What is your favorite composer? I personally like a lot. For example, Mozart, Debussy, Beethoven, Bach, Chopin, Liszt, Schubert, Strauss, Schumann, Brahms, Handel, and about 10 others if I can remember their names.

I like a lot of Mozart.

my top 10 favorite composers:

1- Tchaikovsky 

2- Beethoven 

3- Rachmaninov

4- Bach

5- Handel

6- Schubert 

7- Dvorak 

8- Mendelsshon

9- Vivaldi

10- Mozart

its hard to put them in just 10!! 

I like all mentioned above, but I would add: Haydn, Parry, Ravel, Stravinsky, Byrd, Purcell, Tallis and Gibbons. Probably more, but they were the first that came to my head.

Wow, its amazing that I didn't remember all of those that are mentioned above, I would not be able to put them in order how sympolic did, they would all be #1.

i agree jkudria .. it wasnt easy for me to put them in order and to tell you the truth i shouldn't becoz it wouldn't be justice .. like you said they all would be #1 ..

but those 10 are the best in all time!!

 not for me, about 85% of the composers I had heard of I really like, well it depends on the person.

All the above are great. But how about Mahler? His style sometimes reminds me a bit of Beethoven  -- those long, beautiful "good-byes" at the end that I'm always hoping will never end, but, sadly, always do, eventually. The last two movements of his Third and Eighth Symphonies, in particular, move me. (I think I mean the Eighth -- the one that's called "The Symphony of a Thousand". Does anyone here know whether that's the Eighth?) And Mahler's Second ("the Resurrection") is also gorgeous.

And how did Brahms escape from this list?

well, i listened to mahler 3rd symphony and i liked it so much .. and about brahms you're right he should be in the list i like his 2nd symphony .. and he's another great composer!!

Mahler is great! I just forgot about him , he is not as common (at least in my world).

I love so many of the composers mentioned here... lately I've been studying the symphonies of Ralph Vaughan Williams. Truly a great composer -- unfortunately, I think he is unfairly overlooked outside of the UK.

1.Wolfgang Amedeus Mozart!

2.Ludwig Van Beethoven!

3.Johann Sebastian Bach!

all others just don't quite make it!

Those are one 3 of my most favorite favorite composers, (though I like the other composers mentioned here)

Grieg was my first love (Peer Gynt & Piano Concerto)

Rachmaninov (esp his piano concertos but also his choral works)

Bruckner (amazing codas!)

Mahler (mainly his purely instrumental symphonies)

a piece I keep listening to lately is Symphony of Sad Songs by Gorecki - very poignant!

Well the one that akapovsky said are the ones that I listen to most often, the ones that are my favorite favorite

1. Bach - duh

2. Shostakovich - for his unique style, exciting fast movements and mournful slow movements.

3. Beethoven - for the passion

I love all of these!!

My big three would be Bach, Mozart, and Handel -- in no particular order there.  If I wanted to name a couple of favorites that didn't make the list above, I would add Gustav Holst and Aaron Copeland.  I would also add Ralph Vaughn Williams to these as well - though he is mentioned above.

Anyone like (or even heard of!!) J. C. Bach? The less famous son of the great J. S. Bach. I recently learned one of his piano sonatas and was inspired to listen to some more. They are simple, but beautiful all the same.

I've heard of and have listenned to JCB.  Have you heard of PDQ Bach???