So, who's the best of the best? Obviously, I can't put all of music's finest within the limits of this poll, so if you have another all-time favorite, please enlighten us so we can get the CD or MP3.

(EDIT- clarification- I used the term 'symphonic' as opposed to 'classical' only to distinguish from popular music, and not to mean only those composers who wrote symphonies. Classical music is a fairly narrow time period of music ans I thought folks would argue about whether a baroque or romantic composer would qualify. I should have known better- folks here will argue about anything, so there's no way around it.)

Theognome

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Bill Cunningham
Covenant Reformed Church, URC
Kansas City
There are three kinds of people- those who can count, and those who can't.

That's quite a list and difficult to pick however I just went off of the piece that comes to my memory the most often and that is "Handel's Messiah". Love it! I know others on that list produced more classic masterpieces but that one takes the cake for me.

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Wayne Whitmer
Member, Rio Rancho OPC
Albuquerque, NM

I voted for Rachmaninoff.

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T W Hopper
Member, Presbyterian Reformed Church
Currently between churches since PRC closed here - attending Crossroads Christian Church.
Canberra, Australia.

I chose Haydn (1732-1809). Not because he was the father of the symphony (he wasn't - but it was he who brought it to its first early maturity).

I chose him (1) because he's my favorite composer, and (2) the 200th anniversary of his death is the end of this month (May 31).

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Richard T. Zuelch, M.Div
Ruling Elder, OPC (not currently serving)
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Devout souls do not take offence at the depths and difficulties of God's Word, but are, thereby, drawn to intenser contemplation of them. - Alexander Maclaren (1826-1910)

When you say symphonic composer do you mean composer of symphonies?

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Ruben
Moderator
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Calvinistas Conversando
Teología en Mexico
The Howling Wilderness

Yeah, I am pretty sure King David did not write any symphonies.

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I vote for Bach.

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~Jay~
Husband of ENS, father of J II. | Indian Trail, NC
disabled - cancer
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zzzzzz ...

Aaron Copland...though not prolific, was masterful.

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David Broyles
Greenville Presbyterian Church
Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)
Upstate SC

"That man hath perfect blessedness;
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I had to log in just to vote for Beethoven. J. S. Bach didn't even write symphonies. Go my friends, listen to the ninth. In the words of Charlie Brown, I can't stand it. I just can't stand it. In the words of Schroeder, 'DON'T LET THEM FOOL YOU, BEETHOVEN!

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Heidi
Indianapolis, Indiana

Patience must dwell with Love, for Love and Sorrow
Have pitched their tent together here:
Love all alone will build a house tomorrow,
And sorrow not be near. -Christina Rossetti

I only used the term 'Symphonic' to distinguish from popular music. Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Modern... any composer of non-popular music will do.

Theognome

Chopin never wrote any symphonic works of any kind. I think you should replace his name with two others: Mahler and Bruckner. My favorite symphonies are Brahms, Beethoven, and Dvorak. It would be hard to choose among those three.

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Rev. Lane Keister
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Tchaikovsky is the best.

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Yigang Xu
Husband of Yele, Father of Anna (07/17/08)
Westminster Presbyterian Church, Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)
Bethesda, Maryland

"Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side." Psalm 65:10,11

I voted Mozart simply because I like him best. Purely personal opinion.

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Ivan R. Schoen, B.A., M.A., M.L.I.S.
Pastor of Maranatha Baptist Church (SBC)
Poplar Grove, IL, USA
http://maranatha-sbc.org

He did write two concertos for piano and orchestra (Opp 11 and 21), as well as a fantasia for piano and orchestra.

Also, the post directly above yours explained that I was merely attempting to distinguish between popular music and 'classical' music.

Theognome

I had to vote for Beethoven even though some of my other favorite composers are on here. Beethoven did things no one ever did before. He was the bridge between the classical and romantic era. He took risks, he worked hard, he experienced the modernization of the piano forte. My favorite symphonies are numbers 3 and 7.

-----Added 5/16/2009 at 12:21:27 EST-----

Although I love Mozart's symphonic works. I can't stand anything he has written for piano. Too much tinkling for my ears. Oh, and that awful harpsichord... really... I mean come on!

-----Added 5/16/2009 at 12:24:14 EST-----

So you like sewing machine music too eh? lol

Love his fugues!

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Nikki Edmond
Desert Springs Presbyterian Church (PCA)
Tucson, AZ
Principle and Practice Blog
Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Haydn

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Timothy Johnson
First United Presbyterian of Moline
PCUSA (Yea, I know)
Theology/Philosophy Sunday School Teacher
Davenport, IA

I really like Liszt, but I had to go with the sheer genius of Mozart.

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Tim Phillips
Pastor, Midlane Park Presbyterian Church (ARP)
Louisville, KY
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"Wherever the gospel is preached, it is as if God Himself came into the midst of us." ~ John Calvin

Mozart's music touches my heart and makes my spirit soar...as I said, purely personal and subjective.

I also voted Beethoven, though it's a tough choice. My personal faves of his are symphony #6 and Rondo Acapriccio.

Theognome

I have always liked Nikki, but some things cannot go unchallenged. Herewith a complete refutation:


And

I am well aware of these works (I have a degree in piano performance, by the way). However, concerti are not really considered symphonic works, even if they use the forces of a symphony orchestra. By symphonist I had assumed you meant someone who wrote symphonies or similarly symphonic works. Chopin is not considered a symphonist by anyone I know in the musical field. I think his writing for orchestra in those works is simply dreadful, anyway. By anyone's reckoning, Mahler and Bruckner were far more important symphonists than Chopin, even accepting your definition of "symphonist."

The term is 'legitimate' music.

I think to the masses, Mozart is the most accessible both musically and emotionally. What strikes me about his music is his ability to convey joy, which is hard to do. However, for me Wagner is utterly fascinating. His influence on the 20th century's music and politics can not be overlooked. In 3rd place is R. Williams -i just like his music.

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J. Sterling Jones
Bethel Baptist Church (North American Baptist -NAB)St.Clair Shores, MI
http://bethelbaptistscs.org
"What am I the better if I can dispute that Christ is God, but have no sense of sweetness in my heart from hence that he is a God in covenant with my soul?" -John Owen Works Vol. 12

Dvorak. "New World Symphony" rocks!

Tchaikovsky is a close second, with Mozart placing third.

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Jonathan
Audio Engineer
Reformed Anabaptist
Ohio

Moroni's magical glasses of proper interpretation:

Tchaikovsky is a close second to person most-deserving-of-being-forgotten-who-hasn't-been: although I do have a soft spot for his 5th symphony and his piano music for each month of the year.

Richard Wagner

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Benjamin P. Glaser, M. Div, Licentiate, Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
Member Fairmount ARP Church
Pittsburgh, PA

Deo Vindice

How about Stravinsky

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Rich Koster
1689'er
Browns Mills NJ USA
Often Goofy Reformed Eccentric
Romans 7:14-25

It was a hard choice between Mozart and Beethoven, but I would have to say that Mozart is slightly superior to Beethoven according to my ear!

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sarah
WI
OPC
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Hendel

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I really dislike the term "symphonic", because it implies something completely other than what we are choosing. I wouldn't put David in here simply because we have no clue what his music sounded like. He was definitely a master with lyrics.

I voted for Bach. His works are both beautiful and complex.

If we are talking strictly symphonies, Beethoven was a master, even though I don't really care for everything he wrote.

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J Baldwin
Keowee Presbyterian Church, PCA
Pickens, SC
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

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I'd agree with Mozart--- who said his "Papa" Haydn was the best.

Mozart and Beethoven were pikers compared to the sheer volume of quality work that my man Franz Joseph put out.

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Mark Van Der Molen
Immanuel URC
DeMotte, Indiana

I voted Mozart. I found a composition of his for the glass armonica

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Doug
Baptist
Hemet, Ca
Old Time Radio Podcast

If we're talking symphonies, it would be a toss up between Mozart and Beethoven (his 9th in particular). If we're talking about regular "legitimate" music: Bach.

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Ben Castaneda
member of Faith Presbyterian Church (PCA)
San Antonio, TX
MDiv student at WSC
Escondido, CA

"Not all prison bars are made from metal, And not all prisoners walk about in chains." -Lysander from Weatherby, Earl of Gloucester

Hello friends of classical music,

From the poll list, Brahms & other: Ottorino Respighi - The Pines of Rome, The Fountains of Rome or my favorite of the 3 - The Festivals of Rome below

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Cameron Prather
Particular Baptist/LBCF 1689
Martinsville, Indiana

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I chose Gustav Holst because I'm partial to his Planets' that has been influential in symphonic sci-fi soundtracks. But whole list is fantastic!! Classical is the most superior form of music then AC/DC and 90's dance music!!

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Nathan Olaf Brandal

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Wow, this is so difficult. I listen to music based on my mood, so as much as I enjoy Mozart, there are times only Mendelssohn will do.

So, because I'm reading Eusebius, it will have to be Bach.

I think I am very weird.

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~Carolyn Martinson~
Covenant Presbyterian - OPC (Baldwin, WI)
River Falls, WI

Dvorak, though I suppose it could be argued that his music was popular.

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Curt Lovelace
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