Who is, in your opinion, the world's worst reputable composer?

I hate Mozart, but he was a good composer, if a bit bland.

Film composers- You guys have to remember that whether or not they are super original is not their fault. Can one blame Williams for 'Star Wars' sounding a lot like Mars? Not really, Lucas was ready to just use Mars, until Williams gave him something to satisfy him. Now, whether or not one can blame him for 'Star Wars' sounding like Stravinsky is something else.

My vote for worst reputable composer is a tough one. I really like Tchaikovsky, but he's not the best composer, as form and such go, from what I've seen. He's good at coming up with fun material, but it's not always displayed the best.

Originally Posted by almacg

So.. the most incompetent composer for me is.. John Cage.
However, in my opinion he isn't a composer.
So... the award has to go to... (too much to choose from, I can't pick just one!)

Oh you're one of those kids~

Cage was an artist, musician, whatever. If you don't like it, fine, but I get the feeling you don't know half a dang thing about him in the first place like most people that say such things.

Either way, I bet you think you're more competent than him eh? If you can judge others, why not judge yourself also? What a bunch of nonsense, along with this thread as has been said a thousand times!

Originally Posted by SSC

Oh you're one of those kids~

Cage was an artist, musician, whatever. If you don't like it, fine, but I get the feeling you don't know half a dang thing about him in the first place like most people that say such things.

Either way, I bet you think you're more competent than him eh? If you can judge others, why not judge yourself also? What a bunch of nonsense, along with this thread as has been said a thousand times!

SSC thank you very much.
You think I don't judge myself? I have spend my entire compositional lifetime judging my own music, which is why I don't think I've written anything that comes anywhere near to fulfilling my potential.

I have no problem with Cage's work, but it is the notion that he is a composer that is so ridiculous.

Originally Posted by almacg

...the notion that he is a composer that is so ridiculous.

What the HELL is with all this?! The sudden hate-on for anything outside your limited scope of comprehension?!?! This isn't aimed at you Al, there's easily a dozen other members with as narrow minds as you.

Seriously - before you decide to publicly declare a wildly influential and respected COMPOSER like John Cage, perhaps it would be prudent to investigate their work a little bit. Honestly - if any of you actually put in some effort to try and understand and HEAR what's going on then you'd realize how ridiculous YOU sound making these asinine statements.

How is THIS not composition? Even on youtube, you can hear the advanced rhythmic concepts and structural intricacies of his work. Just because you can't wrap your head around it doesn't instantly make it inferior.

YouTube Video

John Cage - Bacchanale for prepared piano

(Original Source)

Ok I'll accept him as a composer.

It's certainly not outside my scope of comprehension however, if it was I'd be a little bit worried.

It's just from some of the things he's done and said, I don't personally think he is capable of properly writing music. I know the piece you posted is a composition, I've heard it before, but I think there was very little 'ear' involved in the entire thing. For me personally, it isn't a very impressive piece of music, and indeed I'd argue that Britney Spears has figureheaded better music.

John Cage said he was more interested in the horn players emptying their spit buckets then he was in what they played. You could interpret that to mean he is a brilliant man, who see's things in a very clever way. However, I would argue that he simply could not appreciate what the horn players were actually playing, or had a very limited understanding of it. I personally enjoy watching a horn player emptying his spit bucket (or what ever its called) but it isn't the reason I pay to go and watch an orchestra play music. Personally, I think he was almost tone deaf based on that statement.

I could sit here and debate John Cage to the cows come home, but not because I just love annoying people. To be honest I just enjoy debating music, if of course anyone is seriously offended by any of the comments I made, then I'll gladly stop. If anybody however, starts to imply that John Cage is superior to Rimsky Korsakov for example, then they will have another thing coming!

Originally Posted by almacg

Ok I'll accept him as a composer.

That's all I want - the willingness to be open and admit that something can be artistically valid in spite of ones preferences/likes/dislikes.

If only other people were so level-headed.

Originally Posted by almacg

It's just from some of the things he's done and said, I don't personally think he is capable of properly writing music.

"Properly" is a purely psychological condition that you and you alone can impose on something. I don't care if you think it "proper" or not; I can accept that some people don't think it proper...what irks me is when people dismiss something as inferior or invalid simply because they don't like, don't understand, or outright fear it..

ANYWAY, I can see that you're not a mongoloid with a chip on his shoulder (unlike many pompous musical elitists around here), and I can understand your position. I hate getting dragged into this stuff, but I see so much pretentious posturing around here, I have to step in with a dose of reality every once in a while.

To the rest of you fools - take notes.



Continue on your merry way.

Originally Posted by almacg

If anybody however, starts to imply that John Cage is superior to Rimsky Korsakov for example, then they will have another thing coming!

What does "superior" mean? If I had to choose, I probably listen to Cage's prepared piano pieces over most of Korsakov's music (Romantic period? bleh). They both had great strengths. The question is, who are YOU superior to?

Almacq, honestly, I think you should spend more time writing and less time posturing. You could learn a lot from the people you so vehemently bash for no real good reason. Robin said most of what I've already wanted to say. Have a good night.

As far as I understand it, if a composer is reputable...

He or she is, in all likelihood, a good composer. Yes, you may not like the music, but that by no stretch of the imagination means it's bad. Reputations are earned for a reason.

Originally Posted by MoonWoman Cuts the Circle

What does "superior" mean? If I had to choose, I probably listen to Cage's prepared piano pieces over most of Korsakov's music (Romantic period? bleh). They both had great strengths. The question is, who are YOU superior to?

Almacq, honestly, I think you should spend more time writing and less time posturing. You could learn a lot from the people you so vehemently bash for no real good reason. Robin said most of what I've already wanted to say. Have a good night.

I'm so sick of everyone denying terms and definitions. Why does everyone have to pretend that they don't understand or can't possibly accept the terms "superior," "better," or, as it sometimes comes down to "music." When Almacq said that he is not superior to Rimsky Korsakov, you know exactly what he means, and you probably also know exactly why he says that. So why do you have to challenge his use of the word "superior?" We understand that it's an opinion - he never said it wasn't an opinion. So instead of saying "What does "superior" mean?" why not just say, "I disagree?"

Originally Posted by Dan Gilbert

I'm so sick of everyone denying terms and definitions. Why does everyone have to pretend that they don't understand or can't possibly accept the terms "superior," "better," or, as it sometimes comes down to "music." When Almacq said that he is not superior to Rimsky Korsakov, you know exactly what he means, and you probably also know exactly why he says that. So why do you have to challenge his use of the word "superior?" We understand that it's an opinion - he never said it wasn't an opinion. So instead of saying "What does "superior" mean?" why not just say, "I disagree?"

"That depends on what you mean by the word is"

You can get sick until you're blue in the face, the point is that he and no one else has any right to make such rash statements. Honestly, who is he to say that? "You're gonna get if you say ____ is superior to ____"

1) Who cares?

2) It's completely opinion

I can't reply to it with "I disagree", because he didn't form his statement in such a way. I guess I'll just have to cry crocodile tears for your "sickness" for now