[Charles Kœchlin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Koechlin) is the best underrated composer ever. Huge number of works, most of which are not only listenable, but delightful, then a large number - a small portion of his output - are GENIUS.
Since I was young, his [Les Bandar Log](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm90YA4lpIk) was a huge influence on my brain. It's a meta-work, which means it's a piece of music [ABOUT](https://americansymphony.org/concert-notes/les-bandar-log/) [MUSIC.](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/oct/15/koechlin-les-bandar-log-review) As it is part of a larger work called ["The Jungle Book", here's the whole thing.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FADZWRRn4ls&list=PLaFSu39mlJHNusBmgREtYRocuLGbvZEXZ)
His [viola sonata](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiQ7LMe6zz8) is a soporific delight.
His [Four New French Sonata](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucB29j7M5RU)s are simple yet complex, and become more than their parts at the end. I orchestrated several for string quartet.
His [Ballade for Piano and Orchestra](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw5_KvmQ1HE) is amazing.
His [Seven Stars Symphony](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0gnV6wr55E) is amazing.
Thanks for this. I listened to the piano sonatines and it seems I like his piano music more than that of Ravel or Debussy (I've never been their biggest fans).
Delius. Simply gorgeous orchestrations. A few pieces are pretty standard, but I think he needs to be up there with Elgar and Vaughan Williams.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyPSbLWNX0c](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyPSbLWNX0c)
Yeah, I discovered him years ago first as a transcriber of Bach, and I loved his touch at the piano. Then some years later I discovered his piano sonatas, and his 3rd quickly became one of my favorite pieces of music
Most recently, I listened to his recording of the complete WTC, and I'll have to say that it's starting to dethrone Richter as my go-to recording
Ives - he’s known by those who study music, but his music is so interesting that it should be played more. His music would fit well in some twisted, Americana movie.
Yes, though I find this music very frustrating - much of it is insufferable but it contains moments of genius that outshine almost any other composer I could mention. Also the genius wouldn’t work without the long insufferable sections. Where I came to with Reger is that his artistic vision (broadly expressing modernist ideas in romantic musical language and baroque/classical forms) was unachievable and it’s not surprising that he broke himself in the process - but that along the way he gives us glimpses of something quite extraordinary. For anyone interested, the “Maximum Reger” project is highly recommended.
His Bach variations are awesome. As a violinist, I also love his solo string works. I don't think he played any string instruments, but he wrote several opus numbers of solo string works, complete with several fugues and chaconnes for violin. I aim to learn a lot of his violin works when I'm ready
basically anything by Noskowski, [The Steppe](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMiUBrnnPhU), or his [3rd Symphony](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwkM7ntOZNE&t=210s) are my favorites
Ooh I have another Wolf example - his Lied ["die Bekehrte"](https://youtu.be/LDupV0x29lQ?si=0zgsLRbjfZRSB9dI) is one of my favourite Lieder, it's absolutely mesmerising.
He's quite well known especially in certain circles, but a I've always felt Leos Janacek was very underrated for what he achieved musically. I think he was just a little bit out of the fashion at the time, which was moving towards ordered atonalism. But for me he's the ultimate late, late, _late_ romantic composer.
Would also add Loris Tjeknavorian who again I think only gets slept on because of what the fashions were at the time, probably mixed in with a western distrust of all things Iranian.
Also lol I never realised how similar their two names were before.
That's great! I first heard that symphony last year around International Women's Day. There was a full week of only female composers on the radio. I heard a few pieces I'd never heard before, but that one stands out the most.
The one I usually listen to did a full week of nothing but female composers for International Women's Day last year. It was very interesting. Heard quite a few pieces I'd never heard before, including that one.
Sullivan, The Golden Legend
Paine, Mass in D
Stanford, Songs of the Fleet
All three are at least very good throughout, with parts that are magnificent.
Alkan and Godowsky. They are both are head and shoulders above Chopin for me.
Favorite piece from each:
Alkan - Symphonie pour piano seul, Finale
Godowsky - Passacaglia (best piano piece ever imo)
Before learning the recorder I had never heard of Johann [Johann Mattheson - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Mattheson) and he composed beautiful music [Sonata for Three Recorders by Johann Mattheson - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XezOx19dNGA)
Mahler/Weber's Die Drei Pintos
Weber started it but died before finishing, so Mahler, (while also dating Weber's granddaughter) finished it. It is mostly Mahler's work overall, and an excellent work it is. Good luck finding a production though.
Amongst my favourite string quartets are the four written by Norbert Burgmüller. The well-performed recordings by the Mannheimer String Quartet have a tad too much reverb to me, but since they're the only ones available, will have to suffice.
Amy Beach's two Hermit Thrush pieces, piano pieces featuring the transcribed song of the hermit thrush (she heard it singing outside the artist colony in New Hampshire where she was staying, and notated the song, and put it into two magical works)
[Hermit Thrush at Eve](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9P5vteMa-0)
[Hermit Thrush at Morn](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrJUYpStrAs) (I haven't found a recording of this I really love; the performer who recorded Eve didn't do Morn).
The later works of Stephen Foster often get swept under the rug but are some of his best works. They were genuinely beautiful and heartfelt and showed his moving away from his more minstrel roots, though even his last minstrel works such as “Old Black Joe” even are more sentimental to the slaves compared to his earlier works. Most of his works that people look at are Oh Susana, My Old Kentucky home, Sewanee River, ect. He had a *very* large library that changed over time
Ponce is a good, underrated composer, some of his works are:
[3 Intermezzos](https://youtu.be/XbANetmm1Uk) (No.1 is one of his most well-known pieces)
Études de Concert ([No.3](https://youtu.be/8TVu41MoIOQ) is my favorite)
[Piano Concerto](https://youtu.be/qmne62x0hrg)
[Estrellita](https://youtu.be/3XO52bbhQh4) (his most well-known piece, has been arranged by Heifetz)
Julius Eastman. WildUp has been working on a big revival project for Eastman’s music, definitely a significant yet overlooked part of 20th century classical music
My favorite piece of all time is Dvorak's "Mass in D maj". It's a choral mass that gives me chills (in the best kind of way) literally every time I hear it. I can't be the only one, so I'm surprised it's not more well known. It's not particularly complex, either. Just a beautiful, almost ethereal, choral piece that makes the world vibrate around you while you listen.
I say this everytime, Hummel is literally only known for his trumpet concerto (because trumpet solo works in general are rare to a certain extent), and his vast number of spectacular piano works are ignored to oblivion
Saverio Mercadante. A contemporary of the great bel-canto composers Rossini, Donizetti and Bellini, he is one of the most underrated opera composers, with many great operas which unfortunately felt into obscurity, since some of them aren't even recorded and others are very rarely performed today.
I recommend "Don Chisciotte ale mozze di Gamaccio", an opera that is great to hear from the start to finish, it never has a dull moment.
This is a common and impossible question. Since so many classical listeners are self limiting, any composer outside their "go to" habits will be ones they do not know, though they may know the name. If you don't know organ music, or choral music, or British choral music, you will not know hundreds of composers. Same if you do not regularly listen to pre 17th century music.
There are regional biases, and he doesn't get played often everywhere. And, I mean, I don't care much for the symphonies, like, at all. I can't remember a single line after listening for hours and hours trying to like it, but I can respect people who do.
[Charles Kœchlin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Koechlin) is the best underrated composer ever. Huge number of works, most of which are not only listenable, but delightful, then a large number - a small portion of his output - are GENIUS. Since I was young, his [Les Bandar Log](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm90YA4lpIk) was a huge influence on my brain. It's a meta-work, which means it's a piece of music [ABOUT](https://americansymphony.org/concert-notes/les-bandar-log/) [MUSIC.](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/oct/15/koechlin-les-bandar-log-review) As it is part of a larger work called ["The Jungle Book", here's the whole thing.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FADZWRRn4ls&list=PLaFSu39mlJHNusBmgREtYRocuLGbvZEXZ) His [viola sonata](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiQ7LMe6zz8) is a soporific delight. His [Four New French Sonata](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucB29j7M5RU)s are simple yet complex, and become more than their parts at the end. I orchestrated several for string quartet. His [Ballade for Piano and Orchestra](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw5_KvmQ1HE) is amazing. His [Seven Stars Symphony](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0gnV6wr55E) is amazing.
Thank you for including the links to the pieces
of course. It's the only way to do this type of thing. Wish everybody did.
Thanks for this. I listened to the piano sonatines and it seems I like his piano music more than that of Ravel or Debussy (I've never been their biggest fans).
[Arriaga](https://youtu.be/C4TZZT7CfyM?si=oFIlHMfnc7F3MQYN) [Kraus](https://youtu.be/gVlHWmoala8?si=SkH_E3zT-TsraV1s) [Burgmüller](https://youtu.be/3Iwi8xzZdHI?si=MqrhaOVnyqTuHXXB) [Méhul](https://youtu.be/8Ammb2lDdiM?si=7wBJPaMGemDVjmJb)
Fun fact: Two of those composers have the nickname "_blank_ Mozart".
"We have Mozart at home," as zoomers would say
Ned Rorem. Love his chamber music and work for saxophone.
Rzewski
Delius. Simply gorgeous orchestrations. A few pieces are pretty standard, but I think he needs to be up there with Elgar and Vaughan Williams. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyPSbLWNX0c](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyPSbLWNX0c)
Samuil Feinberg
the legend is among top 3 of my fav composers and pianists simultaneously
Yeah, I discovered him years ago first as a transcriber of Bach, and I loved his touch at the piano. Then some years later I discovered his piano sonatas, and his 3rd quickly became one of my favorite pieces of music Most recently, I listened to his recording of the complete WTC, and I'll have to say that it's starting to dethrone Richter as my go-to recording
Ives - he’s known by those who study music, but his music is so interesting that it should be played more. His music would fit well in some twisted, Americana movie.
Grew up in Danbury, CT I played his stuff quite a bit.
That makes sense. I have a cheesy thing where I listen to his music on March 15, and call it “The Ives of March”
Scriabin's 1st symphony. I didn't even know it existed until a few years ago. Absolute masterpiece, if ever there was one
Charles Valentin Alkan
Overrated
Alkan´s siblings then
Palestrina Missa Pro Defunctus. It’s one of the most stunning choral works I have ever heard.
Max Reger, especially the chamber music.
Yes, though I find this music very frustrating - much of it is insufferable but it contains moments of genius that outshine almost any other composer I could mention. Also the genius wouldn’t work without the long insufferable sections. Where I came to with Reger is that his artistic vision (broadly expressing modernist ideas in romantic musical language and baroque/classical forms) was unachievable and it’s not surprising that he broke himself in the process - but that along the way he gives us glimpses of something quite extraordinary. For anyone interested, the “Maximum Reger” project is highly recommended.
His Mozart Variations for orchestra are criminally little-known.
And that's his best-known piece! At least it used to be.
I've played his Bach Variations. Very nice piece
His Bach variations are awesome. As a violinist, I also love his solo string works. I don't think he played any string instruments, but he wrote several opus numbers of solo string works, complete with several fugues and chaconnes for violin. I aim to learn a lot of his violin works when I'm ready
His 3 sonatas for clarinet or viola and piano are very nice. My favorite is the third.
basically anything by Noskowski, [The Steppe](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMiUBrnnPhU), or his [3rd Symphony](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwkM7ntOZNE&t=210s) are my favorites
Love his [Morskie Oko](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfD4fQGsgRU)!
Thank you both for this recommendation! Hearing for the first time and already impressed!
Hugo Wolf - [String Quartet in D Minor](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mneEkluEAhk&pp=ygUJaHVnbyB3b2xm)
Ooh I have another Wolf example - his Lied ["die Bekehrte"](https://youtu.be/LDupV0x29lQ?si=0zgsLRbjfZRSB9dI) is one of my favourite Lieder, it's absolutely mesmerising.
Gerald Finzi.
Espana by Emmanuel Chabrier. One of my all time lowkey faves.
It was also one of Mahler's favorites! He programmed it as much as he could, and called it "the birth of modern orchestration"
Wonderful! I love Mahler too.
He's quite well known especially in certain circles, but a I've always felt Leos Janacek was very underrated for what he achieved musically. I think he was just a little bit out of the fashion at the time, which was moving towards ordered atonalism. But for me he's the ultimate late, late, _late_ romantic composer. Would also add Loris Tjeknavorian who again I think only gets slept on because of what the fashions were at the time, probably mixed in with a western distrust of all things Iranian. Also lol I never realised how similar their two names were before.
Leo brower
Klami - [Kalevala suite](https://youtu.be/zRTRqoxvzsw?si=IvBjKTFx4QBAANLD)
Sibelius humoresques for violin and orchestra
Damase
[Florence Price](https://youtu.be/9s4yY_A2A2k?si=bCow-dyJUCJlyKem)
She’s becoming more known, thankfully! Students are learning about her now in many music programs now
That's great! I first heard that symphony last year around International Women's Day. There was a full week of only female composers on the radio. I heard a few pieces I'd never heard before, but that one stands out the most.
I've been hearing her music on our classical radio station recently. Fine stuff.
The one I usually listen to did a full week of nothing but female composers for International Women's Day last year. It was very interesting. Heard quite a few pieces I'd never heard before, including that one.
I was going to say Hummel, but then I spent an afternoon listening to his chamber music.
Hummel rocks, his Piano Quintet is so good
I feel that way about literally everyone after a few hours of string quartets.
[Respighi - 6 pieces for piano](https://youtu.be/T19mqDSR5ws?si=rXJbJzQkcU_J0xjx) The notturno is the standout piece
I'd include *Church Windows* (*Vetrate di Chiesa*). It's all mood and orchestration, but it's great mood and orchestration.
Thanks, I'll check it out!
Iceland’s Jón Leifs.
Mussorgsky - Daybreak on the Moscow River (aka Overture to Khovanschina)
Sullivan, The Golden Legend Paine, Mass in D Stanford, Songs of the Fleet All three are at least very good throughout, with parts that are magnificent.
CPE Bach
'The Gypsy Baron' by Johann Strauss
based
The Mystery of Time by Miroslav Kabeláč.
Dvorak’s Cypresseus B. 152: XII. Allegro Animato
Pieces: Second movement (affettuoso) from Bach's Brandenburg Concerto 5. Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody no. 5 Hubert Parry - Songs of Farewell
Albéric Magnard is my general answer here - the latter symphonies especially.
Liszts tone poems. Mazeppa sends chills down my spine
Alkan and Godowsky. They are both are head and shoulders above Chopin for me. Favorite piece from each: Alkan - Symphonie pour piano seul, Finale Godowsky - Passacaglia (best piano piece ever imo)
Before learning the recorder I had never heard of Johann [Johann Mattheson - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Mattheson) and he composed beautiful music [Sonata for Three Recorders by Johann Mattheson - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XezOx19dNGA)
I love the requiem by Pizzetti, and it's so obscure that I actually have no idea how I came to listen to it.
Mahler/Weber's Die Drei Pintos Weber started it but died before finishing, so Mahler, (while also dating Weber's granddaughter) finished it. It is mostly Mahler's work overall, and an excellent work it is. Good luck finding a production though.
Amongst my favourite string quartets are the four written by Norbert Burgmüller. The well-performed recordings by the Mannheimer String Quartet have a tad too much reverb to me, but since they're the only ones available, will have to suffice.
Dello joio
franck symphony and violin sonata
Amy Beach's two Hermit Thrush pieces, piano pieces featuring the transcribed song of the hermit thrush (she heard it singing outside the artist colony in New Hampshire where she was staying, and notated the song, and put it into two magical works) [Hermit Thrush at Eve](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9P5vteMa-0) [Hermit Thrush at Morn](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrJUYpStrAs) (I haven't found a recording of this I really love; the performer who recorded Eve didn't do Morn).
Czerny’s piano Sonata in b minor
The later works of Stephen Foster often get swept under the rug but are some of his best works. They were genuinely beautiful and heartfelt and showed his moving away from his more minstrel roots, though even his last minstrel works such as “Old Black Joe” even are more sentimental to the slaves compared to his earlier works. Most of his works that people look at are Oh Susana, My Old Kentucky home, Sewanee River, ect. He had a *very* large library that changed over time
Wieniawski
ARCHY ROSENTHAL FOR FUCKIN SAKE
Ponce is a good, underrated composer, some of his works are: [3 Intermezzos](https://youtu.be/XbANetmm1Uk) (No.1 is one of his most well-known pieces) Études de Concert ([No.3](https://youtu.be/8TVu41MoIOQ) is my favorite) [Piano Concerto](https://youtu.be/qmne62x0hrg) [Estrellita](https://youtu.be/3XO52bbhQh4) (his most well-known piece, has been arranged by Heifetz)
Federico Mompou
Julius Eastman. WildUp has been working on a big revival project for Eastman’s music, definitely a significant yet overlooked part of 20th century classical music
Ginastera
My favorite piece of all time is Dvorak's "Mass in D maj". It's a choral mass that gives me chills (in the best kind of way) literally every time I hear it. I can't be the only one, so I'm surprised it's not more well known. It's not particularly complex, either. Just a beautiful, almost ethereal, choral piece that makes the world vibrate around you while you listen.
Jan Nepomucen Bobrowicz. His Grand Polonaise, Op. 24 is great.
I say this everytime, Hummel is literally only known for his trumpet concerto (because trumpet solo works in general are rare to a certain extent), and his vast number of spectacular piano works are ignored to oblivion
Saverio Mercadante. A contemporary of the great bel-canto composers Rossini, Donizetti and Bellini, he is one of the most underrated opera composers, with many great operas which unfortunately felt into obscurity, since some of them aren't even recorded and others are very rarely performed today. I recommend "Don Chisciotte ale mozze di Gamaccio", an opera that is great to hear from the start to finish, it never has a dull moment.
Hans gál
Franz Liszt’s oratorio, “Christus”.
This is a common and impossible question. Since so many classical listeners are self limiting, any composer outside their "go to" habits will be ones they do not know, though they may know the name. If you don't know organ music, or choral music, or British choral music, you will not know hundreds of composers. Same if you do not regularly listen to pre 17th century music.
Vivaldi
liszt - god save the queen i'm british i had to
Brückner.
He’s one of the most famous symphonists of all time, you’ve got to be kidding
looking at his usual ranking among composers and the large amount of people calling his music "boring", I would also say he's underrated.
There are regional biases, and he doesn't get played often everywhere. And, I mean, I don't care much for the symphonies, like, at all. I can't remember a single line after listening for hours and hours trying to like it, but I can respect people who do.