[labard1]

Sorry, but I view Beethoven's "Der Grosse Fuge" as at once a wonderful work, and the beginning of the end for great music. If we had no music post Beethoven, I wouldn't seriously miss it.

I like some Elgar, Faure, Joplin, Bernstein, Copeland-- but don't rank any of it with Bach, Mozart, Hayden or ancient music. It's a matter of personal taste-- I'm not trying to persuade you. Gorecki is interesting, but not someone I'd listen to if he weren't one of the best contemporaries.

[zarf]

If we had no music post Beethoven, I wouldn't seriously miss it.

You're nuts.

I could not imagine a world without Stravinsky, Bartok or Charles Ives.

[Texas Chrystal]

It's cool. I like all kinds of classical music from plainchant to stuff written yesterday but I totally understand your opinion. Do me one small favor--check out Wagner's "Prelude and Liebestod" from the Opera "Tristan und Isolde." I know you'll love it.
Beethoven went through quite a change in his life--from very classical ala Haydn/Mozart to very romantic ala early Brahms so I'm sure your tastes are still pretty diverse.
In my orchestra, we rarely get to play a Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart, Mahler, Bruckner, Tchaikovsky, etc. Symphony. We NEVER play Wagner and R. Strauss. That is what I miss.
Gorecki is not something I listen to.
;-)

[SaveTheChief]

It's funny. People like what they like. When I was in college, I played in a baroque ensemble and played a lot of Italian music. It's absolutely wonderful, but fortunately I didn't get to the point where I didn't appreciate, or enjoy playing the rest of it.

Beethoven is among my very favorites, and his piano concertos and violin concerto are monumental works, IMHO.

I agree that once Beethoven came along, music changed dramatically, but the musical shot heard round the world was the "Eroica" Symphony. Once that came around, nothing was quite the same.