Most prolific family Bach v Strauss?

[Dorsetmike]

There is currently a lot of radio advertising for a book on the Strauss family which claims that the Strauss family were the most prolific composers of all time, I doubt that claim, a quick Google for lists of Bach works puts the total for known works of just JS, JC and CPE Bach at over 2350.

I can only find 1389 original works for the Strauss family, not counting arrangements, although there were probably more Strauss musicians/conductors (52?) than in the Bach family.

 

[JHC]

I am with you Mike, I have not checked on the www but a quick look on my CD shelf = Bach about 24 inches and Strauss about 7 inches.

 

[Dorsetmike]

I tend to measure more in terms of megabytes or playlist hours than actual CD shelves. My Strauss measurement is a big fat ZERO any way you measure it, Vinyl, CD, Bytes or minutes. I have very little Classical post 1800 ish

 

[JHC]

I must admit I only have the popular works of R Strauss he is a composer that I have not really explored perhaps I should but........
So you are really a classical/baroque/early man I go for the lot even some living composers "he said looking furtively over his shoulder"

 

[Dorsetmike]

There are a few recent composers/works I like, Samuel Barber, Vaughn Williams, some Elgar, Carl Jenkins, Satie, Gershwin; most of the works from the 1800s have been done to death and familiarity has bred contempt for me, I don't turn the radio off when most of them are played, but some of the more recent ones I do, for example Gorecki, & Einaudi among others, oh and Beethoven's 9th, opera doesn't do anything for me, the only decent tenor I can think of was Bjorling, it's a wonder to me that some of the big names still have any voice at all the way they bawl and screech

 

[JHC]

I do not claim to be an opera fan but do like the popular stuff Puccini, Bizet and most of the music in other operas, Wagner’s opera music is great but the singing which always sounds forced to my tender ears is not to my liking.
I am surprised that you don’t like R Strauss but he does have a style that is strange at first hearing.

Bjorling was one of the best, this duet (below) although being done to death as you call it always gives me goose bumps I brought a 6 CD set from the World record club for about $5-10 just before they closed down in NZ it is of the worlds best Tenors and contains some great stuff, all in mono of course.

 

[wljmrbill]

One of my favorite duets.. I too like Opera a great deal.... more the Puccini ,Mozart fan but some Wager is o.k.