Your favourite composers : evolution with the age ?

[Maciamo]

I have liked classical music since my childhood. In fact, that is the only musical genre that I have always liked. I have had periods with other genres, and I have liked then disliked (or the reverse) about all kinds of music. But none has ever surpassed, or even approached, classical music in my heart.

Yet, with the hindsight I noticed an evolution in my tastes amongst classical composers. As a child, and until about 16 years old, I liked mostly Mozart, Beethoven, and Tchaikovski, with also some Vivaldi, Bach, Telleman Haydn or other "easy listening". I opened up to the Romantic and modern period between 17 and 20 years old, with Mendelssohn, Chopin, Schuman, Liszt, Brahms, Wagner, R. Strauss, Bruckner, Mahler, Bruch, Berlioz, Dvorak, Elgar, Rachmnaninov, Shostakovitch, etc.

Richard Strauss, Schuman and Liszt quickly became my favourite among them.

Nowadays, I find myself to appreciate less and less Beethoven (too angry). I also care less about R. Strauss and Liszt. My favourites have become Brahms and Wagner on top, just before Schuman.

[Mycernius]

I have a feeling that your favouring towards Mozart, Beethoven and Tchiakovsky when you were young is because they are the "popular" composers. I was very much the same when I was young. Although I still like them I have moved towards more Baroque than any other era. Mind you some of the modern composers are now composing some very good music, such as Jenkins and Einuadi. Classical seems to be undergoing a revival, at least in the UK.

[Karel]

My favourite is Chopin. Not only because he was Polish. I think he was jaust a great composer. I like also Beethoven, Satie, Franck and Vivaldi.

[Maciamo]

I have a feeling that your favouring towards Mozart, Beethoven and Tchiakovsky when you were young is because they are the "popular" composers.

Maybe, but not only. Mozart is Mozart and it is hard not to like his music, at any age. He is probably the most universally liked composer. As for Beethoven, it might be because my uncle was a conductor specialising in Beethoven, and because I liked his military rythmn. As for Tchaikovsky I also have my personal reasons.

[hope]

Favourites since childhood and have not changed ..Prokofiev (esp Romeo and Juliet) , Saint-Saens and his pupil the magnificent Fauré (esp Pavane) and Brahms (esp Hungarian Dance no.5)

[Thulean]

Maciamo,
I guess the evolution in musical taste is a perfectly healthy process that goes along with personal maturation.
During the 10 years studies for my piano diploma I have grown up from Beethoven to Chopin to Mozart to the ultimate god of music: J. S. Bach.
Now it's been 12 years of Bach, and lately I'm adding Schubert as well.
Beethoven still annoys me, though :)