Denis Fodor writes:
>Steve then spins into a listing of "top fifty," a roster which looks
>kosher enough except, notably, for its lack of even a single Italian
>composer(but the inclusion of Copland). Are Rossini, Verdi, and
>Puccini mere chopped fegato?
Only Rossini is chopped fegato. Actually, I would think that the RC would
have the following works from these three composers:
Rossini - Barber of Seville and William Tell Overture.
Verdi - Aida, Requiem, La Traviata, Rigoletto, and String Quartet in e.
Puccini - La Boheme, Madama Butterfly, and Tosca.
This RC would have these Bach works:
Musical Offering
Sonatas for Violin & Harpsichord
Art of Fugue
English Suites
French Suites
Partitas for Keyboard
Goldberg Variations
Well Tempered Clavier
Chromatic Fantasia & Fugue
Brandenburg Concertos
Orchestral Suites
Cantata cycle
Mass in B minor
St. Matthew Passion
Magnificat
Christmas Oratorio
Most of the keyboard and violin concerti
Inventions/Sinfonias
Sonatas & Partitas for Solo Violin
Solo Cello Suites
Trio Sonatas for Organ
Great Organ Mass
Leipzig Chorales
Many of Bach's Toccatas & Fugues and Preludes & Fugues for organ
I am willing to cut down a little on the Bach offerings, but only the
Inventions/Sinfonias and some judicious selections among the Cantatas.
I don't believe that Steve's list contained any organ works by Buxtehude
or Bruhns - each wrote some wonderful stuff which the RC folks never pay
attention to. All in all, I thought Steve's list was quite comprehensive
- each work is routinely considered great by many enthusiasts and each is
well known.
Well, I asked for a detailed list, Steve gave it, and Denis is criticizing
it. I doubt that any two persons on Earth would agree on the exact content
of an RC list which is why I question its validity. Agreement could be
reached on the most popular works and composers based on concert
engagements and recordings sold, but there would be enough 'wrinkles' on
that assignment which would likely result in less than unanimous agreement.
Don Satz
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