Do you think Stevie Wonder is in the same musical genius atmosphere as Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven?

Question

abc3643 · Accepted Answer

No. Stevie Wonder is very good, no doubt. But some of those classical works have complexity significantly beyond anything Stevie did.

For example, listen to the Coriolan Overture, Opus 62 by Beethoven. Just through music and no lyrics, it tells a story with the final 2 minutes or so being an act of Coriolanus dying after either a battle or by suicide after conflict of some type. The last 4 notes... quiet and spaced... are symbolic of the last 4 heartbeats before death.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzINFjNPmqI

It's a masterpiece.

Then again, there's "Ode to Joy", the 4th Movement in Beethoven's 9th Symphony in D Minor, Opus 125 - his "Choral/Chorale" symphony because there was singing by a chorus.

In his 1985 novel "Galápagos", Kurt Vonnegut often wrote this line:

“Oh, well - he wasn't going to write the Beethoven's Ninth Symphony anyway.”

This line implies that the character didn't really contribute to the world nor was going to - not like Beethoven did.
200 years after it debuted, we still laud the Ninth, arguably the greatest piece of music ever written.

This is just the 4th Movement, not the whole Ninth which is about an hour long.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlneNQIWwjA

Whenever I am in my car listening to Symphony Hall on Sirius XM and it is playing the Ninth, I usually stop and listen and by the end am crying uncontrollably because of my girlfriend that I wanted to marry but left me; she took me to see the Ninth 34 years ago this month. I still miss her terribly.

Stevie Wonder never did that to me.

jshm2 · Accepted Answer

He isn't a genius. But that doesn't mean he isn't an inspiration for overcoming his health problems and still getting top the top of his profession.

Cinematic Lily · Accepted Answer

Stevie Wonder is undoubtedly a musical genius, much like Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven. Although their styles and eras differ, they share extraordinary talent, innovation, and influence on their respective fields. Stevie Wonder's ability to blend genres, his profound lyrics, and his virtuosic musicianship have significantly impacted music. His work continues to inspire generations, just as the classical composers did in their time. 🎶

MookieB · Answer

Absolutely, but like so many geniuses, Wonder probably will not be recognized as such until years or decades after his death. Studying a database of nearly 25 studio albums, and specifically examining Wonder's "classical period from 1972-1976, there's a discernible "abundant melodic ideas... appropriately varied from style to style, yet he is surprisingly consistent with the basic vocabulary from which he draws... Wonder experiment (s) with different musical collections for wide-ranging melodic expression, such as whole-tone, modal (mainly Dorian and Mixolydian), chromatic, and major and minor scales. (see Lovelle, J. "AN EXPLORATION OF MELODY, HARMONY, AND IMPROVISATION IN THE MUSIC OF STEVIE WONDER" 2012, University of Oregon Graduate School.) Wonder's ability to delve into the genre-breaking complexities of jazz music, one of the more emblematically "American" (read "USA"), Wonder’s harmonization of pentatonic bass lines important stylistic deviations set him apart from the common pop and rock practice. A survey of his numerous professional awards dhows Wonder has defied pigeonholing for a span of more than half a century. For example, in his “Maybe Your Baby,” composition, parallel major triads occur on scale degrees 3 and 4 of the minor pentatonic, visible in the harmony-providing clavinet sectiont. Unfortunately, because Wonder is yet a 20-early 21st century artist, and too often confined by critics as residing in the "pop" or "R&B" categories, his genius will not be identified by most as being tantamount to that of Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven, the last of whom died in 1827 (Beethoven). So, if trends persist, Wonder's place in the echelons of popularly recognized musical geniuses may not be cemented until, well, 2100. (That doesn't mean the rest of us have to wait, of course.)

goaded · Answer

I really don't know, but weren't at least some of the others composing great and complicated works as small children? Was Stevie Wonder? Great musician, for sure, but a prodigy?

Dargil · Answer

Some gifts are better than others. I think he makes the cut.

Anonymous · Answer

Stevie Wonder is undoubtedly a musical genius, much like Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven. Although their styles and eras differ, they share extraordinary talent, innovation, and influence on their respective fields. Stevie Wonder's ability to blend genres, his profound lyrics, and his virtuosic musicianship have significantly impacted music. His work continues to inspire generations, just as the classical composers did in their time.

OddBeMe · Answer

piano isn’t the variable of comparing musical genius to Bach or Mozart. I do know Stevie writes songs for popular young artists who can’t do it themselves. YouTube celebs I call them.

LiamJHayden · Answer

Compared to most pop music he is incredible, but compared to classical composers? Sorry.

MoonFace2 · Answer

No I don’t. However, I do enjoy his music.

the29thhuman · Answer

I thought you’d have Stevie in that poster of composers :) Here I was lookin 👀😂🙌 I mean, he is pretty good. The guy deserves more credit.

NathanDavis · Answer

not even close, lol

exitseven · Answer

No, and he is not a very good driver either

beefcakebradybatson · Answer

In the general neighbourhood !!!

RedInnocent69 · Answer

Um, close but no.

Anonymous · Answer

Nope

DrPepper12 · Answer

No. Next question

DtMe89 · Answer

Sure

Do you think Stevie Wonder is in the same musical genius atmosphere as Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven?

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Nope

Do you think Stevie Wonder is in the same musical genius atmosphere as Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven?

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Nope

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