The Real Buffalo Joe Posted June 7, 2019 Posted June 7, 2019 Not talking about lyricism, raw instrumental talent, vocal, etc. Are there any artists in "popular music" for lack of a better term, that deserve to be remembered in history with the likes of Beethoven, Mozart, etc? The only ones I can think of off the top of my head are Elton John, and Lennon and/or McCartney. Possibly Brian Wilson, but that might be stretching it.
row_33 Posted June 7, 2019 Posted June 7, 2019 No, not at all. Kids today mostly have no ideal of Lennon any more.
LeviF Posted June 7, 2019 Posted June 7, 2019 Honestly I'd put McCartney over Lennon as far as composition goes. I realize we get three extra decades of McCartney work but still. But no, I can't say I can think of anyone in the modern genres that can compare to the great orchestral composers. But I also think it isn't a comparison that should be attempted. 1
The Senator Posted June 7, 2019 Posted June 7, 2019 (edited) Are there any? I’d proffer Van Morrison, knowing full well he’d decline the honor. Perhaps the late Warren Zevon, or Frank Zappa. If you’re putting Elton John on the same stage as anyone but Liberace, you should have your head examined. (And, BTW, Liberace was a far better pianist than EJ.) . Edited June 7, 2019 by The Senator
Gray Beard Posted June 7, 2019 Posted June 7, 2019 A little off topic and hard to read, but it’s what immediately popped into my head 1
row_33 Posted June 7, 2019 Posted June 7, 2019 (edited) 34 minutes ago, LeviF91 said: Honestly I'd put McCartney over Lennon as far as composition goes. I realize we get three extra decades of McCartney work but still. But no, I can't say I can think of anyone in the modern genres that can compare to the great orchestral composers. But I also think it isn't a comparison that should be attempted. agreed, music fads and genres should change over time, we had a great run with pop music from 1955 to about 1985, and hopefully it holds in culture for my last 3 or so decades, Edited June 7, 2019 by row_33
dickleyjones Posted June 7, 2019 Posted June 7, 2019 Actually on the level of Beethoven/Mozart? Maybe John Williams, if you consider film music pop music. Zappa was great but that's not pop music.
DaBillsFanSince1973 Posted June 7, 2019 Posted June 7, 2019 8 minutes ago, Gugny said: I think the answer is no. this. big difference between entertainer/musician and greatest musical composer.
row_33 Posted June 7, 2019 Posted June 7, 2019 i'll take the radical view that I can confidently place Mahler, Bruckner and Shostakovich just below Beethoven and Friends. 1
The Real Buffalo Joe Posted June 7, 2019 Author Posted June 7, 2019 20 minutes ago, dickleyjones said: Actually on the level of Beethoven/Mozart? Maybe John Williams, if you consider film music pop music. Zappa was great but that's not pop music. John Williams is definitely up there. But even though his music is for films, I wouldn't consider it "popular" music.
Halloween Land Posted June 7, 2019 Posted June 7, 2019 Brian Wilson! I prefer the Beach Boys over the Beatles. The Beach Boys have that wonderful harmony sound.
Lurker Posted June 7, 2019 Posted June 7, 2019 Apples and oranges. Composing a symphony (70 to 100 musicians, 35 to 50 minutes in length) is nothing--repeat, nothing--like writing a five minute rock/pop song for 3-5 musicians. That said, if I had to pick one name--Miles Davis...
row_33 Posted June 7, 2019 Posted June 7, 2019 16 minutes ago, The Real Buffalo Joe said: John Williams is definitely up there. But even though his music is for films, I wouldn't consider it "popular" music. during WW2 many top European composers sought refuge in the US and ended up writer movie soundtracks
dickleyjones Posted June 7, 2019 Posted June 7, 2019 17 minutes ago, The Real Buffalo Joe said: John Williams is definitely up there. But even though his music is for films, I wouldn't consider it "popular" music. it's debatable. my opinion is it is pop music. i mean, i actually can't think of music much more popular than the star wars themes or the harry potter title. but i can see why you disagree, it's not drums and bass and singer. 24 minutes ago, row_33 said: i'll take the radical view that I can confidently place Mahler, Bruckner and Shostakovich just below Beethoven and Friends. but definitely not popular. i agree with your radical view though, i prefer Mahler and Shostakovich (and Bartok and Berio and others) to Beethoven. and how is Bach lost in all this? Bach is #1 baby!
LeviF Posted June 7, 2019 Posted June 7, 2019 13 minutes ago, dickleyjones said: but definitely not popular. i agree with your radical view though, i prefer Mahler and Shostakovich (and Bartok and Berio and others) to Beethoven. and how is Bach lost in all this? Bach is #1 baby! Mahler was great. Bach was excellent as well. I'm a Liszt guy all the way though. Perhaps that's because he and I share traits like having large hands and being strikingly handsome
row_33 Posted June 7, 2019 Posted June 7, 2019 13 minutes ago, LeviF91 said: Mahler was great. Bach was excellent as well. I'm a Liszt guy all the way though. Perhaps that's because he and I share traits like having large hands and being strikingly handsome not a huge Lizst fan, the triangle "Jimmy Page-like" solo in his 1st piano concerto is a good novelty. listening to Lizst sonatas sounds like stuff Dracula would play on his grand piano before going out into the night
LeviF Posted June 7, 2019 Posted June 7, 2019 Just now, row_33 said: listening to Lizst sonatas sounds like stuff Dracula would play on his grand piano before going out into the night Perhaps that's another similarity he and I have. He was awfully pale...
K-9 Posted June 7, 2019 Posted June 7, 2019 I mean no disrespect to modern age pop music composers, but let’s face it, they aren’t composing pieces with anywhere near the complexity of classical composers. It’s night and day. So no, none of them should even be considered in that realm. Relative to each other, yes, there are better ones than the other.
row_33 Posted June 7, 2019 Posted June 7, 2019 21 minutes ago, LeviF91 said: Perhaps that's another similarity he and I have. He was awfully pale... he got around 15 minutes ago, K-9 said: I mean no disrespect to modern age pop music composers, but let’s face it, they aren’t composing pieces with anywhere near the complexity of classical composers. It’s night and day. So no, none of them should even be considered in that realm. Relative to each other, yes, there are better ones than the other. many men and women made a fortune in the 20th century not being able to read a note of music one in particular is really aggravating as he keeps talking about basic chord changes during interviews... "you have a C, then a G which is really nice..."
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