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A personal "7 Wonders of (classical) music"

I was browsing in another forum yesterday, looking at thoughts on performances of the Rachmaninov Vespers and a poster opined that this was, in his opinion, one of the Seven Wonders of Music - a reference to the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

This set me thinking - what would I put on such a list - and came up with (in alphabetical order)

Bach Cello Suites
Beethoven 9th Symphony
Beethoven A minor quartet op 132
Elgar Cello Concerto
Mahler 2nd Symphony
Rachmaninov Vespers
Verdi Requiem
 

Clearly I could add another dozen or two works, but this seven first came to mind.

I'd love to see others' lists, and perhaps other threads for Jazz, Rock etc. could be started but I would not know where to begin in those genres.

Also, I have not referenced specific performances.  I'll think about that and try to post those thoughts later.

 

 

retiredaudioguy
dynacohum
845 posts
 

No love for Schubert Quintet in C?

Chopin Piano Sonata #3 in Bm

Bach Musical Offering

Bartok Concerto for Orchestra 

Brahms Piano Concerto #2…#1 not bad either!

 

zgas-music
93 posts
 

Shostakovich 4th Symphony

Shostakovich Preludes and Fugues

Quartet For The End Of Time Messiaen

Entire Chopin solo piano works

Beethoven 3rd Symphony

Prokofiev Piano Concerto In C Major

rpeluso
1,138 posts
 

Emperor Concerto

mn2422
60 posts
 

Beethoven violin concerto, Haydn trumpet concerto

jsalerno277
511 posts
 

“7 Wonders” is vague and to remove subjectivity, requires definition.  I will give you some compositions that from my perspective are wonders because at the time of publication and first performance they changed the director classical music.  I am not formally educated but self educated on musical history and structure to give me a greater appreciation of musical as an audiophile. 

  1. Ancient Music:  von Bingin Ordo Virtutum - chant to drama
  2. Romantic:  Tallis Spem in Alium - 40 part motet that was first to develop massed sound pressure in a hall.  
  3. Baroque:  Bach Well Tempered Clavier - stressing a structural foundation for music and unrestrained modulation. 
  4. Classical: Mozart Symphony No. 40 - moved classical from the light to dark side of emotional drama. 
  5. Early Romantic:  Beethoven Symphony No. 3 - using composition for personal and philosophical expression, intense emotional shifts.  
  6. Late Romantic:  Wagner Tristan and Isolde - Known for the opening chord - the Tristan chord - moved music structure from resolved melodic structures in traditional thirds, fifths to a more dissonant resolved seventh, setting structure for 20th century composers.  
  7. Late Romantic:  Mahler Symphony No.9 - the piece the started the end of Romantic  structure bringing contrapuntal chaos and dark emotion, with an unresolved structure at the end.  Music moved into the 20th century.  
  8. 20th Century:  Stravinsky Right of Spring - the end of romantic rules of structure, harmony, and rhythm … dissonance and unrestricted polyrhythms.  
  9. Modern:  Reich Music for 18 Musicians - minimalism

     
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