Which Pulitzer Prize-winning composers do you think have the least chance for mainstream acceptance?

If you look at the complete list, many of those composers works have already fallen into complete or near complete obscurity, while others are a footnote of a composer who wrote serviceable and moderately conservative contemporary music (Norman dello Joio).

The awards are in no way an indicator of whose works, will, eventually gain mainstream acceptance.

Two outstanding examples from earlier music history show us that the music of Bach lay dormant (other than within a community of academic and professional cognoscenti) for nearly seventy years, as did the music of Mahler.

There is no telling.

The Pulitzer prizes are for Americans, so Ferneyhough, nor any non-American, will never get one.

Lately, while not 'senior', Steve Reich, John Adams and David Lang have won the awards; of those John Adams is a populist composer and probably one of the more popular of contemporary classical composers.. Elliott Carter has won several earlier in his career.

One glance at the complete list of Pulitzer Prize in music recipients would show you how many were awarded something which struck the jury as profound or relevant at the time, but since that time have little or no relevance, regardless if they are still 'well-composed' pieces.

The committee is / was made up of primarily academic theorists and composers, who often, clearly, awarded the prize to a conservative academic theorist / composer within their circle, a composer whose music said very little to anyone else.

In an unprecedented shift, a few years ago a major sea-change occured: non-classical genre music can now be a candidate for the award, much to the horror of many an academic and musician, and to the delight and relief of others. It sounds like a precarious lowering of the bar as to non-discernment of the various qualities of the different genres (Jazz, musical theater, etc.)

If it has not changed, anyone can nominate someone for the award, including the composer nominating himself :-)

A list of musicians who have received a MacArthur grant ('the genius awards') might be more indicative - I could not find one readily in a search - those grants include classical composers but are not exclusive to classical, or composers, but include other genres and performers.

Best regards.

The Pulitzer prizes for music tend to fall into two categories:

1) We better give this award before the composer dies. See recent awards to Carter, Gould, Foss, etc.(Accepted more as historically important by most rather than for their excellent music)

2) relatively mainstream composers. See everyone else.

This is in large part because a panel of judges must agree on a winner, which means if one judge doesn't like new complexity, Ferneyhough won't win, if another judge doesn't like non-traditional scores Cage or Rzewski won't win. etc. Which also accounts for the years no award was given. If there isn't a consensus no-one wins.