Well, someone finally did it. A composer finally garnered only ONE vote in his match. And it was Leonard Bernstein. I never would have expected that!
Gershwin CRUSHED Bernstein an embarrassing degree, which is why I think so few people bothered to vote — why weigh in on a sure thing? So rather than belabor this point, let’s just say Gershwin won and move along. (Crazy thing is, I think Bernstein really is beloved, just not… as much… I’m not really helping, am I?)
Anyway, I’m not sure if there’s any logic to this particular match up. I don’t know when or why it came to me. They don’t quite make sense as adversaries. Maybe it’s about how they were both brilliant but had the misfortune to be born at the same time as a great genius. Maybe it’s the simple fact that both should have strong enough followings for a decent fight this time. Maybe I’m easily wooed by alliteration. Just remember — it’s not about who’s the better composer, it’s about who you love.
And so in this corner, HALLELUJAH! It’s
GEEEEEEEOOOOOORG FRIIIIIIEDRIIIIIIIIICH HAAAAAAAANDEEEEEEEEL
And in this corner, SURPRISE! It’s
PAAAAAPAAAAAA
Best of luck in this one, guys. You’ve got some serious oratorios to think about, not to mention ALL the symphonies. If all else fails, you can always vote based on your preference of Brits vs. Hungarians.
Can’t really go wrong with either, but I’m so attached to the Messiah and the Water Music that I must go with George (I think he changed it to George when he moved to England, Jenn
)
Posted by Chris McGovern | August 24, 2011, 8:40 amI think you’re right, but every time I think of Handel I think of his line from the beginning of the Classical Kids radio play: “Georg Friedrich Handel, blind as a bat and prickly as a hedgehog!”
Posted by Jenn | August 24, 2011, 8:48 amI’d love to have voted for both, but Haendel gets me every time. His operas are the bee’s knees.
Posted by fireandair | August 24, 2011, 12:55 pmAlthough neither ever wrote alot for the bassoon, I’ll take Handel’s music over Haydn’s anyday.
Posted by Andrew | August 30, 2011, 4:33 pmHaving spent a considerable time of my college days at the Handel and Haydn Society’s concerts, I can say this is a most difficult pairing. However, I’ll have to go with Haydn just on the strengths of his symphonic output as well as his Chamber music.
Posted by Michael | September 4, 2011, 10:12 pm