The great composers, Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, etc., had contemporaries (Ries, Mayr, Onslow, Dittersdorf, Pleyel, etc.) that were as technically skilled and knowledgeable as the masters, yet produced no lasting “hit” that the average classical music fan can easily hum today. Why is that?

Question

Almost everyone has heard Bach’s Toccata & Fugue in D Minor somewhere or another, whether in a video game, cartoon, horror movie, or elsewhere. Is the gift of writing hits really that elusive or did some composers just prefer not being in the spotlight?

In: Other

Answer 1

I think a lot of it has been dumb luck over the centuries. Bach for example is considered one of the most important composers of all time. During his life, while he was considered a very talented composer and performer (he came from a very musical family) it wasn’t until after his death that someone compiled his complete works and he started to be boosted to the great status he has today.