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My last post on the Knowles Paine thread got me thinking about how everyone else listens to their classical music collection.   While I have a decent CD collection, I've pretty much gone exclusively the MP3 (occasional FLAC-lossless type) route.  I can remember when our Best Buy in town had a Classical Collection that had it's own room, now it's like one section of the same, well known composers, so maybe my hand was forced a bit, but it doesn't help that I don't like to wait.

I used to have a stereo that we gave away for space reasons and because we got a surround sound system, which I thought would suffice...although I can't say that it really has.  Now I'm stuck listening to classical music through headphones on my computer or my MP3 player.

I guess there are a few questions --

1)  What is your format of choice?  You could also indicated why, although it might be part of my other inquiries below.

2)  Do you hear a sound difference?  I've read things that indicate why MP3s in particular are so much inferior to CDs or lossless type formats, but my biggest problem is that I just don't hear the difference.  I am guessing my hearing isn't what it used to be.  I feel like classical music is really tough to listen to on my mp3 player -- it's so soft at points that there are parts that I'm missing altogether.

3) What do you listen to your classical music on?  Computer/stereo/etc.?

Sorry for  the length of a somewhat trivial, off-topic, issue! 

I know that Paine has come up a handful of times on this board.  I think the board may have been what caused me to get his Symphony No. 2 in the first place.  At any rate, I really am only familiar with this work, which I think is fantastic, but plan on getting his Mass and Symphony No. 1 soon. 

As with many of the composers discussed on this forum, it seems like not a lot of Paine's works have been recorded on CDs, etc.  I'm not necessarily surprised that composers have been overlooked, but he's one of the first big American composers it seems and you would think someone would have pushed to record more of his works. 

Am I missing the Paine-recorded-works-vault somewhere, or is this just the sad lot for us fans of unsung composers?

At some point, I subscribed to this notion that the longer a given, individual musical piece was (not exclusive to classical music), the better or complex (i.e. more musical ideas or thematic material present) it was.  As a result, I gravitated towards the Mahlers and Bruckners of the world (this is not an indictment of their works, which I still enjoy), and regarded only CD-filling individual symphonies worthwhile.

I realize now that longer in a musical sense does not always mean better or more complex.   

I was curious to know if there are shorter orchestral works (preferably symphonies, but I'm not limiting it to other works) that are just as complex with a lot of thematic material or musical ideas presented in a relatively short space?

I hope this makes sense, although if it brings up more questions, I'd be happy to read where it takes us!

This place has been fantastic in opening up great music I may have missed otherwise.

I have noticed a few threads might state: If you like [sung composer] then you will like [unsung composer].   Would it be possible to do some of that in this thread?  Maybe it's more a matter of just the genre itself, but sometimes it is nice for a comparison.   (I hope this isn't an unfair thing to request as they are probably all great.)

A few to start with --

If you love Dvorak...then you will like ......

If you love Mahler [symphonic -- I've yet to build much of a taste for lieders]...then you will like...

If you love [ok, insert sung Romantic Russian composer here!]....then you will like....

I just listened to Concerto for piano and string orchestra by Howard Ferguson (Irish composer).  It appears he lived in the 20th Century, but it had a real romantic feel to me.

Does anyone know much about Mr. Ferguson?

I have really received great replies with other posts, so I thought I'd try this one.

With my background in history (my BA is in History, but sadly I really don't use it for a career) and an affinity for military history, I was curious what sort of works were out there about military engagements, battles, or wars that I might not already know about.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

I tend to be a fan of symphonic poems, does anyone know of any good "unsung" works in this genre they would recommend?

Thanks as always in advance!

This is not a challenge to orchestras around the world, but is rather just a question I had regarding the ease, or lack thereof, in recording orchestral works.

I think of the four CDs I have of Schmidt-Kowalski and realize that I have just a tiny fraction of his musical output.  Is it difficult and costly to have other works created? I'm sure there needs to be a market, etc. etc., but it seems like it should be easier in today's "digital" age to get these things done.

I probably need an education on this all.

I just came across a new release with works by Paul Kletzki.  I am currently listening to a Piano Concerto (I guess orchestrated by someone else at a later date), and I think it sounds pretty good.   Anyone else know about this composer?  Is he unsung-enough? 

I'm not sure what prompted this to come into my mind, but I figured this was the place to go regardless!

I think part of what could make one unsung is that they may not have had the sort of support that some more "popular" composers had (although the more I read, it seems that a lot of "popular" composers today were anything but in the era they lived).   I was curious if there are any/many examples where a particularly popular composer really championed or supported someone that never really caught on (except for on this forum).   

It's possible that the support alone would propel an otherwise unknown out of the "unsung" category altogether; however, I thought maybe there might be some examples where popular composer "A" really supported and promoted relatively unknown composer "B", who unfortunately didn't gain near the notoriety at that time.

Hopefully this makes sense!

Again, thanks in advance for any replies.   

Just curious if we have any sort of list of "unsung" composers (as defined by this group) by nationalities?

While I'm American, I feel like I have good sources to look for those; however, does anyone know/recommend any good Irish unsungs?

Thanks as always!

BTW -- I'm loving the new look to the site....thought I was in the wrong place at first though.

I just got a CD with 4 of William Henry Fry's works.  I really like what I heard and he's totally unsung for me.  I wasn't sure if he has been mentioned here (maybe that's where I got the idea to get it  ) and was curious what everyone else thought of his works.

After getting a chance to listen to Thomas Schmidt-Kowalski's Naxos set, which lived up to the hype (great stuff), it got me wondering if there are other living composers that compose music in a similar vein.

While someone like Arvo Pärt has his moments as does James Macmillian (for me at any rate), etc. I don't know that they fit the more "Romantic" focus of this forum, and are certainly not unsung.   

I was just curious if anyone knew any other contemporary composers that you thought would fit.

Thanks!

Just a brief glance through the forum topics reveals that concertos are very popular.  While I am starting to gain a better appreciation (I've become very interested in Cello Concertos), I used to avoid pretty much anything that didn't have "Symphony" somewhere in the title.

I thought I'd open this up to the group to express your interest in concertos.  What makes that type of piece so appealing to you? 

Thanks!

I'm just curious if there are any good Mass/religious setting pieces that are unsung?  Edit: I just noticed that it sounds a little like I'm looking for instrumental only pieces!  LOL 

Thanks as always in advance!

Does someone like George Lloyd fit this site?  Although somewhat contemporary, I believe he wrote his music in a more "Romantic" type style.   Or is he just not "unsung"?  I hadn't heard of him, but that's pretty much par for the course with me it seems!

From what I understand, Raff was essentially self-taught, correct?   After he sort of emerged as a composer, did he himself teach anyone of note?  I think it would be interesting to know if he or other self-taught composers, actually went on to teach and how that went.

I was curious how you catalog your classical music collection?  Now that I have both a CD and growing MP3 classical music collection, I think I need to start getting all of these works in some sort of spreadsheet/database.

How do you keep track of yours?

I recently got Symphonies 1 & 2 by Lars-Erik Larrson.  I like them both, but after reading his Wikipedia article, I'm hard pressed to believe this guy would have written Schoenberg type works.   

I am guessing he could be another potentially "unsung" mostly just to me.

Anyone know much about him?   (I'm also interested in composers that dabbled in more avant-garde forms, or were taught by other avant-garde composers, but perhaps took their music to a more tonal period?  -- I am sure there are a few -- Copland comes to mind -- but I'm not certain if any would fit in with the music discussed in these forums).

I apologize if these two have been discussed...

I recently purchased the symphonies (complete I think) of Franz Berwald and Albéric Magnard.  I've never heard of them -- so while they are "unsung" in my world, when I read things like the "Beethoven of <insert country here>" or "Father of <insert country here> <insert era/style here>" I figure that I've just missed the boat.

I have listened to the first symphony of both.  I'd love to hear your overall thoughts on these two composers. 

Thanks!