Why so many great pianists at present time and no such great composers?

Answer 1

Listen to the music of Gyorgy Ligeti - he died a couple years ago. He is arguably one of the greatest composers of the 20th century.

Witold Lutoslawski - another 20th century master.

George Crumb - considered by some to be more "novel" rather than a genious, he nevertheless pushed the boundaries of sound and thought with his experimentation of extended techniques on various instruments.

Robert Beaser - composition dept. head at Juilliard and one of the most well-known and well-connected musicians in NYC. His works are incredibly colorful and are fabulously orchestrated. He follows the neo-romantic traditions of composers such as Samuel Barber.

Pierre Boulez - French composer/conductor...probably one of the smartest composers alive today. His innovations in serialism are mind-blowing. Although some find his music to be a bit "cold"...he is still complete freak of nature...a total genius.


These people do exist...you just need to find them! Their music is not meant for the masses and like others have said it may take time before average people recognize their achievements.

Other composers to look into: Karlheinz Stockhausen, Philip Glass, Steve Reich, John Corigliano, Christopher Rouse John Tavener, Chen Yi, Michael Daugherty, Karel Husa, Samuel Adler, John Cage, Thomas Ades, Aaron Jay Kernis, Ellen Taafe Zwilich, George Tsontakis, John Zorn, John Adams, Pauline Oliveros, Iannis Xenakis, Lukas Foss, Jennifer Higdon, Steven Stucky, Joseph Schwantner....the list goes on and on and on......

Answer 2

I would say because you can't make a great living as a composer unless you are a top film composer, receive a substantial prize or grant, or are published and your pieces sell really well. There are not many opportunities for any of the above. The public is so diverse today, it is hard to write something that would appeal to a majority of the market.

And I'm not so sure that there are so many great pianists, at least compared to the late nineteenth century/early twentieth century. There may be many pianists of impressive technical accomplishment, but very few that are able to reach out past the footlights and touch and excite the hearts of the audience.

Answer 3

I'm not sure your argument is correct. The trouble is that we don't sometimes recognise a composer as 'great' until well after his or her death. Take Vivaldi as an example. Not until the late 1940s when the Boyd Neel Orchestra made the first recording of The Four Seasons did he become anything other than a name in dusty history books known mainly only to musicologists. Bach was very much a 'local' figure until Mendelssohn, a 100 years later put on performances of the St Matthew Passion. Schubert's Unfinished Symphony was not performed until 1865, 43 years after it was written and 37 years after the composer's death. Here in the UK record companies are unearthing works by mid- to late- twentieth century composers which were performed but once, then forgotten. The likes of the symphonies of Richard Arnell, concertos by York Bowen. So - who knows - what great composers of the present day may be discovered in 50 or 100 years time?

Answer 4

How many great composers can you think of from 100 years ago? The few you are aware of have withstood the test of time, while the multitude of present-day composers have not be narrowed down for you in advance.

If you are really interested, try and listen to as many as you can get recommendations for and decide for yourself which one are great. I've have my favorites, but they keep dying once I pick them.

Young composers have a hard time getting broad exposure (as do most since Stravinsky), but there are some and also quite a few composing for niche audiences. You'll have to do the work if you can't wait for Time to do it for you.

Answer 5

I heard a piece composed by Tan Dun ( who composed for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) , performed by the Los Angeles Master Chorale that was wonderful.

But the three main ingredients for success in the arts are opportunity, recognition and reward. In this culture, the first and third requirements are in short supply, making the second difficult to achieve.

Answer 6

i think it has a lot to do with the disconnect between modern classical composition and popular culture. they're out there, we just don't get to hear them. opera theater of st louis always presents a contemporary work each season, and i have heard some amazing new music. problem is, the audience doesn't appreciate it as much. there are always empty seats at the contemporary performances. if you're in or near a big city, you might have to search out the more progessive performances. in st louis, we have two major music schools and a symphony and opera that aren't afraid to push the envelope. this has spawned a lot of small concerts that are more adventurous. sometimes, it's awful, but the reward of discovering a great new piece is amazing. i don't favor solo piano, so i can't really name any composers [as if i would remember their names anyway].

i'd say, look into john adams. he's my favorite living composer. 'nixon in china' is awesome, but alas, lacking in the piano department.

Answer 7

I would hypothesize that it's because great composers of the past have had much, much more time for their careers to be fully appreciated. Great artists are often unrecognized until years after their deaths.

Also, you could argue that composers are not regarded nearly as highly as they once were; in fact, the film industry is one of the few outlets that famous composers have. Great artists of the past, like Handel and Mozart, were commissioned by kings to create their music.

Answer 8

Eric Whitare is a Great Composer! look him up and listen to his work

Answer 9

Because there is much more money to be made from composing three minute pop songs than classical music.

Answer 10

Have you never heard of Giovanni Marradi? He is a classical pianist who writes his own music. I have videos and CDs of him. He is so amazing the music so breathtaking.