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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
296 posts
 

@larryi 

Thanks for the reply...  I also have several books (at least three) that contain excellent lists, along with recommended recordings.

IMO Getting someone to buy a book or go to the library (remember libraries?) is a quantum-leap for digital-babies.   (Can you imagine all of the laughter when their friends discovery they bought a book for recommendations on classical music!).

Again, I am happy to curate a list here...  To that end, I think the A.I.-generated list, above, is a decent start, but know our collective efforts would make a vast improvement.

Best,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mike4597's avatar
mike4597
314 posts
 

Excellent.  I would add Max Bruch's Scottish Fantasy and Beethoven's 6th symphony.  As for a great piece of music and a great performance, on Tidal I have found Beethoven's 6th Symphony with the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra conducted by George Szell, in HD.  A wonderful experience for me, as this was among the first records I ever owned in the late 1950s, and I heard this symphony performed by the Berlin Philharmonic under the baton of Karl Böhm in 1976; it was a stunning performance by both conductor and the orchestra.

inagroove OP
296 posts
 

@mike4597 

Thanks for the input.

Any particular Scottish Fantasy recording?

I have a thing for Beethoven's 6th: It is such a counterpoint to the 'heroic' themes in so many of the other symphonies.  I have owned at lease 13 versions of the 6th, and still have 8 versions on the shelf, including Szell/Cleveland and Bohm/Vienna, but not Bohm/Berlin.  Perhaps I need a nineth 6th ;-)

mike4597's avatar
mike4597
314 posts
 

https://forum.audiogon.com/users/inagroove

My favorite Scottish Fantasy is performed by Kyung Wha Chung, in part because I attended a performance by her with the Munich orchestra in 1973; it was excellent.  It is available on Tidal, with Rudolph Kempe and the Dutoit orchestra.  As for Beethoven's 6th Symphony, my favorite is George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra, but Karl Böhm and the Vienna Philharmonic is incredible.  My wife and I attended a performance of the 6th in West Berlin (now simply Berlin) in early 1976, conducted by Böhm with the Berlin Philharmonic.  Böhm almost tottered out to the podium, but when he picked up the baton he appeared to grow several inches in height.  He then vigorously conducted the 6th Symphony in a performance that clearly competed with Szell and Cleveland.  When the performance ended, Böhm lowered the baton and appeared to shrink before our eyes.  The Berliners went wild, applauding and stomping their feet for over 45 minutes.  Both are available on Tidal.  I am sure there are other superb performances, but those are my favorites.

goofyfoot's avatar
goofyfoot
1,599 posts
 

Half the fun is discovering music on your own. I’d suggest going to the main branch of your library and looking at scores. A music college typically has a sizable collection of scores. If you can’t read music, no problem. Just make a long list of pieces you find and look for recordings of those works. Chances are, you’ll find around 20% of what you see. Also, pieces are listed on the back covers of scores as a way for the publisher to promote their catalogue. 

Anyway, this can be a lot of fun and you’ll find that this erudite undertaking will educate you about pieces and composers most people have never heard of. Of course the internet is also a great resource. 

I used to do this myself because I live near the College Conservatory of Music and was interested in contemporary compositions that my local radio station ignores. 

More to discover