Most underrated composer of 20th Century?

Well Map, IMHO because there is only so many hours we have on this earth to listen and the good is the enemy of the best.
But then I'm senile.

"there is only so many hours we have on this earth to listen"

THat is true!

One may as well spend it listening to what one enjoys the most.

For me though, I am always thinking there is always other things out there worth my time that I have not discovered yet. So I spend a fair amount of time treading unknown waters, perhaps more so than ever. Only so much time to mine the gems out there that so far have gone undiscovered.

Also, I have become less committed to individual acts, composers, musicians, writers, whatever than ever before. I have may favorites from experience, for sure, but I find there are so many no hit wonders out there in so many genres that finding them can be a full time occupation.

ITs nice to have such problems. Its a good life!

I'm going to go in another direction here, My vote for the most underrated composer of the 20th century (maybe all time) is Benjamin Britten. He is well respected, but I think sadly under represented in the concert hall and on classical radio. I find his music superbly crafted and of the highest value.

Now watch, Learsfool and others who actually know what they are talking about will burst my bubble and tell me he is a hack.

Not likely , If Britten wasn't already SO well known he would have been my choice, is my choice for best of 20th with Bartok a close second. But many are coming to that conclusion , so I went for Martinu .

Brownsfan, do you think I'd be smarter to buy a used Sony 5400
or a new Rega or irArcam DAC ? CA 640 as transport.

Map, you are right of course.
But from the perspective of one who hears the footsteps of the Grim Reaper coming ever closer, what Classical can do for you at its greatest, say ,a Bach Cantata, The Monteverdi Vespers, a Josquin Desprez Mass,a Bruckner Motet
or a Mozart Quartet, is to focus you on the eternal and polish
your mind and soul for the coming journey we all must make.

Even the best of the adrenal raisers don't do that.