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20th Century Composers

OK, since this seems like a top ten kind of week. Name the three most influential composers of the 20th century?

1. Anton Webern, just because he is.
2. J. Brahms, because virtually all movie composers in the 20th century all have Brahms on their brain when composing.
(ok some of them have R. Strauss upstairs,too) Yes I know he died in 1897 but his influence is still felt today
3. Van Morrison, for creating the most lustful rock anthem of all time, Gloria (Hendrix loved doing this song in concert, and so did Jim Morrison)
shubertmaniac
duanegoosen
355 posts
 
Allan Holdsworth, Robert Fripp, Jimi Hendrix, Sonny Sharrock, John McLaughlin, Frank Zappa and Carlos Santana may not have inflenced composition as much as Stravinsky, Monk or Mancini*, but those 7 guys sure found some cool ways to extend the vocabulary of electric guitar playing.

*(corny or not, you couldn't get away from his stuff, and it got stuck in the brain). If you snag the 1st Oranj Symphonette cd you might be surprised at how much Mancini contributed to the ol' memory bank.
tubegroover
2,320 posts
 
Sugarbrie - I'm with you on all your choices. I would like to add a few that are conspiciously missing:

Jean Sibelius
Claude Debussy (could be considered 19th Century but a truly influential and original composer of the modern era)
Maurice Ravel (among the best orchestrators of any period)

The most influential composer of the 20th Century and the greatest in my book is Igor Stravinsky
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
I agree with the Debussy. He actually wrote what could be called the first music in "20th century style" the "Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune" or Prelude of an afternoon of a fawn. It broke the lock of the romantic style and paved the way for others to take changes.
tarsando
578 posts
 
Ok so to answer the posed question (at last), for me: Coltrane, Stravinsky, Glass
bowbow
123 posts
 
I am currious. How was Philip Glass influential? To whom? Anyone? What is his legacy?
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