Favorite Italian Composers Poll

[Florestan]

Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, Verdi, Puccini

No, wait... actually, it's Monteverdi, Tartini, Corelli, Leoncavallo, Mascagni

Oops, no, I meant Vivaldi, D. Scarlatti, Boccherini, Spontini, Respighi.

Ermmm... nevermind.

[snyprrr]

Malipiero
Ghedini
Dallapiccola
Casella

Maderna
Berio
Nono

Scelsi

Bussotti
Castiglioni
Donatoni
A. Clementi
Sciarrino

Fedele
Solbiati
Francesconi
Scodanibbio
Romitelli
Melchiorre
Stroppa
Maggi

...and let's not forget Luchesi!!

[Josquin des Prez]

Italy didn't seem to produce as many great composers as they should have, particularly after the Baroque. Either way, the poll has Landini but not Ciconia or Da Perugia? What gives?

[The new erato]

Italy didn't seem to produce as many great composers as they should have, particularly after the Baroque. Either way, the fact the poll has Landini not Ciconia or Da Perugia?

They got stuck in opera I guess.

[Florestan]

They got stuck in opera I guess.

Of which they produced one masterpiece after another. 

[karlhenning]

"Stuck" in the sweet spot!

[Szykneij]

I've done this scientifically. Since I'm of Italian ancestry on my mother's side and her maiden name ended in "o", I've chosen as my favorites the five "o" composers:

Gesuoldo
Leoncavallo
Giordano
Nono
Berio

I give the "a" composers honorable mention:

Palestrina
Strapella
Dallapiccola

The names of the other 28 composers end in "i", and when the list is read out loud alphabetically, it sounds like my teacher taking attendance when I was in first grade.

[Luke]

They got stuck in opera I guess.

Of which they produced one masterpiece after another. 

It would be even more extraordinary if they had!

[Josquin des Prez]

Even with opera, how many Italian composers compare to Mozart, or Wagner? On the other end, it seems that literature flourished greatly from the 18th century onward. From Leopardi to Manzoni all the way to Pirandello Italian literature stands toe to toe with most European authors of those eras.

[Florestan]

Even with opera, how many Italian composers compare to Mozart,

How many whatever-nation composers compare to him?

Anyway, Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, Verdi, Puccini, Mascagni and Leoncavallo at their best stand a compariosn, IMO.

I even dare throw in a forgotten name who deserves much more than that and whose praises have been sung by none other than Wagner: Spontini.

or Wagner?

Comparing Italian opera with Wagner is like comparing medium dry wines with motorbikes.