Best Composer Ever- Page 2

[Elizabeth_DeBris]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 6:45pm

No one's mentioned the Gershwins, yet? Wow.

It depends on how you define "best," really. Favorite? Most legendary? *cough* Largest fan base? Most revolutionary?
Too many variables, for me.

I don't know who the "best" (Broadway) composer is/was, or even if there is one, but my favorite composer is Sondheim. *Points to avatar* Unworthy of your words, indeed.

[Plum]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 7:00pm

Oh, for the love of God. Go ahead, rationalize it however you like, Rent fanatics. It's only an opinion thread, after all.

But look at it another way. I'm a member of a baseball website where people argue about the comparative quality of the careers of players all the time. And one of the big arguments is longevity vs. peak. Which is more important? That you reached amazing heights, or that you were good for an exceptionally long time? Both are commendable, to be sure. But if you want to get into the Hall of Fame, you need both.

You can argue that Larson had a very high peak, but you can't argue that he maintained that peak for any amount of time. To put it more plainly, he was a one-hit wonder. That's not his fault, obviously, but it's still the truth. So even if you place Rent up there with any other musical ever written, I don't see how you can place its author up there with people who have written more than one musical that's just as good.

There are other great musicals written by composers who weren't heard from again. Would you place them on a level with Sondheim, Rodgers, and the other greats, too? Updated On: 2/11/05 at 07:00 PM

[Justice]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 7:02pm

Stephen Flaherty

His musicals never sound the same. The only signature that they have is that all the characters are introduced in the first song. Other than that, you can't tell it's Ahrens and Flaherty unless you know it.

[dotmarie]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 7:58pm

Stephen. Sondheim.

[CurtainUp]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 8:09pm

SONDHEIM!!!

[Feodor Sverdlov]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 8:33pm

Richard Rodgers

[BWayBoy88]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 8:37pm

I would have to say Sondheim, but I think Jason Robert Brown has major potential to being just as great, maybe even greater(who knows) than Sondheim.

[seasons of love]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 8:38pm

Stephen Sondheim
Jerry Herman
Jonathan Larson
George and Ira Gershwin
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II
Cole Porter
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Irving Berlin

[Jwei123]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 8:39pm

ALW, sondheim, JRB, kander, cole porter, rogers, hart, hammerstein

[lyfeisacabaret]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 8:40pm

Sondheim and Rodgers, but I'd also like to mention Burt Bacharach, not as the greatest or most prolific, but as a huge innovator for modern musical theatre.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 8:45pm

I have always enjoyed the works of Ahers and Flaherty (I KNOW I spelled it wrong)

and I also have loved the music of Sondheim and Lloyd Webber and Kander and Ebb and ....

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 9:22pm

I don't think anybody has mentioned Bill Finn yet.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 9:33pm

I love William Finn! I love Jonathon Larson too, but, I'll have to go with Plum on this one. Larson created two wonderful shows, one of which has gained legendary status on Broadway. However, one show alone can make him great but not the greatest. To sya that he is greater than Sondheim, Gershwin, Rodgers, Berlin, and Porter who have managed to create numerous shows with numerous great scores is a little absurd. I mean ,the man has done some wonderfu lthings, but who knows what he could have done? True, he could have gone to create amazing shows, or he could have remained a one hit wonder. We'll never know. And longevity and peakness in one's career both matter if you're going to call them the best.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 9:37pm

You really can't judge someone on what they could have done. Yes, he wrote two wonderful shows and died. It's sad, but he's not the best.

MY TOP 5:
SONDHEIM
WILLIAM FINN
COLE PORTER
BOCK AND HARNICK
KANDER AND EBB

[wickedfan]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 9:40pm

My top five:
Rodgers
Gershwin
Sondheim
Porter
Kander/Bock (tie)

Updated On: 2/11/05 at 09:40 PM

[KateMusic]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 9:43pm

SONDHEIM

but also, Kander and Ebb

Jason Robert Brown has definite potential

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 9:45pm

Absolutely, Kate. I see him as the next Sondheim. he has written-thus far-three perfect score.

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 10:10pm

I'd say my favorite composers are those whose work I have enjoyed without exception. I can't say that for Sondheim and others. My favorites are Menken, Finn
Flaherty, and Kander.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 10:14pm

Adam Guettel is the most promising composer.

[BroadwayDiva]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 10:24pm

ALW, Larson, Sondheim, Gerswhin, Kander/Ebb.

[musicgal04]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 10:30pm

I adore Bernstein, mainly for the orchestrations. Sondheim is a close second, but Bernstein's orchestrations win me over.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 10:33pm

I think Larson's own opinion would have been that Sondheim was the best musical theatre composer ever.

[RumTumTugger22]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 11:31pm

BlueWizard i think you're absolutely correct. He did Idolize him. I mean Sunday in tick...tick...BOOM! was modeled after Sunday from Sunday in the Park with George.

[Ebonic_Singer]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 11:45pm

I am definately with Jason Robert Brown he is my favorite composer.

[MusicMan]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 12:15am

Favorably comparing the efforts of Finn, Larson, Brown, etc. to Sondheim's masterful output doesn't even merit comment.

Updated On: 5/1/08 at 12:15 AM