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A Good List of 'Top' Classical Pieces

@bbarten 

bbarten recently posted a request for top classical pieces.  To that end, I will offer two all-time greats:

     a. Beethoven's 5th Symphony - conducted by Carlos Klieber with the Wiener Philharmoniker

     b. Beethoven's 9th  Symphony - conducted by William Furtwangler, live 1942 with the Berliner Philharmonisches Orchester

Also, from the world of A.I... a solid starters-list

  1. Vivaldi – The Four Seasons, “Spring”: Allegro

  2. Chopin – Nocturne No. 2 in E‑flat major, Op. 9 No. 2

  3. Grieg – Peer Gynt Suite No. 1: Morning Mood

  4. Richard Strauss – Also sprach Zarathustra: Prelude (Sunrise)

  5. Beethoven – Symphony No. 5: Allegro con brio

  6. Grieg – Piano Concerto in A minor: Allegro molto moderato

  7. Wagner – Die Walküre: Ride of the Valkyries

  8. Tchaikovsky – Swan Lake: Scene (Moderato)

  9. Beethoven – Bagatelle in A minor (“Für Elise”)

  10. Debussy – Suite bergamasque: Clair de lune

  11. Beethoven – Symphony No. 9 (“Choral”): Finale

  12. Pachelbel – Canon in D

  13. Barber – Adagio for Strings

  14. Beethoven – Piano Sonata No. 14 (“Moonlight”): Adagio sostenuto

  15. Mascagni – Cavalleria rusticana: Intermezzo

  16. Puccini – Turandot: Nessun dorma

  17. Elgar – Enigma Variations: Nimrod

  18. Mozart – Eine kleine Nachtmusik: Allegro

  19. Einaudi – I giorni

  20. Bach – Orchestral Suite No. 3: Air on the G String

  21. Tchaikovsky – The Nutcracker: Dance of the Sugar‑Plum Fairy

  22. Bach – Brandenburg Concerto No. 3: Allegro

  23. Liszt – Liebestraum No. 3

  24. Schubert – Ave Maria

  25. Canteloube – Chants d’Auvergne: Bailero

  26. Tchaikovsky – Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a: Waltz of the Flowers

  27. Bach – Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor, BWV 1043: Vivace

  28. Mozart – Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550: Allegro molto

  29. Liszt – Liebestraum No. 3

  30. Bach – Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048: Allegro

  31. Massenet – Thaïs: Méditation

  32. Dvořák – Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”: Largo

  33. Strauss II – The Blue Danube

  34. Brahms – Hungarian Dance No. 5

  35. Satie – Gymnopédie No. 1

  36. Mozart – Requiem: Lacrimosa

  37. Beethoven – Für Elise

  38. Elgar – Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1

  39. Bizet – Carmen: Habanera

  40. Beethoven – Symphony No. 9: Ode to Joy (excerpt)

  41. Offenbach – Barcarolle (from The Tales of Hoffmann)

  42. Giazotto (after Albinoni) – Adagio in G minor

  43. Mozart – Eine kleine Nachtmusik: Allegro

  44. Rossini – The Barber of Seville: Overture

  45. Beethoven – Moonlight Sonata: Adagio sostenuto

  46. Smetana – Má vlast: Vltava (The Moldau)

  47. Boccherini – Minuet (String Quintet in E major)

  48. Mozart – Symphony No. 40 (additional movement)

  49. Holst – The Planets: Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity

  50. Orff – Carmina Burana: O Fortuna

 

 

I hope this list, like many other similar lists, provides insight and a place to start.

 

Did they miss any of YOUR favorites?  

Do you have a MUST-HAVE recording of these chestnuts?

 

Cheers,

inagroove
78sman
49 posts
 
Your choice of your favorite compositions is different than what I would choose, and it's different from what Beethoven would choose. Beethoven regarded the string quartet in c sharp minor as his favorite composition. It looks like you are mainly interested in orchestral music. Beethoven's favorite symphonies were the 9th, and the 3rd. Any list of classical pieces to listen to should include some of Beethoven's piano sonatas, some of his chamber music, and at least one of his symphonies. It should also include one or more of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, some of Bach's cantatas (the Coffee Cantata is accessible for new listeners), at least one of Handel's oratorios, as well as music from Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Liszt, Wagner, Stravinsky, and Shostakovich. Other people have different tastes, and they would include other composers.
rar1's avatar
rar1
1,883 posts
 

The classical pieces I enjoy most are Mozart operas conducted by Rene Jacobs on the Harmonia Mundi label:  

  • Le Nozze di Figaro
  • Cosi Fan Tutte
  • Don Giovanni

Highly recommended.

Rich 

inagroove OP
283 posts
 

@78sman 

Thanks for your thoughts.  I agree that Beethoven's Piano Concertos, as well as the Brandenburg Concertos are among the canons of classical music and must be in a 'complete' list of classical greats.

< if you have not heard it, I prefer Ashkenazy's 'Emperor' >

Also, I did not attempt to list 'MY favorites'...  In keeping with bbarten's posting, I simply listed two 'giants' of recorded classical music - knowing that most reviewers considered these two recordings among the very best performances - ever -  of any piece, on any format.

Finally, the list is A.I. GENERATED (as mentioned above).  I agree that it is faulty, but what 'greatest' list is perfect? To me, it is a simple 'first cut' for a novice to consider...

Any composition/performance recommendations you are willing to share, or even a list, will be most welcome.

Best,

inagroove OP
283 posts
 

@rar1 

Thanks for the recommendations.  I will look for them...  Harmonia Muni is one of my favorite labels.

rar1's avatar
rar1
1,883 posts
 

@ inagroove - 

Hi -

Huge fan of the Harmonia label.

The 3 Mozart operas I mentioned were released on CD and not vinyl.  They were also released separately on SACD.  So if that is an inducement, the SACD versions are worth it.

Rich 

 

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