Luther wrote: n pure terms of innovation during a composer's time period, I would order (from greatest to least) them as such: Bach, Beethoven, Wagner, Mozart. I think greatness should be evaluated mostly on how much new technique they foster that makes an impact for many years to come. Mozart's mature works aren't as obviously mature as they follow the same harmonic structure and normal Classical era form rules. It's hard to put him last based on the amount of music he wrote, but it's all similar.... Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Mozart. Beethoven & Wagner are similar that they expanded and created grand works of a genre. Beethoven combined the choir with the symphony more than once (Fantasia for Piano, Chorus, and Orchestra, Op. 80... 9th Symphony) and Wagner used leit-motif in his opera's that expanded to 4 & 5 hours. Both have definite differences between young works and mature works. Bach, IMHO, has not been surpassed in his counterpoint (many composers have tried since and NONE have equaled even Bach's modest works, let alone his greatest: "The Art of the Fugue") and his chromatic harmony. Bach was alive during the transition from Meantone to Equal temperment and had the luxury of an organ in his early years that was tuned Equally, allowing him to explore chromatic harmony that many composers didn't touch for over 100 years. Study his 150 Cantatas (as I did this summer) and you will find many chromatic chord progressions that boggle the mind. He also wrote a fugue based on his own name, using the notes B-A-C-H (in modern terms B=B-flat & H=B-natural) that are 4 neighboring half-steps."
Well said. Bach is certainly the most innovative and his genius is hard to argue with. Sent from my iPhone _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
