapes me as to why I keep putting other purchases on perpetual hold, especially as a number of them are inexpensive. The other is Gluck - he played a central, not to say controversial, role in the development of opera in the 18th century yet I have nothing of his at all.


Its worth it though, whats on the CD you have?


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

emiellucifuge said:


> Its worth it though, whats on the CD you have?


Naxos 8.554284 - Symphony No. 1, Venetian Games*, Silesian Tryptych, Postlude No. 1, Chantefleurs et Chantefables*. Antoni Wit with Polish NRSO (*with Olga Pasiecznik sop)

In fact, I'll give it another listen tonight just to make me feel more guilty for my neglect!


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

elgars ghost said:


> Naxos 8.554284 - Symphony No. 1, Venetian Games*, Silesian Tryptych, Postlude No. 1, Chantefleurs et Chantefables*. Antoni Wit with Polish NRSO (*with Olga Pasiecznik sop)
> 
> In fact, I'll give it another listen tonight just to make me feel more guilty for my neglect!


Try "Last Concert" CD when you will look for another album.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

A good one, the venetian games especially.
For a more traditional feel try his Polish Christmas Carols, or otherwise definitely give his 3rd symphony a listen. Theres a good recording with the CSO and Barenboim.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

emiellucifuge;125952 said:


> A good one, the venetian games especially.
> For a more traditional feel try his Polish Christmas Carols, or otherwise definitely give his 3rd symphony a listen. Theres a good recording with the CSO and Barenboim.


I'll bear it in mind. Penderecki has ruled my Polish roost for the last year or two but I will redress the balance sometime.


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Interesting thread. The key word you used was "recognise". I certainly recognise I should have more works by Richard Wagner. I love opera. I recognise Wagner's genius in strong musical characterisation of drama and its characters but it takes a bit of effort at times to come around to even some of his more popular operas. *I have only no more than maybe ten of his stage works/operas.*

Ummm... he only finished 13. Seriously, Wagner is perhaps the most glaring omission in my own collection. I'm a great fan of Wagner. I have a decent sized collection of his music... including multiple interpretations of certain works... but I haven't gotten around to getting a complete Ring cycle!!

Aaaach!! The shame and humiliation.

I hang my head.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

With Wagner, I can stomach his orchestral highlights and choruses, but rarely an entire opera. I have listened to a friend's cd of Tannhauser, but over a number of different sittings (a disc at a time - it's 3 cd's long!). I think that Wagner is daunting to many people due to the length & intensity of his music. He's also the type of composer that many people are polarised about - either you love or hate him. He's not the type of composer who easily garners almost universal admiration - like J. S. Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Haydn or Beethoven. For many people, Wagner is probably as inaccessible as someone like Schoenberg...


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

StlukesguildOhio said:


> Ummm... he only finished 13. Seriously, Wagner is perhaps the most glaring omission in my own collection. I'm a great fan of Wagner. I have a decent sized collection of his music... including multiple interpretations of certain works... but I haven't gotten around to getting a complete Ring cycle!!
> 
> Aaaach!! The shame and humiliation.
> 
> I hang my head.


:lol: Well, I counted _Der Ring des Nibelungen_ as four operas rather than one.

Moving on to other composers, I suppose I could do with a bit more Berlioz, Borodin, Glazunov, Smetana, Shostikovich; you know, these very "European sounding" composers from the mid to late Romantic period.


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## jurianbai (Nov 23, 2008)

The embarrassing zero present of Wagner, R.Strauss, Bruckner, Webern and Berg in my collection should explain small missing links in my classical music understanding. I also only get one Mahler 5 (very lousy, I forget the symphonist), and one Scriabin (Sonata no.5) which enough to get me an ex-communication by local classical club.

Should invest more in those names (except the last two) before I went to obscure name like Novak or Burgmuller.


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## Head_case (Feb 5, 2010)

Hmmm. There are too many under-representations in my classical music collection. Just about everything except the string quartet genre is under-represented 

Well in my move towards discovering the ecstasy within the avant garde works, beyond Ainsi La Nuit; Dusapin's Time Zones; Lazarof's elegant and angry works; Hatzis's Choo-choo-train quartets; I notice I am missing all of those winter warmers ending in '-ski' like Krzanow-ski; 'Szaleb-ski, Lason, Knapik, Keller, Wolpe etc. Some of these names should be everyday names for classical music fans!


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## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

I STRONGLY recommend anyone who has listed Wagner as an 'underappreciated' composer should first and foremost get a great recording of _Tristan und Isolde_ (like Bohm/Nilsson/Windgassen) and listen to it all the way through. Trust me, it's worth the investment. You can 'get' the opera after only one listen, and you'll enjoy it the more times you hear it. Then you'll be more willing to hear some of the other operas (though I have yet to hear the Ring in its entirety).


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## ScipioAfricanus (Jan 7, 2010)

Ravellian said:


> I STRONGLY recommend anyone who has listed Wagner as an 'underappreciated' composer should first and foremost get a great recording of _Tristan und Isolde_ (like Bohm/Nilsson/Windgassen) and listen to it all the way through. Trust me, it's worth the investment. You can 'get' the opera after only one listen, and you'll enjoy it the more times you hear it. Then you'll be more willing to hear some of the other operas (though I have yet to hear the Ring in its entirety).


I actually started off with Act 3 t of Die Walkure, then I moved to the entire Das Rheingold. Das Rheingold got me hooked. My Birthday present was the Flying Dutchman. I now have a completed ring set with Das Rheingold and Siegfried being amongst my favorite operas.


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

After my first live experience of opera (Aida) and being intrigued... if not seduced... I ended up taking out the Karajan recordings of _Tristan und Isolde_ and _Parsifal_ from the library. These works simply overwhelmed me and I was immediately sold on Wagner and opera. These were among my first operatic purchases of complete operas on CD and I played/play them again and again.


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