My nominee: Scott Joplin

Judging from my time here, I think that's an easy call.

I don't care what anyone says; Scott Joplin was a genius.

EDIT:

You know what, Mark? You might as well change the name of this thread to "Scott Joplin Appreciation Thread" because I (and others, I hope) am about to share like there's no tomorrow.

Here's me playing the famous Maple Leaf Rag a few years ago before I discovered classical music (or even how to read music). This was recorded on a pretty bad piano so I'm sorry about the tone.

Here are some less well-known Joplin rags that I'd like to share too:

The following rags are performed by Cory Hall, AKA BachScholar on YouTube.

Euphonic Sounds

The Cascades

Country Club

A Breeze from Alabama

Original Rags

Joplin is wonderful.

I haven't heard a single discussion about respighi here, but noturno, his preludes on gregorian themes, and a few others whose names are escaping me are brilliant.

One reason Scott Joplin isn't discussed much at the Pianist Corner is most don't consider him a classical composer. He's discussed a lot more on the Non Classical Forum.

I find most of his music boring and four square compared to composers like Jelly Roll Morton, James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, Gershwin, Tatum, and other great stride or jazz pianists. I like William Bolcom's Rags more than the ones by Joplin.

Louis Moreau Gottschalk.

How about Medtner?

I would have to say Chopin..

Rzewski

Tomasino

IIRC, Joplin considered his rags to be a classical form.

Most neglected composer? Henri Herz! Though his "marriage" to La Paiva may be more interesting than his music.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Paiva

+1

I can't say who's neglected here, since I just joined yesterday, but I do wish people played more Rzewski. I love his 4 pieces from 1977 (or maybe 1978).

Lyapunov too. He has a lot of good pieces (but a lot of duds too).

Most neglected GREAT composer.

But I love seeing any mention anywhere of composers like Herz.

Yesterday??
I swear, it seems like you're a veteran already.

Hehe, Joplin and I share a birthday.

Richard Strauss and I share a birthday.

Samuel Barber and my sister share a birthday.

A pair of perhaps mildly underrated composers on these forums.

-J

Nice job!

I came into this thread to mention the Strauss piano sonata! Don't think I've ever seen it mentioned here. Glenn Gould plays an exquisite interpretation of it.

I think Lyapunov, Liadov, Bortkiewicz, Mednter, Moszkowski, and Henselt could certainly use more attention. All of whom I consider to be first rate composers. (I would include Alkan, but it seems like he gets a lot of attention around here.)

There is a reason some composers generate little sustained interest, and sometimes the reason just Herz.

Thanks! I do love to hear myself type

Lyapunov/Ljapoenoff/Liapunov it must be, he wrote 12 études d'ex.tr. (op.11) to follow up Liszt's 12, and did a good job: truly Lisztian in scope and difficulty, but very russian at that, and he wrote a wonderful sonata (op.27), based on the architecture of Liszt but, as in the études, he built a Russian Orthodox cathedral on the Lisztian example, the first really russian sounding sonata ever, really! Some good variationworks, a darling sonatina, why isn't he played more often: it's hard, and to go through that much trouble, well, most prefer the well known names, let's do the whole 'chopin/schumann/liszt/rachmaninoff/etc' rep. It might be a good idea to be adventurous and just try, and also play Medtner, and Glazunov, and Alkan, and Rzwvzckqlrtpszewsky, but don't forget Lyapunov!

Now really, was that called for?

Zez Confrey (since this appears to be "that" sort of thread).

One of two great American composers from Peru, although not from the same one!

I was going to mention him but decided not to for some reason.

I really like his Three Little Oddities.

Le Monte Young is kinda forgotten anywhere I go, I'm not a "fan" but I recognise the contribution. Something should be said for a 5 hour long piano grind.

A lot of modern composers get snubbed for not being academic or artsy enough.

And then there are all the modern composers who get snubbed for being too academic or artsy. Can't win, unless dead for a over a century, and even then, it's dicey.

Enrique Granados.

How come that Villa-Lobos hasn't been mentionned yet ?

Because he's the most "neglected" great piano composer on Pianist Corner....

Yes indeed! When the thread topic is this vague, it's my duty to start Messiaen around. Otherwise we could be at it till the end of time.