Mahler's 9th
Prokofiev: Lieutenant Kije Suite
Berg: Wozzeck
Stravinsky: The Soldier's Tale
Beethoven's 5th
JS Bach: Goldberg Variations
JS Bach: Brandenburg Concertos
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.
- ...
- 32 posts total
My list is going to be substantially different than any that I have seen so far. I want to be challenged, not calmed or relaxed, when I listen to classical music. Elliott Carter - Concerto for Orchestra (1969) Charles Wuorinen - Fourth Piano Concerto (2003) Bruno Maderna - Concerto no. 3 for Oboe and Orchestra (1973) Kaija Anneli Saariaho - Laterna Magica (2008) Beat Furrer - Konzert, for piano and orchestra (2007) Ernst Krenek - Static and Ecstatic for chamber orchestra (1972) Krzysztof Eugeniusz Penderecki - Violin Concerto No. 2: Metamorphosen (1992–95) Brian Ferneyhough - Prometheus (1967) I could very easily list a couple dozen more, but I’ve been listening to these most recently, so they made my list this time. Ask me again in a few days, and at least some of these will be different.
|
Astounding! On more than one millenium of Western Music you picked all composers in the almost same few decades. When i listen music i dont want to sleep but i dont want only secondary masters because they all want to be recognised "original".. Why not Scriabin sonatas a top of pianistic writing ? Why not Sorabji transcendental studies ? Why not Robert Simpsons or an opera from Weil or Busoni (Faust) or Akhnaten From Glass ? Where is Jakob Obrecht ? Not mentioning the hundred years of French Flamish school composers.or italian genius as Gesualdo no composer ever replicate as poweful emotional engine and more modern in his expressionism than most modern composers.
|
There are too many choices. Many pieces that people are listing are good choices even though they would not be my first choices. I would add Beethoven string quartet in C sharp minor, Bach, Brandenburg Concertos and some of his Cantatas Wagner, Die Walkure Schubert, Trios for Piano Trios Carter, String Quartets, especially # 2 For jazz, I would add recordings by Fletcher Henderson, McKinney's Cotton Pickers, Duke Ellington, Bennie Moten, Mary Lou Williams, Thelonious Monk, and Teddy Wilson with Billie Holiday. For Blues, I would start with recordings by Blind Blake.
|
Many thanks to all who have responded. @jsalerno277 Yes - I was looking for subjective opinions - I like your choices of works by period. What is interesting is that though the genre is known as "classical" very few of the iconic pieces are from the classical period! I think the only classical works mentioned are by Mozart and one by Haydn. I had wondered whether there would be much mention of early / medieval / renaissance music - I listen frequently to my collection of Archiv recordings - Ockeghem, Josquin et al. but the only pre-baroque piece in the list is by Hildegard von Bingen - some 300 years earlier than my renaissance listening. Beethoven symphonies and late quartets appearing often was no surprise. Over the next few weeks I shall listen to all of the works that have been mentioned - and perhaps explore the late 20th century. It is wonderful how streaming (especially Presto) makes exploration feasible. |
- 32 posts total