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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
inagroove OP
285 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
285 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 

 

twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,362 posts
 

Biber, Rosary Sonatas

Dowland, Lacrimae

Couldn't do without either.

dynacohum
841 posts
 

My list must include entire compositions.  Picking movements from great masterpieces is an abomination.  Attention span is developed by listening to the whole piece.  Here are a few of my favorites:

J.S. Bach...Magnificat in D -  Munchinger (London); The Musical Offering - Richter (Archiv); Cantata #21 (Archiv); Mass in Bm (Archiv)

Mozart...Clarinet Quintet in A - Leister (DG); Symphony #40 in Gm - Walter (CBS/Sony); Piano Sonata K331 - Uchida; Seranade for 13 winds, K 361 - De Waart (Phillips)

Beethoven...All Piano Sonatas played by Emil Gilels (DG).  All Piano Concertos played by Rudolph Serkin (Telarc).  Violin Concerto - Heifetz/Reiner (RCA)

Schubert...Quintet in C - Alban Berg w/Schiff (Teldec), others are great too...the piece just kills it.  Late Sonatas played by Alfred Brendel; Lieder sung by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.

Chopin...Sonata #3 in Bm played by Emil Gilels (DG); Nocturnes by Artur Rubinstein

Brahms...Piano Concertos by Karl Bohm with Emil Gilels (DG); Clarinet or Viola Sonatas Op. 120 - Walter Trampler w/ Horzciewski (RCA) for viola, De Peyer (Chandos) for clarinet; Violin Concerto - Heifetz/Reiner (RCA)

Mahler...Symphony #6 and #9 by Zander w/ Boston Philharmonic or Youth Orchestra

That’s enough for now.

 

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