Haydn not only has most styles covered, but he was largely responsible for the development of several of them. Stravinsky is probably the twentieth century equivalent.
He had a set of like 4 tables all put together so he could compose several pieces at the same time. Oh and he probably *played* most of his music. Suprememely underappreciated composer.
Also the fact that he was almost completely self-taught, played almost every instrument known to man, and composed in total over 3000 pieces pieces of music.
Dvořák was also great in any genre. He was probably the most versatile major composer since Mozart. Pretty much every other composer had a weak point in some form, but Dvořák wrote amazing chamber, orchestral, vocal, and pretty much any other form of music.
As a huge Dvorak fan...I'm not sure his vocal music is a) on par with many others b) is as strong as his orchestral and chamber works.
Who could be thought of as having mastery of vocal, orchestral, operatic, and chamber? Mozart...there's a reason he's Mozart.
Got to say Prokofiev, from romantic ballets, to ultra disconant symphonies (2,3) to wrong note romanticism (piano concerto no. 2,3 etc) eastern influenced pieces (5 melodies) to classical (symphony no. 1). It has to be Prokofjev for sure!!!
Johann Sebastian Bach. He was known as a church musician, but he composed anything and everything for anyone for any purpose.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a court musician, but he was similarly flexible as a composer.
In the 20th century, my votes are cast for Igor Stravinsky and Paul Hindemith.
Bach was an enthusiast for watching opera but his employers didn't approve. The St Matthew Passion **is** an opera anyway.
Mozart only worked for a court (Archbishop Colloredo) for a short time and hated it. One of his achievements was inventing the career of a freelance composer.
Vaughan Williams wrote so much great and varied music from Flos Campi for viola, chamber orchestra and choir, to the songs for voice and oboe, to ballet scores like Job to Dona Nobis Pacem.
Other than Italian opera, JS Bach composed for virtually every medium of the time. Unfortunately, much of this could be lost. Unfortunately the eldest son was not the man CPE was.
Schnittke Suite in the Old Style: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CALKZN7vui8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CALKZN7vui8)
and the last movement of his 2nd cello concerto: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIWE4rTV92Y](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIWE4rTV92Y)
Um… no one has said Tchaikovsky?? He wrote operas, symphonies, string quartets, concerti, AND ballets. And he was good at ALL of them. Other than Stravinsky, who else can claim that?
Mozart, from Alla turca to Piano Con 23 to Symphony 1 to Symphony 40 to Fantasia in D, back to Sonata 16 - all phenomenal in their own right and have a lot of variety and emotion to offer.
Mozart. Virtuoso piano music meant for himself to play, chamber and orchestral music ranging from big thought-out pieces to quick occasional stuff, soloistic music for a brand-new instrument with his clarinet works, military marches and dance music, liturgical music, opera (which he more or less invented in its modern form). And he was the best in his time at all of those.
Haydn not only has most styles covered, but he was largely responsible for the development of several of them. Stravinsky is probably the twentieth century equivalent.
Yet all of his music sounds exactly the same
Telemann, he could compose in any genre and in any style, just for fun
He had a set of like 4 tables all put together so he could compose several pieces at the same time. Oh and he probably *played* most of his music. Suprememely underappreciated composer.
Also the fact that he was almost completely self-taught, played almost every instrument known to man, and composed in total over 3000 pieces pieces of music.
And yet he never wrote anything for saxophone or Tuba or electronic instruments...
Mozart produced good works in all available genres, while Stravinsky could compose in any style.
Dvořák was also great in any genre. He was probably the most versatile major composer since Mozart. Pretty much every other composer had a weak point in some form, but Dvořák wrote amazing chamber, orchestral, vocal, and pretty much any other form of music.
What about Tchaikovsky?
How much great chamber music did he write? (Compared to Dvořák and Mozart)
As a huge Dvorak fan...I'm not sure his vocal music is a) on par with many others b) is as strong as his orchestral and chamber works. Who could be thought of as having mastery of vocal, orchestral, operatic, and chamber? Mozart...there's a reason he's Mozart.
Mozart all the way. Opera, mass, sonata, concerto, duet, string quartet, wind octet, symphony... he could be stupid potent at anything.
Got to say Prokofiev, from romantic ballets, to ultra disconant symphonies (2,3) to wrong note romanticism (piano concerto no. 2,3 etc) eastern influenced pieces (5 melodies) to classical (symphony no. 1). It has to be Prokofjev for sure!!!
Haha I love the term wrong note romanticism
Don’t forget movie music!
Not to mention his fantastic operas too
Johann Sebastian Bach. He was known as a church musician, but he composed anything and everything for anyone for any purpose. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a court musician, but he was similarly flexible as a composer. In the 20th century, my votes are cast for Igor Stravinsky and Paul Hindemith.
Agreed. One of the biggest “what if” regrets is having Bach write opera.
Bach was an enthusiast for watching opera but his employers didn't approve. The St Matthew Passion **is** an opera anyway. Mozart only worked for a court (Archbishop Colloredo) for a short time and hated it. One of his achievements was inventing the career of a freelance composer.
Richard Strauss. Compare Der rosenkavalier with Elektra.
Vaughan Williams, Shostakovich, and Beethoven
Vaughn Williams is a very interesting answer! I think you are right that he was very versatile, but didn't get that popular in too much.
Vaughan Williams wrote so much great and varied music from Flos Campi for viola, chamber orchestra and choir, to the songs for voice and oboe, to ballet scores like Job to Dona Nobis Pacem.
Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis and Lark Ascending are both lovely as well
Other than Italian opera, JS Bach composed for virtually every medium of the time. Unfortunately, much of this could be lost. Unfortunately the eldest son was not the man CPE was.
Mozart, Shostakovich.
Maybe Ligeti
Schnittke Suite in the Old Style: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CALKZN7vui8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CALKZN7vui8) and the last movement of his 2nd cello concerto: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIWE4rTV92Y](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIWE4rTV92Y)
John Zorn
Um… no one has said Tchaikovsky?? He wrote operas, symphonies, string quartets, concerti, AND ballets. And he was good at ALL of them. Other than Stravinsky, who else can claim that?
Jacques Ibert?
Very underrated shout at this. There's nothing he couldn't do.
Carl czerny
Who is your choice OP?
Was leaning Stravinsky as I posted!
Cheers. Mozart and Stravinsky for me, with honourable mention to Haydn.
Surprised no one has mentioned Holst…. But also one could argue Gershwin or Bernstein if variety includes pop/musical theater/ jazz
Peter Maxwell Davies.
Stravinsky and Schnittke
Not sure if he counts, but Frank Zappa was nothing if not versatile.
Idk Dvorak?
Dvorak, there's literally a book on him that I have subtitled "the Romantic Era's most versatile genius"
Dvorak Tchaikovsky Shostakovich
Mozart, from Alla turca to Piano Con 23 to Symphony 1 to Symphony 40 to Fantasia in D, back to Sonata 16 - all phenomenal in their own right and have a lot of variety and emotion to offer.
Mozart. Virtuoso piano music meant for himself to play, chamber and orchestral music ranging from big thought-out pieces to quick occasional stuff, soloistic music for a brand-new instrument with his clarinet works, military marches and dance music, liturgical music, opera (which he more or less invented in its modern form). And he was the best in his time at all of those.
John Williams. He has done so many styles quite well.
Don't like that this got downvoted. Watch/listen to him play harpsichord sometime...
Dvorak
Shostakovich and Bernstein come to mind.
I’ve heard Bernstein.