# Your Top 10 classical works



## Sid James

*What are your top 10 favourite classical works? *

*These can be in any genre *- orchestral, concertos, chamber, instrumental, ballet, opera, choral, film music, or anything classical, really.

Try to rank them in order if you can, although this is not mandatory (just would be more interesting).

Here are mine.

1. *Bartok* - _Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta_
2. *Janacek* - _String Quartet No. 1_ 
3. *Britten* - _Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge_
4. *Prokofiev* - _Violin Concerto No. 1_ 
5. *Debussy* - _La Mer _
6. *Varese* - _Deserts_
7. *Walton* - _Henry V, a Shakespeare scenario (arr. Christopher Palmer)_
8. *Ravel* - _Daphnis et Chloe (the full chorus & orchestra version)_
9. *Brahms* - _Symphony No. 4_
10. *Messiaen* - _Quartet for the End of Time_


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## Air

I could never...ever...do this without missing or forgetting about at least a few hundred on my list.


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## Contrapunctus666

I haven't heard too much stuff, but since I am not a type of person which tolerates inferior ***** and which will ever bother to try every ******* piece I will just say that my favourite is Art of Fugue by Bach(Goebel)


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## marval

I need a little time to put together a difinitive list, as I like so many.


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## Bach

Not sure about order, but these are among them:

Beethoven:

(1805-6)
String Quartet No. 7 in F major, opus 59, no. 1
String Quartet No. 8 in E minor, opus 59, no. 2
String Quartet No. 9 in C major, opus 59, no. 3

Opus 95: String Quartet No. 11 in F minor ("Serioso") (1810)

Opus 127: String Quartet No. 12 in E flat major (1825)
Opus 130: String Quartet No. 13 in B flat major (1825)
Opus 131: String Quartet No. 14 in C sharp minor (1826)
Opus 132: String Quartet No. 15 in A minor (1825)
Opus 133: Große Fuge in B flat major for string quartet (1826), originally the finale to op. 130
Opus 135: String Quartet No. 16 in F major (1826)

Bach: 
The Art of Fugue (1750)

I'll be back with more.


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## JTech82

Wow, Andre you asked a loaded question! This is super tough! But here I go:

In no particular order:

1. Hindemith: Symphonie Mathis der Maler
2. Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances
3. Sibelius: En Saga (but this may change)
4. Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring
5. Ravel: Le Tombeau de Couperin
6. Debussy: La Mer
7. Bax: Tintagel
8. Schoenberg: Verklarte Nacht
9. Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5
10. Delius: In A Summer Garden

This is an absolutely impossible task, but I'll back.


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## PostMinimalist

Totally impossible to answer. But if you put a gun to my head I'd like to hear the Adagietto from Mahler's 5th symphony before you pull the trigger.


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## handlebar

Tough indeed.

1-Mahler Symphony #3
2-Moeran-Symphony
3-Morean-Violin Concerto
4-Rachmaninov-Piano concerto #3
5-Scriabin-Etudes Op 2 #1
6-Rachmaninov-Prelude in G
7-Moeran-Lonely Waters
8-Mahler-Ich bin der welt abhanden gekommen.
9-Mahler-Symphony #2
10-Chopin-Ballade #1

Jim


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## JTech82

To continue adding on to this list:

1. Hindemith: Symphonie Mathis der Maler
2. Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances
3. Sibelius: En Saga (but this may change)
4. Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring
5. Ravel: Le Tombeau de Couperin
6. Debussy: La Mer
7. Bax: Tintagel
8. Schoenberg: Verklarte Nacht
9. Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5
10. Delius: In A Summer Garden

Now for the next 10 in no particular order:

11. Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazde
12. Ravel: Daphnis et Chloe (full orchestral version with chorus)
13. Mahler: Symphony No. 2 (it's still my favorite)
14. Bliss: A Colour Symphony
15. Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms
16. Berlioz: Symphony Fantastique
17. Barber: Canzonetta for Oboe and Strings
18. Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major
19. Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 "Scottish"
20. R. Strauss: Ein Heldenleben

I'll be back for more later.


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## Lisztfreak

I'll try and make it 10, and only once 10. The order is of no importance.

Beethoven: Symphony No.5 (or is it No.7)
Beethoven: the Third Razumowsky
Liszt: Piano Sonata in B minor
Shostakovich: Symphony No.8
Janáček: String Quartet No.2, 'Intimate Letters'
Walton: Symphony No.1
Brahms: Piano Trio No.3
Weber: Symphony No.1
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No.1
Tippett: Concerto for Double String Orchestra


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## Bach

> Liszt: Piano Sonata in B minor


THAT is supreme genius.


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## jhar26

Impossible to answer, but at this minute these were the ones that came to mind first....

-Mozart...Le Nozze di Figaro
-Strauss...Der Rosenkavalier
-Beethoven...Symphony No.9
-Bach...Mass in B Minor
-Mozart...Clarinet Quintet
-Mendelssohn...Violin Concerto
-Schubert...String Quintet D.956
-Elgar...Cello Concerto
-Puccini...La Boheme
-Schumann...Piano Concerto


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## PartisanRanger

I'm pretty new to classical but I'll throw a few in here (in no particular order):

-Vivaldi: Die Vier Jahrezeite Concerto No. 4
-Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E Minor
-Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
-Gerschwin: Rhapsody in Blue
-Stravinsky: The Rite Of Spring
-Beethoven: Moonlight Sonata
-Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 3
-Mozart: Don Giovanni - Commendatore Scene
-Mozart: Symphony No. 40
-Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21


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## Lisztfreak

Bach said:


> THAT is supreme genius.


Wow, so you do like at least some Liszt!  Thanks!


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## Elgarian

I'll try the 'see what bubbles up without too much thought' approach:

Elgar: 1st symphony
Elgar: The Spirit of England
Sibelius: violin concerto
Puccini: La Boheme
Puccini: Suor Angelica
Massenet: Manon
Vaughan Williams: 5th symphony
Wagner: The Ring
Gounod: Romeo et Juliette
Handel: Acis & Galatea (current fave rave)


How grotesquely unbalanced! Not sure the 'bubbling up' approach works too well.


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## Bach

Lisztfreak said:


> Wow, so you do like at least some Liszt!  Thanks!


Oh gosh yes, the piano music is unparalleled. Piano Sonata in B minor is the ultimate display of pianism - technique, passion, emotion, and structure - I rank it alongside the late sonatas of Beethoven (and it's far more pianistic).


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## Lisztfreak

Bach said:


> Oh gosh yes, the piano music is unparalleled. Piano Sonata in B minor is the ultimate display of pianism - technique, passion, emotion, and structure - I rank it alongside the late sonatas of Beethoven (and it's far more pianistic).


I have two great musical fantasies that can't ever come true:
1. To play Liszt's Sonata virtuosically in front of a selected audience.
2. To sit next to a piano and listen to Liszt himself playing it.

As for Beethoven, he allegedly said, having composed his final sonata, that the piano is an 'unsatisfying musical instrument'.


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## Bach

And his sonatas often suggests a desperate struggle against the instrument, where Liszt's sonata suggests a sexual encounter with the instrument.


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## Lisztfreak

Bach said:


> And his sonatas often suggests a desperate struggle against the instrument, where Liszt's sonata suggests a sexual encounter with the instrument.


Hey, this is excellent! A sexual encounter... wonderfully humourous, but basically just as it is - sexual energy is evident. Well now, my problem is I tend to visualise everything, and imagining Liszt and the piano in a mechanophile intercourse is... hell, time to go to bed before I think of more horror-scenarios...


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## Bach

When you're imagining dead hungarians shagging furniture, I think it's a jolly good time to think about bed.


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## Weston

Bach said:


> Not sure about order, but these are among them:
> 
> Beethoven:
> 
> (1805-6)
> String Quartet No. 7 in F major, opus 59, no. 1
> String Quartet No. 8 in E minor, opus 59, no. 2
> String Quartet No. 9 in C major, opus 59, no. 3
> 
> Opus 95: String Quartet No. 11 in F minor ("Serioso") (1810)
> 
> Opus 127: String Quartet No. 12 in E flat major (1825)
> Opus 130: String Quartet No. 13 in B flat major (1825)
> Opus 131: String Quartet No. 14 in C sharp minor (1826)
> Opus 132: String Quartet No. 15 in A minor (1825)
> Opus 133: Große Fuge in B flat major for string quartet (1826), originally the finale to op. 130
> Opus 135: String Quartet No. 16 in F major (1826)
> 
> Bach:
> The Art of Fugue (1750)


Can I just copy your list?

No wait -- that's eleven, unless you count the Grosse Fuge as part of op. 130 as I do. However I'd probably go more for symphonies and concertos.

Mine are predictable. Oh gosh, don't make me do this.

1. Beethoven - Symphony No. 9.
2. Vaughan-Williams - Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
3. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor"
4. Beethoven - Violin Concerto in D, piano version
5. Bach - The Well Tempered Clavier (either book or both if I can)
If I must choose one piece from that it would be the Prelude and Fugue in Eb BWV 852.

6. Holst - The Planets
7. Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 32 in Cm, Op. 111

Only three pieces left 

8. Shostakovich - Cello Concerto No 1.

Now it's getting really hard.

9. Bach - Cantata No. 80, "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott" with trumpets and timpani by Wilhelm Friedemann Bach

10. Robert Schuamnn - Piano Concerto in Am (this just barely won out over the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 and Schubert's Symphony No. 7 (8) in Bm "Unfinished." and a lot of other stuff.)


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## Sid James

Everyone's suggestions are interesting - this exercise difficult, no doubt, but it does show a person's taste in terms of style, genre, period, etc. The list can always go on, but the economy of the number 10 really makes you sit down and think about what you would include on the list.

I especially like the C20th works on JTech and Lisztfreak's lists. Actually, some of these composers & compositions were on my mind when compiling my list, but they (only just) didn't make it. Esp. Vaughan Williams, Shostakovich, Hindemith, Stravinsky, Beethoven & Bax.


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## JTech82

1. Hindemith: Symphonie Mathis der Maler
2. Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances
3. Sibelius: En Saga (but this may change)
4. Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring
5. Ravel: Le Tombeau de Couperin
6. Debussy: La Mer
7. Bax: Tintagel
8. Schoenberg: Verklarte Nacht
9. Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5
10. Delius: In A Summer Garden

Now for the next 10 in no particular order:

11. Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazde
12. Ravel: Daphnis et Chloe (full orchestral version with chorus)
13. Mahler: Symphony No. 2 (it's still my favorite)
14. Bliss: A Colour Symphony
15. Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms
16. Berlioz: Symphony Fantastique
17. Barber: Canzonetta for Oboe and Strings
18. Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major
19. Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 "Scottish"
20. R. Strauss: Ein Heldenleben

Now for the next 10 in no particular order:

21. Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 (it's unfinished, but it's such a beautiful work anyway)
22. Mahler: Symphony No. 7
23. Vaughan Williams: Job - A Masque For Dancing
24. Bartok: The Wooden Prince
25. Berlioz: Requiem
26. Orff: Carmina Burana
27. Sibelius: Kullervo
28. Respighi: The Roman Trilogy - Fountains of Rome, Pines of Rome, Roman Festivals
29. Copland: Appalachian Spring
30. Brahms: Variations On A Theme By Haydn


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## David C Coleman

This is nigh-on impossible question to answer really, because my tastes change all the time. BUT! I would say that over the years I consistently listen to a core list of works.
In no particular order then.

1) Beethoven Symphony Nr. 3
2) ------------------------- Nr.6 
3)-------------------------- Nr.7
4)---------------------------Nr.9
5) Bruckner Symphony Nr.4
6) ---------------------------Nr.7
7)----------------------------Nr.8
8)Mozart Symphony Nr.40
9)----------------------------Nr.41
10)Schubert Symphony Nr.9

Hmm a bit biased toward the Austro/German repertoire isn'tit???...


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## Herzeleide

Bach said:


> And his sonatas often suggests a desperate struggle against the instrument, where Liszt's sonata suggests a sexual encounter with the instrument.


HAHA! 

You ought to try Scriabin's late piano sonatas... it takes psychotropic sensuality to the nth degree.


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## Bach

Yes, I should.. I've naughtily overlooked Scriabin too frequently.


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## bassClef

An almost impossible task this, but I'll give it a go. I will be honest and give the works that have given me the most pleasure over the years rather than current faves, but won't impress anyone here with any obscurity in my top 10!

1. Stravinsky - Le Sacre du Printemps
2. Orff - Carmina Burana
3. Rimsky Korsakov - Scheherezade
4. Saint Saens - 3rd
5. Prokofiev - Love for the 3 Oranges
6. Bruckner - 4th
7. Stravinsky - Symphony in C
8. Beethoven - 6th
9. Dvorak - Symphonic Variations
10. Balakirev - 2nd

Bubbling under:

Mahler - 2nd
Holst - St Pauls Suite
Mozart - 41st
Sibelius - 2nd, Finlandia, Pohjola's Daughter
Prokofiev - Romeo & Juliet, Scythian Suite
Dvorak - 7th, 9th
Bartok - Concerto for Orchestra, The Miraculous Mandarin, Music for Strings Percussion and Celesta
Stravinsky - The Firebird, Symphony of Psalms


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## Margaret

Hmmm, I've got to think of this in terms of what is it I listen to over and over again through the years. But whittling it down to ten.....

Bach's Cello Suites would be 1 - 6 for me.
7 Tchaikovsky -- Nutcracker
8 Elgar -- Cello Concerto
9 Bach -- toss up between Air on G String and Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
10 Prokofiev -- Lt. Kije Suite

Boy, that doesn't even leave room for anything by Beethoven.


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## Elgarian

David C Coleman said:


> Hmm a bit biased toward the Austro/German repertoire isn'tit???...


Well, it did _me_ a good turn - I feel a bit more comfortable about the imbalance in my own list, now.


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## Conor71

1. Holst - The Planets
2. Elgar - Enigma Variations
3. Chopin - Nocturne No. 2
4. Mozart - Requiem
5. Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 5
6. Vaughan Williams - Serenade To Music
7. Sibelius - Symphony No. 5
8. Elgar - Introduction & Allegro
9. Tchaikovsky - Violin Concerto
10. Richard Strauss - Eine Alpinsinfonie


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## Air

Here I go (this was very difficult):


Mahler: Symphony No. 2
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3
Busoni: Piano Concerto in C
Ravel: Daphnis et Chloe
Prokofiev: Piano Sonata No. 6
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde
Franck: Sonata for Violin and Piano
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3
Schubert: Fantasy for Violin and Piano

Faure: Requiem
Stravinsky: Rite of Spring
Sibelius: Kullervo
Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit
Chopin: Ballade No. 1
Saint-Saens: Introduction et Rondo Capriciosso
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis
Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5
Poulenc: Un Soir De Neige
Schumann: Piano Concerto in a

Mahler: Symphony No. 1
Albeniz: Iberia
Scriabin: Etude Op. 42 No. 5
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10
Liszt: Piano Sonata
Prokofiev: Alexander Nevsky
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 5 "Spring"
Schubert: Fantasie in f minor for 4-hands
Schumann: Fantasia in C
Poulenc: Concerto for 2 pianos in d

I need some more exposure to Richard Strauss. Any suggestions?


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## Lisztfreak

airad2 said:


> I need some more exposure to Richard Strauss. Any suggestions?


Expose yourself to Eine Alpensinfonie or Metamorphosen then. Those are excellent for starters.

And btw, a good list, I like it.


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## JTech82

airad2 said:


> I need some more exposure to Richard Strauss. Any suggestions?


Oh man you're going to love Richard Strauss. He's the master. Check these releases out:

*This is a 2-CD reissue of some classic Strauss by Karajan on DG*










*This is a single CD release that rounds out what the set above didn't have on it.*










Just go ahead and buy these releases and be done with it. You'll be thanking me later.


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## JTech82

Another good Strauss set is the one with Rudolf Kempe conducting. He's a fine Strauss interpreter. This is a 9-CD set:


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## confuoco

uuh, my current list is:

1. Brahms: Piano concerto No 2
2. Debussy: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
3. Sibelius: Symphony No 5
4. Wagner: Prelude and Liebestod (Tristan und Isolde)
5. Sibelius: Violin concerto
6. Sibelius: Symphony No 2
7. Debussy: La Mer
8. Brahms: Piano Quartet No 1
9. Brahms: Piano Trio No 1
10. Shostakovich: Symphony No 10


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## World Violist

In no particular order:

Sibelius: Tapiola
Mahler: Symphony No. 6
Rubbra: Symphony No. 6
Dvorak: Cello Concerto
Elgar: Cello Concerto
Sibelius: Symphony No. 6
Mahler: Symphony No. 2
Enescu: Symphony No. 3
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10
Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District


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## Mirror Image

I'm back for more and of course this changes daily.

In no particular order:

1. Sibelius: Kullervo
2. Bruckner: Symphony No. 8
3. Mahler: Symphony No. 6
4. Hindemith: Symphonic Dances
5. Elgar: Cello Concerto
6. Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral"
7. Prokofiev: Romeo And Juliet
8. Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major
9. Debussy: Images for Orchestra
10. Vaughan Williams: Job


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## Tapkaara

Can I just say Pachelbel's Canon 10 times?


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## Sid James

Andre said:


> *
> 1. Bartok - Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta
> 2. Janacek - String Quartet No. 1
> 3. Britten - Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge
> 4. Prokofiev - Violin Concerto No. 1
> 5. Debussy - La Mer
> 6. Varese - Deserts
> 7. Walton - Henry V, a Shakespeare scenario (arr. Christopher Palmer)
> 8. Ravel - Daphnis et Chloe (the full chorus & orchestra version)
> 9. Brahms - Symphony No. 4
> 10. Messiaen - Quartet for the End of Time*


*

I've recently bought a CD which includes Schnittke's Piano Quintet. I think that has edged off the Messiaen. I find the Schnittke even more direct, personal & poignant. A work written for himself to play on piano after his stroke, and also mourning the loss of his mother & Shostakovich.

All the others I'd leave the same, though...*


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## World Violist

Tapkaara said:


> Can I just say Pachelbel's Canon 10 times?


...Why?

Please, there are cellists here I'm sure. Spare them the misery.


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## Air

1. Pachelbel: Canon
2. Vivaldi: Spring
3. Chopin: Minute Waltz
4. Strauss: Blue Danube
5. Ravel: Bolero

Oh yeah!

Now for my updated list (up to 30.)


Mahler: Symphony No. 2
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 2
Ravel: Daphnis et Chloe
Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde
Busoni: Piano Concerto
Prokofiev: Piano Sonata No. 6
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto
Strauss: 4 Last Songs
Franck: Sonata for Violin and Piano
Sibelius: Kullervo
Faure: Requiem
Schumann: Piano Concerto
Prokofiev: Love for Three Oranges
Chopin: Ballade No. 1
Villa-lobos: Choros No. 10
Schubert: Fantasy for Violin and Piano
Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7
Mahler: Symphony No. 1
Saint-Saens: Introduction et Rondo Capriciosso
Sibelius: Violin Concerto
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10
Liszt: Piano Sonata
Ligeti: Requiem
Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie
Dvorak: Cello Concerto
Tchaikovsky: Orchestral Suites
Poulenc: Concert Chapetre


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## World Violist

airad2 said:


> 1. Pachelbel: Canon
> 2. Vivaldi: Spring
> 3. Chopin: Minute Waltz
> 4. Strauss: Blue Danube
> 5. Ravel: Bolero
> 
> Oh yeah!


You missed some things:

Mozart: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (first movement only, not that anyone seems to notice)
Sibelius: Valse Triste
Brahms: Hungarian Dance #5
Debussy: Claire de Lune (note the lack of acknowledgement that it's from the Suite Bergamasque...)
Rachmaninoff: Prelude in C-sharp minor

See, there you have a whole list of pieces by different composers! Amazing!


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## Air

World Violist said:


> You missed some things:
> 
> Mozart: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (first movement only, not that anyone seems to notice)
> Sibelius: Valse Triste
> Brahms: Hungarian Dance #5
> Debussy: Claire de Lune (note the lack of acknowledgement that it's from the Suite Bergamasque...)
> Rachmaninoff: Prelude in C-sharp minor
> 
> See, there you have a whole list of pieces by different composers! Amazing!


(Any girl at my school): OOHH, and I <3 that piano SONG from twilight!!!!!!! (assuming there is one, I've never watched it)


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## World Violist

airad2 said:


> (Any girl at my school): OOHH, and I <3 that piano SONG from twilight!!!!!!! (assuming there is one, I've never watched it)


Yes, several girls in my school have actually learned how to play that... yes, it is in "Twilight"; I was dragged to see it once.

Umm... I'm kinda shocked that Beethoven's 9th isn't on many peoples' lists yet... for all peoples' talk of universal brotherhood and how great the piece is, people don't seem to prefer it so much.


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## confuoco

airad2 said:


> Now for my updated list (up to 30.)
> 
> 30. Poulenc: Concert Chapetre


Did you replace Poulenc Concerto for 2 pianos with Concert champetre?

I consider Concerto for 2 pianos much better. It is more compact and has better form, structure and ideas. Moreover, I think harpsichord is not capable concerto instrument (in Concert champetre I like only its speed, toccata-like part in the third movement).


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## mueske

World Violist said:


> Yes, several girls in my school have actually learned how to play that... yes, it is in "Twilight"; I was dragged to see it once.
> 
> Umm... I'm kinda shocked that Beethoven's 9th isn't on many peoples' lists yet... for all peoples' talk of universal brotherhood and how great the piece is, people don't seem to prefer it so much.


Fear not, it is in my list, number one even!

1. Symphony no. 9 - Beethoven
2. Piano concerto no. 2 - Rachmaninoff

This is where it gets harder...

3. String quartet no. 14 (op. 131) - Beethoven
4. Symphony no. 6 - Mahler
5. Piano sonata no. 1 - Rachmaninoff
6. Grosse fugue - Beethoven (though I usually combine it with op. 130)
7. Vers la flamme - Scriabin
8. Symphony no. 8 - Mahler
9. Piano trio no. 2 - Rachmaninoff
10. String quartet no. 8 - Shostakovich

This was harder than I thought it would be!


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## Air

Mirror Image said:


> I'm back for more and of course this changes daily.
> 
> In no particular order:
> 
> 1. Sibelius: Kullervo
> 2. Bruckner: Symphony No. 8
> 3. Mahler: Symphony No. 6
> 4. Hindemith: Symphonic Dances
> 5. Elgar: Cello Concerto
> 6. Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral"
> 7. Prokofiev: Romeo And Juliet
> 8. Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major
> 9. Debussy: Images for Orchestra
> 10. Vaughan Williams: Job


My goodness, Mirror Image! 2 concerti in the top 10!  What has happened to you? (Congrats to you, by the way) What has happened to all of us after we came to this place?


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## Mirror Image

airad2 said:


> My goodness, Mirror Image! 2 concerti in the top 10!  What has happened to you? (Congrats to you, by the way) What has happened to all of us after we came to this place?


Well I have always enjoyed concertos. What I'm having trouble with are the chamber works, sonatas, operas, etc.


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## andruini

this is just a very "at the moment" thing:

1. Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps
2. Fauré: Requiem
3. Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms
4. Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5
5. Brahms: Piano Sonata #3
6. Chopin: Étude Op. 25, No. 1
7. Rachmaninoff: Spring Cantata
8. Debussy: Deux Arabesques
9. Bach: Cello Suite No. 1
10. Mozart: Serenade No. 10 for Winds K. 361 "Gran Partita"


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## Edmond-Dantes

jezbo said:


> An almost impossible task this, but I'll give it a go. I will be honest and give the works that have given me the most pleasure over the years rather than current faves, but won't impress anyone here with any obscurity in my top 10!
> 
> 1. Stravinsky - Le Sacre du Printemps
> 2. Orff - Carmina Burana
> 3. Rimsky Korsakov - Scheherezade
> 4. Saint Saens - 3rd
> 5. Prokofiev - Love for the 3 Oranges
> 6. Bruckner - 4th
> 7. Stravinsky - Symphony in C
> 8. Beethoven - 6th
> 9. Dvorak - Symphonic Variations
> 10. Balakirev - 2nd
> 
> Bubbling under:
> 
> Mahler - 2nd
> Holst - St Pauls Suite
> Mozart - 41st
> Sibelius - 2nd, Finlandia, Pohjola's Daughter
> Prokofiev - Romeo & Juliet, Scythian Suite
> Dvorak - 7th, 9th
> Bartok - Concerto for Orchestra, The Miraculous Mandarin, Music for Strings Percussion and Celesta
> Stravinsky - The Firebird, Symphony of Psalms


Wow. I think I've found my music Double. LOL Though, as an avid Lizst freak, I must add a crap load of him.  (PS: Not to sound like a broken record, this is hard as hell. LOL )

LISZTS:
Hungarian Rhapsody no. 2 S. 359 
Les Prelude S.97
Liebestraume notturno No. 3 in A flat major
La Campanella II Grand Paganini Etude No. 3
Piano Concerto No. 1 S. 124 Allegro maestoso


----------



## Tapkaara

I like too much music to limit it to a mere top 10.


----------



## Zasranec

handlebar said:


> Tough indeed.
> 
> 2-Moeran-Symphony
> 3-Morean-Violin Concerto
> 
> 7-Moeran-Lonely Waters
> 
> Jim


I gotta get some Moeran.  Is this a good one?


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## glennbuck

So many choices,but at this week im listening to martha argerich's rachmaninov piano concerto no.3.You can listen to it and lots of other classical music videos on my site http://classicalvideoviolin.blogspot.com/ enjoy glenn.


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## Mirror Image

Zasranec said:


> I gotta get some Moeran.  Is this a good one?


That's a very good one, Zasranec, but you might as well buy the others as well. 

















While you're at it pickup some John Ireland, Arnold Bax, and some Arthur Bliss.


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## marval

I am not sure I could do a top ten. There is so much to like, this requires some more listening I think.


Margaret


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## Contrapunctus666

ok, I will post my favourites:

Schubert - String Quartet No. 14
Brahms - Symphony no 1
Beethoven - Symphonies 7, 9 , String Quartet No. 13
Mozart - Requiem
Vivaldi - Four Seasons
Bach - Musical Offering, Mass in B Minor, Art of Fugue

(no order)


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## Zasranec

Mirror Image said:


> While you're at it pickup some John Ireland, Arnold Bax, and some Arthur Bliss.


OK.  I will have to listen to the first one to see if I like it though. Bliss - what do your recommend to start with?


----------



## Mirror Image

Zasranec said:


> OK.  I will have to listen to the first one to see if I like it though. Bliss - what do your recommend to start with?


For Arthur Bliss get this recording with Handley and the Ulster Orchestra:










I can guarantee you will love this recording. The performance of "A Colour Symphony" is worth the price of the CD itself! This release also contains Bliss' amazing "Cello Concerto."


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## tahnak

*Top Ten Classical Works*

1. Tchaikovsky's Pathetique Symphony
2. Schubert's 'Unfinished' symphony
3. Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Scheherazade'
4. Mussorgsky/Ravel's 'Pictures at an Exhibition'
5. Mahler's 'Symphony of a Thousand'
6. Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique
7. Beethoven's 'Choral' Symphony
8. Johannes Brahms' 'Ein Deutches Requiem'
9. Wagner's Der Ring Des Nibelungen
10. Bruckner's Divine Ninth Symphony


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## R-F

I've never been a huge fan of Scheherazade, to be honest. I like other pieces by Rimsky-Korsakov, but I just find Scheherazade a bit boring. I like Cappriccio Espanol a lot.


----------



## handlebar

Tapkaara said:


> I like too much music to limit it to a mere top 10.


Here,here!! Applauds. I agree. I listed some but was strained to do so.

Jim


----------



## Edmond-Dantes

As was every other person that posted up favorite works.  Already, I feel like I want to change my list, but I know that it's only because of my mood. I'll never be content with the list at only 10 songs. (Really, I wouldn't be happy if there were 100 slots open. lol )


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## nickgray

Top 10? Eh, I'll go smartass on that one 

1) Dmitri Shostakovich's symphonies and quartets with a couple other works
2) Richard Wagner's operas
3) Gustav Mahler's symphonies
4) Tchaikovsky's Symphonies and "misc. symphonic stuff" (1812, etc.)
5) Chopin's piano works
6) Vivaldi's concertos
7) Dvorak's symphonies and symph. poems (or tone poems, how do you call them properly?)
8) Beethoven's piano sonatas, symphonies, string quartets and several other works
9) Bach's fugues, concertos, suites
10) Sibelus' symphonies

in no particular order, btw, and still 10 is not enough


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## Zasranec

Mirror Image said:


> For Arthur Bliss get this recording with Handley and the Ulster Orchestra:
> 
> I can guarantee you will love this recording. The performance of "A Colour Symphony" is worth the price of the CD itself! This release also contains Bliss' amazing "Cello Concerto."


Thanks! I tried to listen to snippets of it on Amazon site, but it was not enough to come to any conclusion. I better get the CD.


----------



## Mirror Image

Zasranec said:


> Thanks! I tried to listen to snippets of it on Amazon site, but it was not enough to come to any conclusion. I better get the CD.


You can't tell anything that lasts 29 seconds. Amazon really needs to let it run for at least a minute or so.

It's an excellent recording. You won't be sorry. Handley's performance is essential listening for newcomers of Bliss.


----------



## Artemis

An impossible task, but to illustrate the type of material I like best of all:

1. Schubert - String Quintet in C major
 2. Schubert - Symphony No. 8 in B minor "Unfinished"
 3. Mozart - Symphony No. 40 in G minor
 4. Mozart - Le Nozze di Figaro
 5. Schubert - Piano Sonata No. 21 in B flat
 6. Beethoven - String Quartet No. 14 in C sharp minor
 7. Handel - Messiah
8. Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major
9. Brahms - Piano Quintet in F minor
 10. Mendelssohn - Symphony No. 5 in D major "Reformation"

.............

There is lots of material by other composers I like, e.g. Monteverdi, Purcell, Bach, Vivaldi, Haydn, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Debussy, Delius, Holst, Elgar, Ravel, Sibelius, Bartok, Shostakovich, Walton. But they can't be squeezed into my current "top 10", unfortunately. The three "big" composers I have relatively little time for are Bruckner, Mahler, Stravinsky, although I do have most of their works and occasionally listen to them.


----------



## MEDIEVAL MIAMI

Until now, I never knew who Moeran was. SAD


----------



## danae

post-minimalist said:


> Totally impossible to answer. But if you put a gun to my head I'd like to hear the Adagietto from Mahler's 5th symphony before you pull the trigger.


I couldn't have said it better.


----------



## Mirror Image

This changes everyday, but for today it is:

In no particular order:

1. Debussy: Children's Corner (orchestrated version)
2. Enescu: Symphony No. 2
3. Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 2 "Hymn of Praise"
4. Mozart: Requiem
5. Brahms: Haydn Variations
6. Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral"
7. Liszt: Orpheus
8. Mahler: Symphony No. 5
9. Faure: Pelleas et Melisande
10. Stravinsky: Petrushka


----------



## Metalheadwholovesclasical

Hard to choose a particular order, but I will try from most to least favorite on my top favorite works.

1.) Beethoven - 9th Symphony, the 4th Movement
2.) Bach - Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
3.) Beethoven - 6th Symphony, the 4th Movement
4.) Stravinsky - Rite Of Spring
5.) Ponchielli - Dance of the Hours
6.) Mozart - Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
7.) Dukas - Sorcerer's Apprentice
8.) Orff - O Fortuna
9.) Beethoven - 5th Symphony, 1st Movement
10.) Mozart - 40th Symphony, 1st Movement

There are so many more, it is too hard to choose.


----------



## Herzeleide

Metalheadwholovesclasical said:


> 6.) Mozart - Eine Kleine Nachtmusik


A Little Night Music is great, but if you're looking for something more substantial by Mozart, I can recommend any of his Haydn Quartets, or the Da Ponte operas (just for starters).


----------



## woodwind_fan

This is INSANELY hard to do!! There's absolutely no way I could rank them, and I've probably missed something important out, but off the top of my head I've got:

Mahler 1
Shostakovich 10
Brahms 4
Tchaikovsky 5
Beshazzar's Feast (Walton)
Ein Heldenleben (R Strauss)
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Rachmaninoff)
Suite for Stage Variety Orchestra (formerly known as Jazz Suite No.2, Shostakovich)
Songs for Tony (fantastic sax quartet by Michael Nyman)
Carnival Overture (Dvorak)


----------



## Air

Dropping in for an update here

1. Mahler Symphony No. 2
2. Ravel Daphnis et Chloe
3. Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3
4. Wagner Tristan und Isolde
5. Stravinsky The Rite of Spring
6. Webern Im Sommerwind
7. Prokofiev Piano Sonata No. 6
8. Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
9. Franck Violin Sonata
10. Busoni Piano Concerto

11. Beethoven Symphony No. 7
12. Bruckner Symphony No. 8
13. Faure Requiem
14. Ravel Gaspard de la nuit
15. Sibelius Kullervo
16. Villa-Lobos Choros No. 10
17. Schubert Fantasy for Violin and Piano
18. Prokofiev Symphony No. 5
19. Strauss Four Last Songs
20. Webern Passacaglia

21. Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3
22. Schumann Piano Concerto
23. Strauss Eine Alpensinfonie
24. Sibelius Violin Concerto
25. Poulenc Violin Sonata
26. Hindemith Symphonic Metamorphosis
27. Liebermann Nocturnes
28. Villa-Lobos A floresta do Amazonas
29. Liszt Piano Sonata
30. Schoenberg Verklarte Nacht

I'm afraid Chopin and Saint-Saens have fell out of my favor... Mozart I regret leaving out though...


----------



## Sid James

airad2 said:


> 2. Ravel Daphnis et Chloe
> 5. Stravinsky The Rite of Spring
> 8. Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
> 18. Prokofiev Symphony No. 5
> 21. Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3
> 24. Sibelius Violin Concerto
> 26. Hindemith Symphonic Metamorphosis


Those are also some of my favourite works, but only the Ravel made it into my top 10. I agree with you about Saint-Saens & Chopin. They are probably my least favourite composers, especially the former. & I don't like Glazunov much, either.


----------



## Mirror Image

airad2 said:


> Dropping in for an update here
> 
> 1. Mahler Symphony No. 2
> 2. Ravel Daphnis et Chloe
> 3. Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3
> 4. Wagner Tristan und Isolde
> 5. Stravinsky The Rite of Spring
> 6. Webern Im Sommerwind
> 7. Prokofiev Piano Sonata No. 6
> 8. Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
> 9. Franck Violin Sonata
> 10. Busoni Piano Concerto
> 
> 11. Beethoven Symphony No. 7
> 12. Bruckner Symphony No. 8
> 13. Faure Requiem
> 14. Ravel Gaspard de la nuit
> 15. Sibelius Kullervo
> 16. Villa-Lobos Choros No. 10
> 17. Schubert Fantasy for Violin and Piano
> 18. Prokofiev Symphony No. 5
> 19. Strauss Four Last Songs
> 20. Webern Passacaglia
> 
> 21. Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3
> 22. Schumann Piano Concerto
> 23. Strauss Eine Alpensinfonie
> 24. Sibelius Violin Concerto
> 25. Poulenc Violin Sonata
> 26. Hindemith Symphonic Metamorphosis
> 27. Liebermann Nocturnes
> 28. Villa-Lobos A floresta do Amazonas
> 29. Liszt Piano Sonata
> 30. Schoenberg Verklarte Nacht
> 
> I'm afraid Chopin and Saint-Saens have fell out of my favor... Mozart I regret leaving out though...


That's a great list, airad! You, me, and Andre are all on the same wavelength. This is very interesting.

Have you made friends with Andre yet? He's fun to talk to. Now, you kids play nice.


----------



## Mirror Image

Time for a new list:

1. Mahler: Symphony No. 5
2. Strauss: Oboe Concerto
3. Milhaud: Concerto for Harp and Orchestra
4. Poulenc: Gloria
5. Smetana: Ma Vlast
6. Brahms: Piano Quartet No. 1 (orchestrated by Schoenberg)
7. Debussy: Sonata for flute, viola, and harp
8. Bax: In Memoriam
9. Finzi: Romance for String Orchestra
10. Sibelius: Pohjola's Daughter


----------



## Zasranec

woodwind_fan said:


> Songs for Tony (fantastic sax quartet by Michael Nyman)


What CD is this quartet from?


----------



## bdelykleon

That is a very hard list, but let's try
1. Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart - It's hard to say, brilliant melodic writing, incredible long ensembles, perfect fusion of the drama in the music [not the other way round[)
2. The C minor partita BWV 826 (this might be an odd choice for Bach, I do agree that the Musikalisches Opfer is more intricate and that the B minor Mass and both passions are more Grandiose, but I really love this partita)
3. Clarinet Quintet op. 115 (Brahms)
4. Piano sonata no. 27 op. 90 (Beethoven - another odd choice, but is my favorite piano sonata, the first movement is so energic and concise)
5. String Quartet op. 76 no. 4 (Sunrise) Haydn
6. Die Winterreise (Schubert)
7. String Quartet no. 4 (Bartók)
8. Le Sacre du Printemps (Stravinsky)
9. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner- Feeble philosophy usually spoils most Wagnerian operas for me, the masters of bavaria are a little chauvinistic, but the music is the most brilliant Wagner wrote)
10. Eight book of Madrigal (Monteverdi)


----------



## World Violist

Sibelius: Tapiola
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10 (now one of my favorite symphonies of all time)
Bruckner: Symphony No. 8
Brahms: Symphony No. 2
Brahms: Symphony No. 4
Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde
Ravel: Daphnis et Chloe
Sibelius: Symphony No. 4
Rubbra: Symphony No. 6


----------



## lemarquis

This is too difficult! Can't we make it a top 100 instead? 

OK, off the top of my head and in no particular order:

Beethoven - 3rd Symphony
Sibelius - 2nd Symphony
Bach - 6th Brandenburg Concerto
Liszt - Evening Harmonies
Schubert - 8th Symphony
Chopin - 3rd Ballade
Tchaikovsky - 4th Symphony
Sibelius - En Saga
Wagner - The Ring Cycle
Vivaldi - Cello Concerto RV 531


----------



## Tapkaara

lemarquis said:


> This is too difficult! Can't we make it a top 100 instead?
> 
> OK, off the top of my head and in no particular order:
> 
> Beethoven - 3rd Symphony
> Sibelius - 2nd Symphony
> Bach - 6th Brandenburg Concerto
> Liszt - Evening Harmonies
> Schubert - 8th Symphony
> Chopin - 3rd Ballade
> Tchaikovsky - 4th Symphony
> Sibelius - En Saga
> Wagner - The Ring Cycle
> Vivaldi - Cello Concerto RV 531


A fellow Sibelian...I like you already!


----------



## wolf

Insanely difficult, but these are the four best lists anyway...

1.


jhar26 said:


> ...-Mozart...Le Nozze di Figaro
> -Strauss...Der Rosenkavalier
> -Beethoven...Symphony No.9
> -Bach...Mass in B Minor
> -Mozart...Clarinet Quintet
> -Mendelssohn...Violin Concerto
> -Schubert...String Quintet D.956
> -Elgar...Cello Concerto
> -Puccini...La Boheme
> -Schumann...Piano Concerto


2.


David C Coleman said:


> ...1) Beethoven Symphony Nr. 3
> 2) ------------------------- Nr.6
> 3)-------------------------- Nr.7
> 4)---------------------------Nr.9
> 5) Bruckner Symphony Nr.4
> 6) ---------------------------Nr.7
> 7)----------------------------Nr.8
> 8)Mozart Symphony Nr.40
> 9)----------------------------Nr.41
> 10)Schubert Symphony Nr.9...


3.


Artemis said:


> ...1. Schubert - String Quintet in C major
> 2. Schubert - Symphony No. 8 in B minor "Unfinished"
> 3. Mozart - Symphony No. 40 in G minor
> 4. Mozart - Le Nozze di Figaro
> 5. Schubert - Piano Sonata No. 21 in B flat
> 6. Beethoven - String Quartet No. 14 in C sharp minor
> 7. Handel - Messiah
> 8. Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major
> 9. Brahms - Piano Quintet in F minor
> 10. Mendelssohn - Symphony No. 5 in D major "Reformation"
> 
> .......


4.


bdelykleon said:


> ...1. Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart - It's hard to say, brilliant melodic writing, incredible long ensembles, perfect fusion of the drama in the music [not the other way round[)
> 2. The C minor partita BWV 826 (this might be an odd choice for Bach, I do agree that the Musikalisches Opfer is more intricate and that the B minor Mass and both passions are more Grandiose, but I really love this partita)
> 3. Clarinet Quintet op. 115 (Brahms)
> 4. Piano sonata no. 27 op. 90 (Beethoven - another odd choice, but is my favorite piano sonata, the first movement is so energic and concise)
> 5. String Quartet op. 76 no. 4 (Sunrise) Haydn
> 6. Die Winterreise (Schubert)
> 7. String Quartet no. 4 (Bartók)
> 8. Le Sacre du Printemps (Stravinsky)
> 9. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner- Feeble philosophy usually spoils most Wagnerian operas for me, the masters of bavaria are a little chauvinistic, but the music is the most brilliant Wagner wrote)
> 10. Eight book of Madrigal (Monteverdi)


----------



## Air

Andre said:


> Those are also some of my favourite works, but only the Ravel made it into my top 10. I agree with you about Saint-Saens & Chopin. They are probably my least favourite composers, especially the former. & I don't like Glazunov much, either.


There are exactly 5 Russian Composers I absolutely CANNOT STAND...

Glazunoff
Balakireff
Lyadoff
Lyapunoff
Kabalevsky

Otherwise, I'm a big slavic fan: I mean Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Medtner, Scriabin, Khachaturian, Taneyev, Borodin, Rimsky, Mussorgsky... I mean seriously.



wolf said:


> Insanely difficult, but these are the four best lists anyway...


In your opinion, may I add. Maybe Neoclassicism and Impressionism aren't your cup of tea. Why do you never listen to Debussy, Ravel, and "above all Delius"? (It's OK, I dislike Delius as well. )


----------



## Tapkaara

I cannot stand Glazunov and Kabelevsky either...!


----------



## mueske

I quite like Glazunov, his first symphony is rather good in my opinion. A little dated for the time perhaps, but quite nice. It has very memorable tunes.


----------



## Mirror Image

Today, in no particular order:

1. Brahms: A German Requiem
2. Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5
3. Corelli: Concerto Grasso in G minor
4. Haydn: Trumpet Concerto in E flat
5. Dvorak: Cello Concerto
6. Smetana: Ma Vlast
7. Barber: Symphony No. 2
8. Delius: North Country Sketches
9. Finzi: Clarinet Concerto
10. Poulenc: Stabat Mater


----------



## wolf

airad2 said:


> ...In your opinion, may I add. Maybe Neoclassicism and Impressionism aren't your cup of tea. Why do you never listen to Debussy, Ravel, and "above all Delius"? (It's OK, I dislike Delius as well. )


Actually I take it for granted that it's only in 'my opinion'. But I don't want to waste space by always stating that it's only 'my views', so I'll go on saying 'it is' and so on. Why I never listen to Debussy or Ravel, well NEVER is a strong word - Daphnis I listened to last week actually - but it's seldom, I haven't heard Debussy for a month. The simple reason is that they don't say much to me. Debussy was the only classical composer that I 'liked' during my rock era (apart from Spring-moonlight-mountanHall etcetc) but Ravel sounded like noise to me then, so I like HIM better now. I would never read while listening to Mzt or Verdi, but I can have Debussy as a 'background' when reading.

And why do they not say much to me? Don't know actually, I use classical music like a drug. I only go by the cerebral and emotional euphoria, so if it does not produce that, I don't care about it much. I can't will myself to like anything. As for Delius and Satie - although 1000 times superior to rock - I can honestly say that it's not even once a year. Stravinsky I can listen to now and then, end even enjoy, but none of his ouvres would enter my 100 greatest works-list.

As for Schönberg and Berg I like'em a lot, but that's another - and more enjoyable - story.


----------



## Tapkaara

wolf said:


> I use classical music like a drug. I only go by the cerebral and emotional euphoria, so if it does not produce that, I don't care about it much. I can't will myself to like anything.


I think this is an important and honest quotation. It sums up my feelings towards classical music, and I'd imagine others in here would say that, too.

It seems like sometimes people forget there is, after all, SOME amount of enjoyment that goes into listening to anything. Be it a bouncy, rollicking Mozart piano concerto or a grim and brooding Mahler funeral march. But we listen because the feelings we get are good feelings, and we feel enriched as human beings.


----------



## JAKE WYB

1 - SIBELIUS - tapiola
2 - BAX - spring fire
3 - DVORAK - water goblin
4 - SIBELIUS - Lemminkainen legends
5 - RACHMANINOV - isle of the dead
6 - VW - tallis fantasia
7 - SHOSTAKOVICH - symhony11
8 - BARTOK - miracuuos mandarin
9 - TCHAIKOVSKY - manfred symphony
10 - JANACEK - glagolitic mass 

amogst many many others of course


----------



## Mirror Image

JAKE WYB said:


> 1 - SIBELIUS - tapiola
> 2 - BAX - spring fire
> 3 - DVORAK - water goblin
> 4 - SIBELIUS - Lemminkainen legends
> 5 - RACHMANINOV - isle of the dead
> 6 - VW - tallis fantasia
> 7 - SHOSTAKOVICH - symhony11
> 8 - BARTOK - miracuuos mandarin
> 9 - TCHAIKOVSKY - manfred symphony
> 10 - JANACEK - glagolitic mass
> 
> amogst many many others of course


My God, JAKE WYB, we must have been born from the same mother! All of those pieces are simply outstanding. The Janacek, Dvorak, Bartok, Bax, and Shostakovich are a nice touch.


----------



## Sid James

Mirror Image said:


> My God, JAKE WYB, we must have been born from the same mother! All of those pieces are simply outstanding. The Janacek, Dvorak, Bartok, Bax, and Shostakovich are a nice touch.


I agree, this is a superb list. Like him, I also gravitate sometimes towards the darker works in the repertoire. Very interesting...


----------



## Cyclops

Oh this is difficult. There's so much good music out there. To narrow it to 10 is a nightmare but I'll try.
Not in any kind of order because music is so subjective and dependant on one's mood.
But 10 pieces I really like are
Beethoven,Moonlight Sonata
Debussy,Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun 
Mussorgsky,Night on a Bare Mountain
Stravinsky,the Firebird
Holst,The Planets
Schubert, Trout Quintet
Mozart,Sym 40
Tchaikovsky,Serenade for Strings
Giazzotto,the Albinoni Adagio
JSBach, Toccata and Fugue for Organ(one of the few pieces of Bach I can stand)


----------



## Bach

> JSBach, Toccata and Fugue for Organ(one of the few pieces of Bach I can stand)


Oh dear...


----------



## Bach

Music I would be lost without:


The Ring Cycle - *Wagner*
Tristan und Isolde - *Wagner*
Parsifal - *Wagner*
The Art of Fugue - *Bach*
The Cello Suites, Violin Partitas + Sonatas - *Bach*
The Well Tempered Klavier - *Bach*
The Late Quartets - *Beethoven*
The Late Piano Sonatas - *Beethoven*
The Three Early Ballets - *Stravinsky*
The Later Piano Concerti - *Mozart*

In no particular order..


----------



## Cyclops

Bach said:


> Oh dear...


Ha. I do like the Goldberg variations but the disk I have is a noisy Glenn Gould recording full of hums and moans from Mr Gould. It stops me playing the disk!


----------



## wolf

Cyclops said:


> Ha. I do like the Goldberg variations but the disk I have is a noisy Glenn Gould recording full of hums and moans from Mr Gould. It stops me playing the disk!


Glenn G is....well you have found out for yourself.


----------



## Cyclops

wolf said:


> Glenn G is....well you have found out for yourself.


Most people I speak to revere him as a god,and that influenced my buying decision. Oh you simply MUST get Gould's recording. Well i did and now I can't play it!


----------



## Air

Bach said:


> Music I would be lost without:
> 
> 
> The Ring Cycle - *Wagner*
> Tristan und Isolde - *Wagner*
> Parsifal - *Wagner*
> The Art of Fugue - *Bach*
> The Cello Suites, Violin Partitas + Sonatas - *Bach*
> The Well Tempered Klavier - *Bach*
> The Late Quartets - *Beethoven*
> The Late Piano Sonatas - *Beethoven*
> The Three Early Ballets - *Stravinsky*
> The Later Piano Concerti - *Mozart*
> 
> In no particular order..


Great list, but should this be allowed? Let's see: 3 + 1 + 1 + 19 + 18 + 48 + 6 (approximation) + 11 (approximation) + 3 + 9 (approximation) = *119*



Cyclops said:


> JSBach, Toccata and Fugue for Organ(one of the few pieces of Bach I can stand)


Was that even written by Bach?


----------



## Mirror Image

Bach said:


> Music I would be lost without:
> 
> 
> The Ring Cycle - *Wagner*
> Tristan und Isolde - *Wagner*
> Parsifal - *Wagner*
> The Art of Fugue - *Bach*
> The Cello Suites, Violin Partitas + Sonatas - *Bach*
> The Well Tempered Klavier - *Bach*
> The Late Quartets - *Beethoven*
> The Late Piano Sonatas - *Beethoven*
> The Three Early Ballets - *Stravinsky*
> The Later Piano Concerti - *Mozart*
> 
> In no particular order..


That's a lot of Wagner on your list Bach. I didn't think over-blown and pompous emotional-heavy classical music was to your liking, especially considering the tongue lashings you give Mahler on a regular basis. 

But it's nice to know there's a heart in there somewhere. This only reaffirms the fact that you like what you like and there's nothing anyone can say or do that will change how you really feel about something.

What this also means is your a person full of contradictions.


----------



## Bach

Overblown sentimentality? Wagner is one of our western cultures greatest artists - all of his emotive writing is deep and sublime, but never tasteless or oppressive. Although Wagner's music is rife with emotion it is never self-indulgent and always true to the text. Don't compare Wagner's incomparable, eternal form of expression to Mahler's Sylvia Plath flops..


----------



## Bach

Don't forget that Wagner is a composer of music drama. His emotions are created for the purposes of the story, not his own masturbatory ego. (not that he was a humble man, of course) And also, don't forget that he is a supreme genius.


----------



## World Violist

Mirror Image said:


> What this also means is your a person full of contradictions.


Just because someone likes Wagner doesn't mean they'll necessarily like Mahler. They aren't the same composer.

I have another list... I think I do, anyway... in no particular order, as always:

Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde
Sibelius: Tapiola
Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem
Delius: Cello Concerto
Ravel: Daphnis et Chloe
Debussy: Nocturnes
Aho: Cello Concerto
Elgar: Cello Concerto
Dvorak: Cello Concerto
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10

Wow... four cello concerti and one symphony... haha.


----------



## Chi_townPhilly

I tried to form a list for "top 10 composers" and "favorite 30 composers," (other threads of this ilk), but struggled greatly. I had particular difficulty with the latter one, as by the time I got past 18 or so, I found increasingly tenuous justification for placing some on the list, and omitting others. I think I can handle this one though, especially if I impose some categorical restraint on myself in the nature of that found back in this thread. So here goes...

My top Symphony: *Beethoven* _Symphony #7_
My top Opera: *Wagner* _Ring Cycle_. If forced to select one "music drama," I'd instead say _Tristan und Isolde_
My top Ballet Music: *Tchaikovsky* _Swan Lake_
My top Piano Concerto: *Rachmaninoff* 3
My top Other Concerto: *Brahms* Violin
My top Orchestral Suite: *Rimsky-Korsakov* _Scheherazade_
My top Piano Solo Work: *Chopin* _Andante Spianato & Grande Polonaise Brilliante_
My top Solo Organ Work: *Bach* _Toccata & Fugue in D minor (565)_
My top Solo Violin Work: *Paganini* _24 Caprices_
My top Chamber Work: *Beethoven* _String Quartet in E-flat Major, Opus 127_

There. That's 10- or two touchdowns and a pair of converted extra-points, if you want to count the Ring Cycle as four pieces... and that would be okay with me...

P.S.: among the people who had considerable admiration for Wagner, count Mahler himself, who conducted his works extensively, most famously at the Vienna Opera


----------



## Bach

Chi_town/Philly said:


> My top Ballet Music: *Tchaikovsky* _Swan Lake_]


Above Stravinsky's ballets? If you weren't such a fine Wagnerian I would think you were quite mad!


----------



## Cyclops

Bach said:


> Above Stravinsky's ballets? If you weren't such a fine Wagnerian I would think you were quite mad!


Hmmm Firebird or Swan Lake? Well i like both,depends on the mood I'm in. As for Wagner,there's only one or two pieces of his I really like


----------



## Bach

Rite of Spring or Swan Lake! Haha, the comparison is laughable. 

And what do you like by Wagner?


----------



## Cyclops

Bach said:


> Rite of Spring or Swan Lake! Haha, the comparison is laughable.
> 
> And what do you like by Wagner?


Oh thats easy,Swan Lake,no contest.
What do I like of Wagner,Ride of the Valkyries and the Siegfried Idyll,a relatively new find for me thanks to BBC Music magazine


----------



## Bach

Listen to Tristan before you embark on The Ring


----------



## Cyclops

Bach said:


> Listen to Tristan before you embark on The Ring


I had a disk with instrumental Tristan excerpts but i wasn't really that impressed. And i have no intention of listening to the Ring thank you very much! I cannot stand the vocal music in it. I like choral music,voices en masse but cannot abide operatic singing! For me it would be punishment to have to listen to such music!


----------



## Bach

Uh..

okay..

..sorry?

..[ad hom removed]..


----------



## Cyclops

Bach said:


> Uh..
> 
> okay..
> 
> ..sorry?
> 
> ..[ad hom removed]..


Now now Mr Bach,just because I don't like opera you can't call me a [ad hom removed]. I could take serious offence at that but of course thats exactly what you want isn't it!


----------



## wolf

Cyclops said:


> Now now Mr Bach,just because I don't like opera you can't call me a [ad hom removed]. I could take serious offence at that but of course thats exactly what you want isn't it!


He called me a [ad hom removed] too, I'm not sure why, possibly because I accused rock/pop of the sixties and seventies, of being preoccupied with whats fashionable and that they had nostalgia as one of their main ingredients, as has Debussy.

I don't care really, it was too stupid. I know what I know and that is a very great deal. As why he is needling you a lot, it was possibly because you said that Toccata/Fugue was the ONLY piece of Bach you could stand! Actually the fugue is not rotten, but the piece is so grotesquely overplayed that most in here have a hard time listening to it. Also your list was mostly such pieces that non-classicals listen to. But I can see that you will listen to more and then liking it, surely.

As for opera, there is of tradition very much sneering if a classical listener do not 'care' to listen to opera or chambermusic. In fact the music is so good that you cannot afford to take offence just because a chamber ensemble might sound thin compared to a whole orchestra, or that solo voices striding highly, isn't your cup of tea. For 'us', it's nothing to discuss - you don't say you cannot stand opera, you learn to listen instead. Forget about the plots, they might be phoney, but the music excuses evrything...


----------



## Metalheadwholovesclasical

Herzeleide said:


> A Little Night Music is great, but if you're looking for something more substantial by Mozart, I can recommend any of his Haydn Quartets, or the Da Ponte operas (just for starters).


I have been recently listening to a lot of his piano concertos, and been getting more in depth with his symphonies as well. I am loving most of the piano concertos and symphonies (Especially the 40th) I also checked out a couple operas (Marriage of Figaro being my favorite so far) I have been expanding my listening of Mozart.


----------



## wolf

Metalheadwholovesclasical said:


> I have been recently listening to a lot of his piano concertos, and been getting more in depth with his symphonies as well. I am loving most of the piano concertos and symphonies (Especially the 40th) I also checked out a couple operas (Marriage of Figaro being my favorite so far) I have been expanding my listening of Mozart.


You'll have an orgy of listening ahead of you, I'm almost envious. As for his late pianoconcertos they are as artistically on the same high level as his last 4 symphonies, and the 40th is the most fabulous, of is symphonies.

As for Figaro, that is perhaps the most perfect opera ever written. It's a world of light and grace and beauty, an ouverture more 'floatingly wonderful' doesn't exist...


----------



## Bach

wolf said:


> You'll have an orgy of listening ahead of you, I'm almost envious. As for his late pianoconcertos they are as artistically on the same high level as his last 4 symphonies, and the 40th is the most fabulous, of is symphonies.


Wrong. The 41st.


----------



## Cyclops

Such arrogance•••


----------



## bdelykleon

As for beginners, I think _Don Giovanni_ has a wider appeal, the drama of the punished rake going to the underworld is easier to understand than the subtle class relations of Figaro (with even sublter music, of course).


----------



## jhar26

My top 10 favourite Mozart symphonies

-1 No.41 "Jupiter"
-2 No.40
-3 No.38 "Prague"
-4 No.36 "Linz"
-5 No.39
-6 No.35 "Haffner"
-7 No.29
-8 No.25
-9 No.34
10 No.31 "Paris"


----------



## wolf

jhar26 said:


> My top 10 favourite Mozart symphonies
> 
> -1 No.41 "Jupiter"
> -2 No.40
> -3 No.38 "Prague"
> -4 No.36 "Linz"
> -5 No.39
> -6 No.35 "Haffner"
> -7 No.29
> -8 No.25
> -9 No.34
> 10 No.31 "Paris"


1. 40
2. 41
3. 38
4. 39

These are the only one in Beethoven class, although

5. 35 is a very nice one.

The rest I feel is lesser than most of his concertos, piano, clarinet, even violin,K364 etc etc



Cyclops said:


> Such arrogance•••


It isn't really arrogance, just his view. The 41th 4th mvt is out of this world, but I feel that the 1st mvt isn't really quite up to 40th, and 40th is as a whole a more 'together' symphony. This said I WORSHIP 41th...


----------



## jhar26

wolf said:


> 1. 40
> 2. 41
> 3. 38
> 4. 39
> 
> These are the only one in Beethoven class


Well, they don't have to be in Beethoven's class to be good - not many composers wrote ANY symphonies that are in Beethoven's class. Besides, nos.25, 29, 26 and 36 were very good, they just came at an earlier point in the history of the genre. It would have been very unlikely for Mozart (or any other composer) to write a symphony on the scale of the "Jupiter" in 1773 (when he composed No.25) just as it would have been unlikely for Beethoven to compose his No.9 in 1800. Just a matter of evolution.


----------



## bdelykleon

jhar26 said:


> Well, they don't have to be in Beethoven's class to be good. Nos.25, 29, 26 and 36 were very good for the time when they were composed. It would have been very unlikely for Mozart (or any other composer) to write a symphony on the scale of the "Jupiter" in 1773 (when he composed No.25) just as it would have been unlikely for Beethoven to compose his No.9 in 1800. Just a matter of the evolution of the symphony as a genre.


By 1773 Haydn had written quite a few symphonies on the scale of the Jupiter. Symphonies 26 and 44 are fantastic symphonies.


----------



## Cyclops

wolf said:


> As for opera, there is of tradition very much sneering if a classical listener do not 'care' to listen to opera or chambermusic. In fact the music is so good that you cannot afford to take offence just because a chamber ensemble might sound thin compared to a whole orchestra, or that solo voices striding highly, isn't your cup of tea. For 'us', it's nothing to discuss - you don't say you cannot stand opera, you learn to listen instead. Forget about the plots, they might be phoney, but the music excuses evrything...


You cannot learn to like something you don't,and just because you don't like opera it doesn't mean you know nothing about music. That is a snobbish attitude.


----------



## jhar26

bdelykleon said:


> By 1773 Haydn had written quite a few symphonies on the scale of the Jupiter. Symphonies 26 and 44 are fantastic symphonies.


Really? On the scale of the Jupiter? Well, I guess I should learn to keep my mouth shut unless I'm 100% sure that I got my facts straight.


----------



## jhar26

Cyclops said:


> You cannot learn to like something you don't, and just because you don't like opera it doesn't mean you know nothing about music. That is a snobbish attitude.


Of course it doesn't mean that you know nothing about music. Could be that at some point you'll become interested in opera anyway. Stranger things have happened. All it will take is that one work that will connect with you and you'll be on your way.


----------



## bdelykleon

Not liking the way of singing is just a matter of getting used to it. Usually people who don't like the large vibratto, high notes and high drama of verist singing, tend to perfer early music. If you get a go into a good Monteverdi opera, you might find your way into the genre. Antoher good chance are some of Britten's opera, they are very good and quite different from the usual Italian Melodrama, and usually sung in a more restrained manner, and to an English national, an opera in English may be easier to enjoy. Give it try, opera is the greatest single genre in music history and there's more reward in it than in any other one.


----------



## Cyclops

jhar26 said:


> Of course it doesn't mean that you know nothing about music. Could be that at some point you'll become interested in opera anyway. Stranger things have happened. All it will take is that one work that will connect with you and you'll be on your way.


Well i like Nessun Dorma and I have the CD of Gorecki's Symphony 3 with Dawn Upshaw but thats as far as it goes. High melodramatic opera,particularly the female parts,is like nails on a chalkboard! I cringe at the thought.


----------



## Cyclops

bdelykleon said:


> Not liking the way of singing is just a matter of getting used to it. Usually people who don't like the large vibratto, high notes and high drama of verist singing, tend to perfer early music. If you get a go into a good Monteverdi opera, you might find your way into the genre. Antoher good chance are some of Britten's opera, they are very good and quite different from the usual Italian Melodrama, and usually sung in a more restrained manner, and to an English national, an opera in English may be easier to enjoy. Give it try, opera is the greatest single genre in music history and there's more reward in it than in any other one.


Why are you all pushing me to liking opera like its the most important thing in life? Its not,its just music and a story. And just because I'm English that doesn't mean I'll prefer English opera. I've tried it,didn't like it. End of.


----------



## jhar26

Cyclops said:


> Why are you all pushing me to liking opera like its the most important thing in life?


Because it's the most important thing in life. 

No seriously - we ain't pushing you (I ain't anyway). It's just that some of us get so much out of it that we want others to share the experience. But if you don't like it that's cool too as far as I am concerned.


----------



## Cyclops

jhar26 said:


> Because it's the most important thing in life.
> 
> No seriously - we ain't pushing you (I ain't anyway). It's just that some of us get so much out of it that we want others to share the experience. But if you don't like it that's cool too as far as I am concerned.


I wish others were as sensible as you!


----------



## bdelykleon

Ok sorry to bother.


----------



## Cyclops

bdelykleon said:


> Ok sorry to bother.


No problem. 
Look maybe I've been a little narrow minded here. I just heard a part of the Ring on a TV documentary and found a pleasant passage with voices en masse. So i should maybe listen to the Ring(tho I will baulk at certain solo sections),but one reason I stay away from Wagner is the association with the Nazi movement. Whenever I hear a piece from the Ring I think of Hitler,The National Front etc and now there's talk of the BNP getting a seat in parliament! Scary thought.


----------



## Bach

That's a silly predjudice - Wagner knew not of such a party, and I'm quite sure he wouldn't have supported it (the idea of such a man conceding to any form of authority is unimaginable)


----------



## Cyclops

Bach said:


> That's a silly predjudice - Wagner knew not of such a party, and I'm quite sure he wouldn't have supported it (the idea of such a man conceding to any form of authority is unimaginable)


Yes it is a silly prejudice but its one I can't help making. I must admit I did enjoy the incidental music to Tristan and Isolde I used to have on a CD. I'm just not sure I could sit thru the whole Ring cycle. Maybe do it in sections-i understand its an immense work!


----------



## Bach

It's an unparalleled work that defies comparison. It's among the most influential and enigmatic works in the history of western art. It's not easy listening, and certainly not 'relaxing' (the vulgar word often attached to classical music by philistines that think anything without a beat relaxes you) but immensely rewarding. I recommend J.K. Holman's Companion.


----------



## Cyclops

Oh I'd never say Wagner was relaxing,not going by his Tristan and Isolde. Any music that stirs the emotions like that could never be relaxing. And music MUST stir the emotions.


----------



## Bach

Ah, you see.. you're drawn into his mesmerizing gaze already. Listen to Tristan first, I recommend Daniel Baremboim's recording. You can hear it on Spotify for free.

Download spotify from here: http://www.spotify.com/

Make an account

Then search for this:

spotify:album:6BIzBPVDbAw4DdyMOENCFe

Beautiful Tristan recording, in it's entirety, entirely free.

Search for any music on spotify - it's all there.


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## Cyclops

Yes I've heard of this Spotify. Pity you can't d'load the MP3s,as the speakers built into the laptop are pretty naff


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## Mirror Image

Wagner is a great composer. I really need to listen his music more. Bach, has made me want to her him more. I have only heard parts of "The Ring" trilogy.


----------



## wolf

Cyclops said:


> You cannot learn to like something you don't,and just because you don't like opera it doesn't mean you know nothing about music. That is a snobbish attitude.


I absolutely agree, that you cannot. If you love rock, it doesn't help if anyone plays a lot of classical to you, but you probably ALREADY have it in you to like opera. You might not like the high soprano voices yet, but there are 'calmer' sort of voices in opera, Katleen Ferrier singing in early operas without ornamentation and coloratura for example. And as you obviously have heard some orchestral pieces out of operas, that you like, I assure you that there are many hours of music - and much of it without voices - in opera, that you will love if you found them.

Have you heard 'Meditation' by Massenet? It's greatly loved and comes out of an opera. Also out of Cavalleria Rusticana comes a wonderful piece tht you might know of, the Overture to Parsifal, the music between the acts in the same opera, and all the wonderful overtures in countless operas! La Forza el Destino of Verdi is a good overture, and 'Orfeus and Eurudice' and 'Samson and Delila' (perhaps not the last act), are 2 operas that are calm and with wonderful melodies both in the orchestra and in the singing. As for Wagner and nazi - yes wagner was an antisemite, and a bullying egocentric in his personal life, bwtf? The music is divine. I recommend Lohengrin for Wagner starts - you have probably already heard the worldfamous overture, and the like can be said of Tannhäuser.


----------



## Bach

Mirror Image said:


> Wagner is a great composer. I really need to listen his music more. Bach, has made me want to her him more. I have only heard parts of "The Ring" trilogy.


If you have a good hifi hooked up to your computer, then use Spotify and listen to Tristan. Otherwise, you should order the CD!


----------



## jhar26

Mirror Image said:


> Wagner is a great composer. I really need to listen his music more. Bach, has made me want to her him more. I have only heard parts of "The Ring" trilogy.


There are four Ring operas actually...

Since you're so much into symphonic music maybe a selection of the orchestral bits from his operas like the one below is a better introduction to his music for you.










Complete recordings of his operas will be a must eventually, but since you once told me that you hate opera, challenging (and extremely long) works like 'Tristan' or 'The Ring' don't seem like an ideal introduction to the genre to me.

Just my opinion though - I could be wrong.


----------



## Bach

jhar26 said:


> There are four Ring operas actually...
> 
> Since you're so much into symphonic music maybe a selection of the orchestral bits from his operas like the one below is a better introduction to his music for you.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Complete recordings of his operas will be a must eventually, but since you once told me that you hate opera, challenging (and extremely long) works like 'Tristan' or 'The Ring' don't seem like an ideal introduction to the genre to me.
> 
> Just my opinion though - I could be wrong.


The Ring is often described as a trilogy - Das Rheingold was written as a prelude to the main events in the subsequent three.

They are an ideal introduction if you're like Mirror Image who adores orchestral music - I can't think of many (if any) who use the orchestra quite like Wagner. The vocal lines are lyrical and continuous not florid or irritating like baroque or classical opera can occasionally be. And, I know Mirror loves his sublime emotions - no composer creates them like Wagner.


----------



## jhar26

Bach said:


> The Ring is often described as a trilogy - Das Rheingold was written as a prelude to the main events in the subsequent three.
> 
> They are an ideal introduction if you're like Mirror Image who adores orchestral music - I can't think of many (if any) who use the orchestra quite like Wagner. The vocal lines are lyrical and continuous not florid or irritating like baroque or classical opera can occasionally be. And, I know Mirror loves his sublime emotions - no composer creates them like Wagner.


Well argued, Bach.


----------



## Metalheadwholovesclasical

wolf said:


> You'll have an orgy of listening ahead of you, I'm almost envious. As for his late pianoconcertos they are as artistically on the same high level as his last 4 symphonies, and the 40th is the most fabulous, of is symphonies.
> 
> As for Figaro, that is perhaps the most perfect opera ever written. It's a world of light and grace and beauty, an ouverture more 'floatingly wonderful' doesn't exist...


Definately. I had been under estimating him, I have expanded my taste and am really starting to enjoy his music.


----------



## Mirror Image

jhar26 said:


> There are four Ring operas actually...
> 
> Since you're so much into symphonic music maybe a selection of the orchestral bits from his operas like the one below is a better introduction to his music for you.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Complete recordings of his operas will be a must eventually, but since you once told me that you hate opera, challenging (and extremely long) works like 'Tristan' or 'The Ring' don't seem like an ideal introduction to the genre to me.
> 
> Just my opinion though - I could be wrong.


Thanks, jhar. I will checkout that recording.

Wagner's work is daunting because it's so vast, but I think if I take him a little bit at a time, I can fully appreciate him.


----------



## Mirror Image

Bach said:


> The Ring is often described as a trilogy - Das Rheingold was written as a prelude to the main events in the subsequent three.
> 
> They are an ideal introduction if you're like Mirror Image who adores orchestral music - I can't think of many (if any) who use the orchestra quite like Wagner. The vocal lines are lyrical and continuous not florid or irritating like baroque or classical opera can occasionally be. And, I know Mirror loves his sublime emotions - no composer creates them like Wagner.


Hey Bach have you checked out this box set by Solti?










I have a friend who's a big Wagner nut and he played some of this and it's just beautiful. I'll have to him to make copies of it. It's 12 CDs and is the entire Ring trilogy.


----------



## Chi_townPhilly

Maybe it's because _Tolkien_'s 3-novel saga is so deeply embedded into our collective memories accounts for the fact that some still talk about the "Ring Trilogy." I prefer saying "Ring Cycle;" although it can also be credibly referred to as a "tetrology."

Wagner himself referred to its performance as a 'Stage Festival' consisting of "a preliminary evening" and "three days." On that account, I guess you could defensibly say that *Das Rheingold* is the "introduction" and *Die Walküre*, *Siegfried*, & *Götterdämmerung* constitute the "trilogy," but this falls in the realm of "news printed to fit." For my part, I'll stick with 'cycle.'

Re: the Solti Ring... did we get the count right?! My copy is 14 discs- _Rheingold_- 2 CDs, _Walküre_- 4 CDs, _Siegfried_- 4 CDs, _Götterdämmerung_- 4 CDs.


----------



## Bach

Mirror Image said:


> Hey Bach have you checked out this box set by Solti?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have a friend who's a big Wagner nut and he played some of this and it's just beautiful. I'll have to him to make copies of it. It's 12 CDs and is the entire Ring trilogy.


Most Wagnerians would have that set, and I'm no exception! It is very beautiful.


----------



## bdelykleon

Bach said:


> Most Wagnerians would have that set, and I'm no exception! It is very beautiful.


The audio samples of thunders and the else are extremely clumsy, and Solti's conducting is dull. My favorite Ring is this one:


----------



## Herzeleide

I quite like the Solti. The Barenboim/Kupfer Ring however, is more consistent insofar as it doesn't treat the cycle as a series of climaxes and spectacular moments - something which, for all its positive aspects, the Solti tends to do.

BTW I don't find Solti's conducting dull, and I don't find the thunder effects clumsy.


----------



## Bach

I've found the best combination - this is how I most frequently listen:

Solti's Rheingold
Bohm's Siegfried
Solti's Walkure
Baremboim's Gotterdammerung


----------



## jhar26

Mirror Image said:


> Hey Bach have you checked out this box set by Solti?


I have that Solti set too. And I also have the 7 dvd Levine set.


----------



## Mirror Image

Let's see today it is...

In no particular order:

1. Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10
2. Bax: Tintagel
3. Berlioz: Harold in Italy
4. Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem
5. Chausson: Symphony in B flat
6. Albeniz: Iberia
7. Prokofiev: Alexander Nevsky
8. Smetana: Ma Vlast
9. Suk: A Summer's Tale
10. Poulenc: Piano Concerto


----------



## Cyclops

Hey Mirror,we share 4 of those 10 pieces you listed. 
I have your 1,6 and 8 in my collection and have heard Bax's Tintagel


----------



## Mirror Image

Cyclops said:


> Hey Mirror,we share 4 of those 10 pieces you listed.
> I have your 1,6 and 8 in my collection and have heard Bax's Tintagel


That's cool. You have to love Shostakovich's 10th. Amazing piece of music.


----------



## Cyclops

Mirror Image said:


> That's cool. You have to love Shostakovich's 10th. Amazing piece of music.


Indeed altho I've only heard it twice,and for now his number 11 reigns supreme for me(maybe cos its the first Shostakovich piece I heard?)


----------



## Lisztfreak

Cyclops said:


> Indeed altho I've only heard it twice,and for now his number 11 reigns supreme for me(maybe cos its the first Shostakovich piece I heard?)


Isn't the closing part of the second movement of the 11th among most terrifying and shocking music you've ever heard?


----------



## Cyclops

Lisztfreak said:


> Isn't the closing part of the second movement of the 11th among most terrifying and shocking music you've ever heard?


Hmmm need a re listen,but yes the 11 is very stirring


----------



## Lisztfreak

Cyclops said:


> Hmmm need a re listen,but yes the 11 is very stirring


I meant the build-up in terrible glissandi from the brass and then the outburst of the march of soldiers coming to shoot the demonstrators in front of the Winter Palace. Such horror in that forceful march, and then the ice-cold grey silence... you can positively see the hundreds of dead bodies with blood glinting in silvery moonlight.


----------



## Mirror Image

Lisztfreak said:


> I meant the build-up in terrible glissandi from the brass and then the outburst of the march of soldiers coming to shoot the demonstrators in front of the Winter Palace. Such horror in that forceful march, and then the ice-cold grey silence... you can positively see the hundreds of dead bodies with blood glinting in silvery moonlight.


I don't know the 2nd movement to Symphony No. 10 is pretty horrifying.


----------



## Tapkaara

I've always really liked Shostakovich's 12th, but no one ever seems to mention it.


----------



## Lisztfreak

Tapkaara said:


> I've always really liked Shostakovich's 12th, but no one ever seems to mention it.


I have always, on the other hand, felt that it is the weakest of his symphonies together with the agit-prop ones (2 & 3). Although all three do have fine moments. Even so, the coda to the 12th is just too far-fetched.


----------



## Tapkaara

Lisztfreak said:


> I have always, on the other hand, felt that it is the weakest of his symphonies together with the agit-prop ones (2 & 3). Although all three do have fine moments. Even so, the coda to the 12th is just too far-fetched.




Well, you can't please all the people all the time!


----------



## Cyclops

Lisztfreak said:


> I meant the build-up in terrible glissandi from the brass and then the outburst of the march of soldiers coming to shoot the demonstrators in front of the Winter Palace. Such horror in that forceful march, and then the ice-cold grey silence... you can positively see the hundreds of dead bodies with blood glinting in silvery moonlight.


Oh yes I'm on the second movement now,I remember what you mean. Very loud and dramatic then quiet after a few bars. And a tune you can hum. Strange music to play while walking the dog!


----------



## Lisztfreak

Tapkaara said:


> Well, you can't please all the people all the time!


Totally true. As Debussy said: 'Pleasure is the law.' And I bet he added, only no one wrote it down: 'So shut the **** up and listen!' So whoever enjoys this symphony, I fully approve.


----------



## Sid James

My latest list, complementing rather than replacing the last one:

(no particular order)

1. Henze - Violin Concerto No. 1
2. Sculthorpe - Sun Music I-IV
3. Conyngham - Water...Footsteps...Time
4. Piazzolla - Maria de Buenos Aires Suite
5. Haydn - Symphony No. 99
6. Mahler - Kindertotenlieder
7. Lutoslawski - Symphony No. 2
8. Carter - Dialogues
9. Gubaidulina - Seven Words
10. Poulenc - Concerto for Organ, Strings & Timpani

& more:

11. Sutherland - Haunted Hills
12. Liszt - A Faust Symphony
13. Bliss - Clarinet Quintet
14. Schnittke - Piano Quintet
15. Lovelock - Sinfonia Concertante for Organ & Strings
16. Verdi - Opera choruses
17. Dean - Beggars & Angels
18. Haydn - Symphony No. 101 'Clock'
19. Bloch - Voice in the Wilderness
20. Tchaikovsky - Souvenir de Florence


----------



## Tapkaara

Andre said:


> My latest list, complementing rather than replacing the last one:
> 
> (no particular order)
> 
> 1. Henze - Violin Concerto No. 1
> 2. Sculthorpe - Sun Music I-IV
> 3. Conyngham - Water...Footsteps...Time
> 4. Piazzolla - Maria de Buenos Aires Suite
> 5. Haydn - Symphony No. 99
> 6. Mahler - Kindertotenlieder
> 7. Lutoslawski - Symphony No. 2
> 8. Carter - Dialogues
> 9. Gubaidulina - Seven Words
> 10. Poulenc - Concerto for Organ, Strings & Timpani
> 
> & more:
> 
> 11. Sutherland - Haunted Hills
> 12. Liszt - A Faust Symphony
> 13. Bliss - Clarinet Quintet
> 14. Schnittke - Piano Quintet
> 15. Lovelock - Sinfonia Concertante for Organ & Strings
> 16. Verdi - Opera choruses
> 17. Dean - Beggars & Angels
> 18. Haydn - Symphony No. 101 'Clock'
> 19. Bloch - Voice in the Wilderness
> 20. Tchaikovsky - Souvenir de Florence


This list is as varied and uncoventional as they come. My hat's off to you, Andre, for having such eclectic tastes and not being afraid to stand up for lesser-known composers and their works.


----------



## Mirror Image

Tapkaara said:


> This list is as varied and uncoventional as they come. My hat's off to you, Andre, for having such eclectic tastes and not being afraid to stand up for lesser-known composers and their works.


Yes, our friend Andre has very eclectic tastes. That's why we like him!

He's certainly done much more exploring than I have though I've done a good bit myself.


----------



## Sid James

Tapkaara said:


> This list is as varied and uncoventional as they come. My hat's off to you, Andre, for having such eclectic tastes and not being afraid to stand up for lesser-known composers and their works.


Well I'm trying not to be so western euro-centric & trying to explore classical from other sources & traditions. Hence composers like Gubaidulina, Schnittke (Russia), Piazzolla (Argentina), Lutoslawski (Poland) & also composers from my neck of the woods, Australia eg. Conyngham, Sculthorpe, Dean, Sutherland, Lovelock.

I'm interested in getting to know other South American composers like Ginastera & Chavez. I also saw a cd of Armenian composers which I might get. Of course, I like Western European/British/American composers too. It's just all about variety for me. Yes, I am quite eclectic in my tastes, you are right...


----------



## Mirror Image

Andre said:


> Well I'm trying not to be so western euro-centric & trying to explore classical from other sources & traditions. Hence composers like Gubaidulina, Schnittke (Russia), Piazzolla (Argentina), Lutoslawski (Poland) & also composers from my neck of the woods, Australia eg. Conyngham, Sculthorpe, Dean, Sutherland, Lovelock.
> 
> I'm interested in getting to know other South American composers like Ginastera & Chavez. I also saw a cd of Armenian composers which I might get. Of course, I like Western European/British/American composers too. It's just all about variety for me. Yes, I am quite eclectic in my tastes, you are right...


That's awesome, Andre. I'm pretty Euro-centric with my tastes. I like exploring all the countries in Europe.

Tapkaara is quite knowledgeable about Asian composers, most notably, Japanese and Chinese composers. He supports a great composer named Afukube. He's quite a good composer. I need to checkout more of his works and explore Japan's classical heritage.


----------



## Tapkaara

Mirror Image said:


> That's awesome, Andre. I'm pretty Euro-centric with my tastes. I like exploring all the countries in Europe.
> 
> Tapkaara is quite knowledgeable about Asian composers, most notably, Japanese and Chinese composers.


Oh, I really only know about Japanese composers. Chinese composers are next on my list.


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## Mirror Image

Tapkaara said:


> Oh, I really only know about Japanese composers. Chinese composers are next on my list.


Ah....well that's still more than I know about Asian composers.


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## Sid James

I agree that there's a whole world of classical out there beyond the confines of Western Europe & the USA. It's actually Tapkaara's work on this website that encouraged me to buy cd's of Ifukube & Takemitsu. I'm receptive to anything outside the box. Yes, Bach, Handel, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms and company are great, but there's so much more to classical music than the Western European tradition they represent...


----------



## Mirror Image

Andre said:


> I agree that there's a whole world of classical out there beyond the confines of Western Europe & the USA. It's actually Tapkaara's work on this website that encouraged me to buy cd's of Ifukube & Takemitsu. I'm receptive to anything outside the box. Yes, Bach, Handel, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms and company are great, but there's so much more to classical music than the Western European tradition they represent...


Absolutely. I would say that there are still many American composers that haven't been given the light of day.

Diamond, Tower, William Schuman, Chadwick, Beach, Foote, Rorem, Roy Harris, Grofe, Horatio Parker, Howard Hanson, etc. are still severely in need of more recognition I think.


----------



## Tapkaara

Andre said:


> I'm receptive to anything outside the box. Yes, Bach, Handel, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms and company are great, but there's so much more to classical music than the Western European tradition they represent...


Oh yes indeed! Classical music is just perfect for the adventurous type. With so many different composers and styles out there, it seems criminal to play it safe and stay on the beaten path...


----------



## bdelykleon

Andre said:


> I'm interested in getting to know other South American composers like Ginastera & Chavez.


Just a geography question, how can a Mexican composer be South American?


----------



## Tapkaara

bdelykleon said:


> Just a geography question, how can a Mexican composer be South American?


I believe Mexico is North America.


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## kg4fxg

*Which CD's*

Well,

I'm working on it. I have over 786 CD's. It is so hard to pick only 10.


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## Tapkaara

kg4fxg said:


> It is so hard to pick only 10.


I'd say it's impossible.


----------



## Sid James

Some more:

1. Walton: Hamlet (film music)
2. Honegger: Les Miserables (film music)
3. Shostakovich: Odna (Alone) (film music)
4. Villa-Lobos: Choros No. 8
5. Ifukube: Ritmica Ostinata
6. Berg: Lyric Suite for string quartet
7. Takemitsu: 3 Film scores for string orchestra
8. Tippett: Piano Concerto
9. Dvorak: Piano Quintet 'Dumka'
10. Wolf: Italian Serenade



kg4fxg said:


> I'm working on it. I have over 786 CD's. It is so hard to pick only 10.


It's just for fun, not set in stone. Maybe I should have named the thread '10 things you are listening to now' or something...


----------



## kg4fxg

*I have not given up hope!*

I will get my 10 but it may take awhile. The whole process makes me read program notes and discover pieces I have neglected. Great question, maybe I'll focus on my top ten I listen to this month.


----------



## Mirror Image

Still impossible to answer, but for today my top 10 are the following:

In no particular order:

1. Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2
2. Bax: Winter Legends
3. Dvorak: Cello Concerto
4. Vaughan Williams: Five Variants On Wives and Lazarus
5. Berlioz: L'enfance du Christ
6. Britten: Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge
7. Saint-Saens: Piano Concerto No. 5
8. Rameau: Castor et Pollux - Scène funèbre
9. Gliere: The Red Poppy
10. Barber: Violin Concerto


----------



## JAKE WYB

these are my ten favourite less performed works - as far as i can see anyway

Janacek - The eternal gospel
Shostakovich - the execution of stepan razin
Bax - nympholept
Dvorak - Kate and the Devil overture
Sibelius - Scene with cranes
Vaughan Williams - oboe concerto
Rachmaninov - caprice bohemien
Bartok - hungarian sketches
Liszt - Heroide Funebre
Sibelius - funeral music op.111


----------



## Sid James

JAKE WYB said:


> these are my ten favourite less performed works - as far as i can see anyway
> 
> Janacek - The eternal gospel
> Shostakovich - the execution of stepan razin
> Bax - nympholept
> Dvorak - Kate and the Devil overture
> Sibelius - Scene with cranes
> Vaughan Williams - oboe concerto
> Rachmaninov - caprice bohemien
> Bartok - hungarian sketches
> Liszt - Heroide Funebre
> Sibelius - funeral music op.111


I haven't heard any of these pieces, though I know these composers. An interesting repertoire, Jake Wyb!

& Mirror Image, I know & also love those Rachmaninov, Vaughan Williams, Berlioz, Dvorak & Barber works you mention. My own first list had the Britten Variations. What a superb work, it has everything a work for string orchestra should have. & written only in his 20's! What a genius, I should explore Britten more...


----------



## Mirror Image

Andre said:


> I haven't heard any of these pieces, though I know these composers. An interesting repertoire, Jake Wyb!
> 
> & Mirror Image, I know & also love those Rachmaninov, Vaughan Williams, Berlioz, Dvorak & Barber works you mention. My own first list had the Britten Variations. What a superb work, it has everything a work for string orchestra should have. & written only in his 20's! What a genius, I should explore Britten more...


Yes, you must hear more Britten, Andre! He composed some beautiful music in my opinion. I think you would enjoy much of his music.


----------



## Sid James

Mirror Image said:


> Yes, you must hear more Britten, Andre! He composed some beautiful music in my opinion. I think you would enjoy much of his music.


Yeah, Britten was a great composer. I remember seeing the _Bridge Variations _performed live, it was awesome! The textures & sounds he brings out of the strings just have to be heard live to be believed! Of course, a great digital recording gives it some justice...

I've never heard a piece from Britten that was not engaging, and sometimes riveting. Like the _Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes_, those bell sounds wafting over the seaside town, such an insightful picture. & to my knowledge, he was a big, if subliminal, influence on younger composers such as Henze & Part.

I've also got his _Simple Symphony _& have heard his _Violin Concerto_. What other pieces by him would you recommend?


----------



## Mirror Image

Andre said:


> Yeah, Britten was a great composer. I remember seeing the _Bridge Variations _performed live, it was awesome! The textures & sounds he brings out of the strings just have to be heard live to be believed! Of course, a great digital recording gives it some justice...
> 
> I've never heard a piece from Britten that was not engaging, and sometimes riveting. Like the _Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes_, those bell sounds wafting over the seaside town, such an insightful picture. & to my knowledge, he was a big, if subliminal, influence on younger composers such as Henze & Part.
> 
> I've also got his _Simple Symphony _& have heard his _Violin Concerto_. What other pieces by him would you recommend?


"Sinfonia da Requiem," "War Requiem," "Ballad of Heroes," "Prelude and Fugue," "Cantata Misericordium," "Scottish Ballad," "Canadian Overture," "American Overture," "The Building of the House - Overture," "Suite On English Folk Tunes," "Symphony for Cello and Orchestra," "Bridge Over Jordan Suite," and "Young Apollo."

You will find much enjoyment in these works I think. Believe it or not, I wasn't a big Britten fan until after I heard "Piano Concerto." That piece turned me onto his music.


----------



## Sid James

Mirror Image, thanks for those recommendations, I'll check them out at some stage. Getting more Britten is on my to-do list. I've always been interested in his music, as you know, he's in my top 10, definitely... Of those pieces, I've only heard the _Sinfonia da Requiem_ on radio, which you have reminded me of...


----------



## Mirror Image

Andre said:


> Mirror Image, thanks for those recommendations, I'll check them out at some stage. Getting more Britten is on my to-do list. I've always been interested in his music, as you know, he's in my top 10, definitely... Of those pieces, I've only heard the _Sinfonia da Requiem_ on radio, which you have reminded me of...


You're welcome, Andre.

All of this talk of Britten has made me want to break out some Britten and start listening again. 

I really like his music. In particular I like the composition "Ballad of Heroes," which is kind of apart of an "anti-war" trilogy along with "War Requiem" and "Sinfonia da Requiem." It certainly is a powerful piece of music. I own two versions: Simon Rattle/CBSO and Hickox/LSO. Both versions are fantastic.


----------



## Sid James

Lots of discussion about Britten on this thread between us, Mirror Image, but that's ok. It's bringing back the memories of great pieces. I'm reminded that I actually heard his song-cycle, the _Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings_, live in concert. Probably one of the best song-cycles of the C20th! I'll have to get that too, at some stage...


----------



## Mirror Image

Andre said:


> Lots of discussion about Britten on this thread between us, Mirror Image, but that's ok. It's bringing back the memories of great pieces. I'm reminded that I actually heard his song-cycle, the _Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings_, live in concert. Probably one of the best song-cycles of the C20th! I'll have to get that too, at some stage...


Oh that's an excellent piece. I have the version with Britten conducting and Sir Peter Pears singing. I'm not keen on vocals that much, as you know, but Pears really had a great voice I think.


----------



## andruini

Updated list:

1. Fauré: Requiem
2. Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms
3. Tallis: Spem in Alium
4. Smetana: Ma Vlast
5. Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring
6. Nielsen: Hymnus Amoris
7. Beethoven: Symphony No. 7
8. Stravinsky: Apollon Musagète
9. Janácek: Glagolitic Mass
10. Smetana: String Quartet "From My Life"


----------



## Zeniyama

Being very inclined to piano music, many of these works are for or feature the piano.

1. Piano Sonata no. 3 - Sergei Prokofiev
2. Pictures at an Exhibition - Modest Mussorgsky
3. Prometheus: Poem of Fire - Alexander Scriabin
4. Italian Serenade - Hugo Wolf
5. Piano Concertino - Arthur Honegger
6. La Belle Excentrique - Erik Satie
7. Turkish March from the Capture of Kars - Modest Mussorgsky
8. Piano Concerto in Eb Major- John Ireland
9. Oriental Sketch - Sergei Rachmaninoff
10. Ballet Mechanique - George Antheil

Hmmm... My list seems artificial to me. I may have to revise it.


----------



## mueske

Zeniyama said:


> Being very inclined to piano music, many of these works are for or feature the piano.
> 
> 1. Piano Sonata no. 3 - Sergei Prokofiev
> 2. Pictures at an Exhibition - Modest Mussorgsky
> 3. Prometheus: Poem of Fire - Alexander Scriabin
> 4. Italian Serenade - Hugo Wolf
> 5. Piano Concertino - Arthur Honegger
> 6. La Belle Excentrique - Erik Satie
> 7. Turkish March from the Capture of Kars - Modest Mussorgsky
> 8. Piano Concerto in Eb Major- John Ireland
> 9. Oriental Sketch - Sergei Rachmaninoff
> 10. Ballet Mechanique - George Antheil
> 
> Hmmm... My list seems artificial to me. I may have to revise it.


Rachmaninoff's oriental sketch, now that's something you don't see often in a top 10 list. Why that piece?


----------



## Zeniyama

mueske said:


> Rachmaninoff's oriental sketch, now that's something you don't see often in a top 10 list. Why that piece?


I don't know. Something about that piece just makes me enjoy it immensely. I think it's the brevity coupled with the exciting mood.


----------



## Fibonacci

No particular order:

Concerto Grosso in A minor - Vivaldi 

6th Symphony - Beethoven 

an other" Minuet in G - also from the Anna Magdelena notebooks but not the Minuet in G you are thinking of....

Overture from Royal Fireworks - Handel (sounds like a symphony almost..hmmm)

Piano Concerto No 5 - Beethoven

Concerto Grosso in G minor - Corelli

Concerto for Flute and Harp in C major - Mozart

Harpsichord Concerto in F minor (largo) - Bach

Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 (3rd) - Bach

Summer (1 allegro non molto) - Vivaldi

Winter (1 and 3) - Vivaldi

The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba - Handel

Humoresque No 7 - Dvorak


----------



## andruini

Zeniyama said:


> Being very inclined to piano music, many of these works are for or feature the piano.
> 
> 1. Piano Sonata no. 3 - Sergei Prokofiev
> 2. Pictures at an Exhibition - Modest Mussorgsky
> 3. Prometheus: Poem of Fire - Alexander Scriabin
> 4. Italian Serenade - Hugo Wolf
> 5. Piano Concertino - Arthur Honegger
> 6. La Belle Excentrique - Erik Satie
> 7. Turkish March from the Capture of Kars - Modest Mussorgsky
> 8. Piano Concerto in Eb Major- John Ireland
> 9. Oriental Sketch - Sergei Rachmaninoff
> 10. Ballet Mechanique - George Antheil
> 
> Hmmm... My list seems artificial to me. I may have to revise it.


Big ups on the inclusion of Antheil's Ballet Mechanique.. A truly excellent piece.. I'm quite fond of his piano works as well.. I like that quote of his you have as your signature.


----------



## Mirror Image

Recently:

In no particular order:

1. Arnold: Concertino for Oboe and Strings
2. Delius: Sea Drift
3. Delius: Songs of Farewell
4. Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5
5. Brahms: Violin Concerto
6. Nielsen: Symphony No. 2 "The Four Temperments"
7. Poulenc: Sonata for Oboe and Piano
8. Stenhammar: Serenade
9. Sibelius: Kullervo
10. Walton: In Honour of the City of London


----------



## Sid James

(Not in order):

1. Byrd - Mass for Four Voices
2. Xenakis - Shaar
3. Penderecki - Cello Concerto
4. Schoenberg - Moses und Aaron
5. Szymanowski - String Quartet No. 2
6. Stravinsky - Double Canon
7. Berg - Piano Sonata
8. Tal - Symphony No. 3
9. Hartmann - Piano Sonata '27 April 1945'
10. Prokofiev - Symphony-Concerto for 'cello & orchestra


----------



## Ravellian

I hate the intellectual shortcomings of these 'list' topics, but I feel a weird urge to post in them anyway. >_< I assume that by 'favorites' we generally mean those works that we listen to the most because we enjoy them, not because we're trying to create some arbitrary list of the 'greatest' works ever made. So here goes:

1. Wagner- Tristan und Isolde
2. Tchaikovsky- Pathetique Symphony

^ These two are a no-brainer, then I have to think for a little bit...

3. Beethoven- Piano Sonata No. 32 in Cm
4. Rachmaninoff- Piano Concerto No. 3
5. Beethoven- Eroica Symphony
6. Tchaikovsky- Piano Concerto No. 1
7. Ravel- Piano Concerto in G
8. Ravel- Daphne et Chloe
9. Chopin- Piano Sonata No. 2
10. Mahler- Symphony No. 9


----------



## Mirror Image

Ravellian said:


> 7. Ravel- Piano Concerto in G
> 8. Ravel- Daphne et Chloe


Great choices. There's nothing quite like the full ballet of "Daphnis et Chloe." I think the suites for this ballet are a waste of time. The "Piano Concerto in G" is another favorite Ravel piece of mine. The first and third movements have a strong Gershwin and jazz-influence while the second movement "Adagio Assai" is really classic, heart-on-sleeve Ravel.


----------



## PartisanRanger

Mirror Image said:


> The "Piano Concerto in G" is another favorite Ravel piece of mine. The first and third movements have a strong Gershwin and jazz-influence while the second movement "Adagio Assai" is really classic, heart-on-sleeve Ravel.


Agreed. The first and second movements in particular are just fantastic.


----------



## Zeniyama

Okay, I'm going to see if I can't revise my list a bit...

1. Piano Sonata no. 3 - Sergei Prokofiev
2. Pictures at an Exhibition - Modest Mussorgsky
3. Piano Sonata no. 5 - Alexander Scriabin
4. Violin Sonata no. 4 - Charles Ives
5. Piano Concertino - Arthur Honegger
6. Italian Serenade - Hugo Wolf
7. La Belle Excentrique - Erik Satie
8. Piano Concerto in Eb major - John Ireland
9. Ballet Mechanique - George Antheil
10. String Quartet no. 2 - Leoš Janáček

Hmmm... still doesn't seem quite right. I may have to think harder about it.

The problem is that I have so many works that I really love a lot. It's hard to choose.


----------



## Mirror Image

Zeniyama said:


> 8. Piano Concerto in Eb major - John Ireland


Great piece of music right there! No question about it. Ireland is underrated, unappreciated, and a sadly neglected composer, especially around here.


----------



## Zeniyama

Mirror Image said:


> Great piece of music right there! No question about it. Ireland is underrated, unappreciated, and a sadly neglected composer, especially around here.


I've loved the concerto since my first time stumbling upon it, which is coincidentally how I found out who John Ireland is.

Yes, very sadly neglected. It's strange that such a unique and talented composer should disappear into obscurity.


----------



## Mirror Image

Zeniyama said:


> I've loved the concerto since my first time stumbling upon it, which is coincidentally how I found out who John Ireland is.
> 
> Yes, very sadly neglected. It's strange that such a unique and talented composer should disappear into obscurity.


There are a lot of composers that just dwindle into obscurity for whatever reasons. I'm sick and tired of over abundance of Beethoven, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, etc. on the market, but these composers are what sell records aren't they? Do you honestly think Myaskovsky or Dyson sell records or concert seats? Only hardcore classical fans, like you and I, know who the other composers are anyway.


----------



## Zeniyama

Mirror Image said:


> There are a lot of composers that just dwindle into obscurity for whatever reasons. I'm sick and tired of over abundance of Beethoven, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, etc. on the market, but these composers are what sell records aren't they? Do you honestly think Myaskovsky or Dyson sell records or concert seats? Only hardcore classical fans, like you and I, know who the other composers are anyway.


Ooh, I haven't heard anything by Myaskovsky in a while. Time for me to go look him up.

Whenever any of my friends talks about classical music, they always talk about the very famous works, like Beethoven's _Ninth_ and Elgar's _Pomp and Circumstance_, but they'll miss out on great obscure works, like Ralph Vaughan Williams _Romance for Harmonica_ or Francis Poulenc's _Gloria_. It's a real pity that things should be this way; there's a great wealth of really beautiful music that gets over-looked.


----------



## Mirror Image

Zeniyama said:


> Ooh, I haven't heard anything by Myaskovsky in a while. Time for me to go look him up.
> 
> Whenever any of my friends talks about classical music, they always talk about the very famous works, like Beethoven's _Ninth_ and Elgar's _Pomp and Circumstance_, but they'll miss out on great obscure works, like Ralph Vaughan Williams _Romance for Harmonica_ or Francis Poulenc's _Gloria_. It's a real pity that things should be this way; there's a great wealth of really beautiful music that gets over-looked.


I think it is unfortunate that people miss out on such great works as Langgaard's 'Symphony No. 1" or Szymanowski's "Stabat Mater." It is a real pity like you said.

As I said, only the hardcore classical fans, like you and I, are the ones that are actually interested enough to go exploring.


----------



## andruini

It really is a pity that works like Farrar's "The Forsaken Merman" and Karamanov's "Symphony no. 23 "I Am Jesus"" and Toch's "Symphony No. 5" are ignored by so many people..

Ok.. Who's next??


----------



## Ravellian

I think it'd be really helpful, to me at least, if some of the senior members of this board who have been listening to classical for 20+ years could make a big list of the Most Underappreciated Classical Composers.. I'd find it very helpful.


----------



## StlukesguildOhio

Again... no particular order:

1. J.S. Bach- Well Tempered Clavier
2. J.S. Bach- Suites for Solo Cello
3. W.A. Mozart- The Magic Flute
4. W.A. Mozart- Le Nozze de Figaro
5. Beethoven- Symphony no. 9
6. Richard Wagner- Tristan und Isolde
7. Franz Schubert- Die Winterreise
8. Richard Strauss- Four Last Songs
9. Gustav Mahler- Song of the Earth
10. Shostakovitch- Preludes and Fugues

Obviously most of my selections come from the usual "big boys"... but this does not mean I don't listen to others as well... I might also add that given another day 5 or more would probably be different. If I were to add another 10 to the list they might include:

1. J.S. Bach- Alto Cantatas (BWV 35, 169, 170) as well as nos. 140, 147
2. Joseph Haydn- The Creation
3. Handel- The Messiah (I can't avoid this one)
4. W.A. Mozart- Clarinet Quintet
5. Mussorgsky- Boris Gudunov
6. Wagner- Parsifal
7. Puccini- Madame Butterfly
8. anon. Spanish XII c. Sibilia Galaica
9. Szymanowsky- Harnasie
10. Richard Strauss- Der Rosenkavalier

obviously vocal music rules for me.


----------



## Mirror Image

Well today it is:

1. Alwyn: Lyra Angelica
2. Ives: Symphony No. 1
3. Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major
4. Prokofiev: Symphony No. 4
5. Myaskovsky: Symphony No. 25
6. Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1
7. Walton: Sonata for String Orchestra
8. Arnold: Peterloo Overture
9. Saint-Saens: Piano Concerto No. 5
10. Schoenberg: Gurrelieder


----------



## StlukesguildOhio

Schoenberg: Gurrelieder

Great piece, eh? Who would've guessed what he'd soon become?


----------



## Mirror Image

StlukesguildOhio said:


> Schoenberg: Gurrelieder
> 
> Great piece, eh? Who would've guessed what he'd soon become?


Absolutely it's a great piece. I love the orchestration of the piece. Very beautiful.


----------



## Zeniyama

Time to figure out what my favourites are today...

1. String Quartet no. 8 in C Minor - Dmitri Shostakovich
2. Piano Trio - Charles Ives
3. Pictures at an Exhibition - Modest Mussorgsky
4. Piano Sonata "1. X. 1905" - Leoš Janáček
5. Symphonie Liturgique - Arthur Honegger
6. Pieces Froides - Erik Satie
7. Romanian Folk Dances - Béla Bartók
8. Gruppen - Karlheinz Stockhausen
9. Pierrot Lunaire - Arnold Schoenberg
10. Vers la Flamme - Alexander Scriabin

Hmmm... mostly modern...

It's difficult for me to put my finger on exactly what my favourite compositions are, because as anyone can probably tell, I have a very varied taste in music.


----------



## Sid James

(Not in any particular order):

1. Ligeti - Requiem
2. Durufle - Requiem
3. Haydn - Symphony No. 101 'The Clock'
4. Sculthorpe - Piano Concerto
5. Dutilleux - Cello Concerto
6. Penderecki - Symphony No. 1
7. Villa-Lobos - solo piano works
8. Debussy - Violin Sonata
9. Richard Meale - Voss (an Australian opera, composed in the 1980's, based on Patrick White's novel)
10. Berg - Lulu Suite



Mirror Image said:


> Well today it is:
> 
> ...7. Walton: Sonata for String Orchestra...


That's a string orchestra arrangement Walton made late in his career (with the help of Malcolm Arnold) of his String Quartet, composed in the '40's. It's significant because it's the only work in which he experimented with atonality. I also love this work, the Australian Chamber Orchestra have made a recording of it, performed it live, but I missed out. Maybe they'll do it again sometime?


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## Mirror Image

Andre said:


> That's a string orchestra arrangement Walton made late in his career (with the help of Malcolm Arnold) of his String Quartet, composed in the '40's. It's significant because it's the only work in which he experimented with atonality. I also love this work, the Australian Chamber Orchestra have made a recording of it, performed it live, but I missed out. Maybe they'll do it again sometime?


I'm quite familiar with the history of this piece. It's a great piece.


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## Fergus

The first five came to me easily enough:

Beethoven - 9th Symphony
Beethoven - 5th Symphony
Debussy - La Mer
Holst - The Planets
Stravinsky - The Firebird

The rest I had to think about more:

Debussy - Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun
Mussorgsky - Pictures at an Exhibition
Mussorgsky - Night on Bald Mountain
Bach - Toccata & Fugue In D Minor (BWV 565)
Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata

Some of the music of Bax might well go in my top ten at a future time, but I still haven't listened to his music enough to know individual pieces .


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## Mirror Image

Fergus said:


> Debussy - La Mer
> Holst - The Planets
> Stravinsky - The Firebird
> Debussy - Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun
> 
> Some of the music of Bax might well go in my top ten at a future time, but I still haven't listened to his music enough to know individual pieces.


All those are first-rate pieces of music. You mentioned Bax. What recordings do you own of his? Perhaps I can assist you with some recommendations. I'm a big Bax fan.


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## Sid James

Just heard the complete _Firebird_ ballet by Stravinsky on radio. It's such a different piece, in it's complete form, to the suite. You can really hear the influence of his teacher, Rimsky Korsakov. It was composed in 1910 for the Ballet Russe in Paris, and Stravinsky was chosen to write it over two other more experienced composers, Liadov & Tcherepnin. Naturally, it was a hit, and led to more commissions such as _Petrushka_ & _The Rite of Spring_...


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## Mirror Image

Andre said:


> Just heard the complete _Firebird_ ballet by Stravinsky on radio. It's such a different piece, in it's complete form, to the suite. You can really hear the influence of his teacher, Rimsky Korsakov. It was composed in 1910 for the Ballet Russe in Paris, and Stravinsky was chosen to write it over two other more experienced composers, Liadov & Tcherepnin. Naturally, it was a hit, and led to more commissions such as _Petrushka_ & _The Rite of Spring_...


I actually prefer "Petrushka" to "Firebird" and "The Rite of Spring." I think "Petrushka" has more melodic appeal or at least in my opnion it does. I haven't listened to it in quite some time.


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## Sid James

This is digressing a bit, but the concert I heard Stravinsky's _Firebird_ was from the London Proms, and before the piece, the presenter interviewed the conductor (can't remember his name), who said that it's difficult to perform these works in a purely concert setting, as they were written to accompany a story, seen visually in a ballet format. So when you are evaluating them purely as musical pieces, it's very different to what the composer had originally intended. But they are still great orchestral works, nonetheless. I suppose it would make a big difference if one actually saw these pieces performed as ballets on DVD or live, rather than hearing them on a CD or just seeing an orchestra play them.

By the way, if people are fans of Stravinsky's ballets, they are all being played in concert at the London Proms this season, so tune in to your radios if you enjoy this repertoire...


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## Zeniyama

More revised.

1. Symphony no. 5 in Bb Major - Sergei Prokofiev
2. Pictures at an Exhibition - Modest Mussorgsky
3. Rhapsody for Piano - John Ireland
4. Gayaneh Suite - Aram Khachaturian
5. Violin Sonata no. 4 - Charles Ives
6. Fantastic Dance - Frederick Delius
7. Piano Concerto in C Minor - Frederick Delius
8. Quarter-Tone Pieces - Charles Ives
9. Romance for Harmonica - Ralph Vaughan Williams
10. Symphony Liturgique - Arthur Honegger


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## Fergus

Mirror Image said:


> All those are first-rate pieces of music. You mentioned Bax. What recordings do you own of his? Perhaps I can assist you with some recommendations. I'm a big Bax fan.


Thanks. I have the Naxos recordings of his symphonies, along with the tone poems from the same albums.


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## Mirror Image

Fergus said:


> Thanks. I have the Naxos recordings of his symphonies, along with the tone poems from the same albums.


Well I want to direct to the nine volume series on the Chandos label of his orchestral works. It's a fantastic series and Thomson and Handley do a fantastic job. The David Lloyd-Jones cycle is good, but you should hear Thomson's and Handley's interpretations as well. Also seek out the Chandos recording of Bax's chamber works. Great music.


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## Zeniyama

Time for the current list...

1. Symphony no. 9 "The Great" - Franz Schubert
2. Wanderer Fantasy - Franz Schubert
3. Night on Bald Mountain - Modest Mussorgsky
4. Prince Igor - Alexander Borodin
5. Pictures at an Exhibition - Modest Mussorgsky
6. Piano Sonata no. 7 "White Mass" - Alexander Scriabin
7. Piano Sonata no. 3 - Sergei Prokofiev
8. Suite "Pour le Piano" - Claude Debussy
9. Pavane pour une infante défunte - Maurice Ravel
10. Piano Sonata no. 3 - Giacinto Scelsi

This list was a bit difficult for me because for every one I felt like putting down a piece by Schubert, but I didn't quite feel right doing that. It's strange how easily I get drawn to Schubert... something about his music is just completely consuming to me.


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## Mirror Image

Zeniyama said:


> 9. Pavane pour une infante défunte - Maurice Ravel


Always a beautiful choice. Ravel is obviously one of my favorite composers.


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## Cortision

How appallingly difficult! But I will take a stab

Beethoven - Piano Concerto No 4
Beethoven - Symphony No 7
Mozart - Symphony No 40
Debussy - Suite Bergamasque
Dvorak - Symphony No 7
Brahms - Variations on a theme of Haydn
Handel - The Messiah
Franck - Symphony in D minor
Elgar - Enigma variations
Mozart - Wind Serenade No 10 

Yes, I love symphonies! In ten minutes time I would probably come up with a completely different list.


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## Vic

Ok. I will try this.

Berg - Violin Concerto
Mozart - Die Zauberfloete
Bach - Cello Suites
Bartok - String Quartets (Don't make me choose one!)
Janacek - String Quartet 2
Shostakovich - Symphony 10
Mahler - Symphony 2
Shostokovich - String Quartet 8
Stravinski - the rite of spring
Wagner - der Ring

However, I haven't listened to any Vaughan Williams or Prokofiev or Nielsen or ..... yet, so this might change!


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## Sid James

Cortision said:


> How appallingly difficult! But I will take a stab...


Well maybe it would have been better for me to call the thread '10 things you are listening to now" or something like that. It would have been less daunting for people. But maybe people shouldn't take this too seriously, as some have already noticed, things are not set in stone...


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## JAKE WYB

My favourites im listening to now then - -

Grieg - Lyric pieces - *Notturno, Waldestille, Norwegisch, evening in the mountains, brooklet etc..*
Bartok - *Piano concerto 2*
Bax - *Elegiac trio*
Sibelius - *symphony 6*
Mendelssohn -* Symphony 3*- just started to appreciate it - even above 5
Janacek - *Jenufa*
Stravinsky - *Les Noces*
shostakovich- *symphony 11* - went to see it at albert hall in august - was spectacular and dramatic in the extreme - it was so rivetting that even my father didnt start snoring _once_ which is a spectacular achievement

none are grabbing my attention as much at the moment...


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## Artemis

1. Schubert: String Quintet in C major, D 956 
2. Mozart: Serenade No 10 in B flat major “Gran Partita” 
3. Handel: Giulio Cesare
4. Beethoven: String Quartet No 14 
5. Brahms: Piano Quintet, Op 34 
6. Schumann: Fantasy in C Major, Op 17 
7. Haydn: Nelson Mass 
8. Mendelssohn: Symphony No 5 “Reformation” 
9. Chopin: Ballade No 1
10. Vivaldi: Mandolin Concerto in C major, RV 425


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## Mirror Image

JAKE WYB said:


> Mendelssohn -* Symphony 3*- just started to appreciate it - even above 5


Mendelssohn's "Symphony No. 3 - Scottish" has been a favorite on mine for quite some time. The more you listen to it, the more it's beauty is revealed. It's a very majestic sounding symphony. I love it.


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## Air

My recent listening trend:

1. Well-Tempered Clavier - J.S. Bach
2. Fantasy in f-moll - Franz Schubert
3. Sonata Romantica - Nikolai Medtner
4. Le Nozze di Figaro - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
5. Symphony No. 7 - Anton Bruckner
6. Noveletten - Robert Schumann
7. Piano Sonata - Alban Berg
8. Piano Quintet - Sergei Taneyev
9. Belshazzar's Feast - William Walton
10. Sonata Reminiscenza - Nikolai Medtner


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## Bobotox

All right here it goes:

1. Rubinstein Piano Concerto No. 4
2. Mahler Symphony 2
3. Raff Piano Trio No. 4
4. Raff Symphony 1
5. Glazunov From the Middle Ages
6. Stenhammar Piano Concerto No. 1
7. Scriabin Symphony 3
8. Rubinstein Piano Sonata No 1
9. Braga Santos Symphony 4
10. Dvorak Cello Concerto


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## Zeniyama

1. Piano Sonata no. 5 - Sergei Prokofiev
2. Intermezzo for String Quartet - Hugo Wolf
3. Triumphal March from The Capture of Kars - Modest Mussorgsky
4. Die schöne Müllerin - Franz Schubert
5. Piano Sonata no. 6 - Alexander Scriabin
6. Pictures at an Exhibition - Modest Mussorgsky
7. Serenade from Hassan - Frederick Delius
8. The Firebird - Igor Stravinsky
9. Aphorisms for piano - Dmitri Shostakovich
10. Pierrot Lunaire - Arnold Schoenberg

These are the pieces which I have on my mind right now.


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## World Violist

Schubert: String Quintet in C major
Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7 (a.k.a. most guilty-pleasure symphony ever)
Bruckner: Symphony No. something or other... maybe 8 or 9, not quite 7.
Schnittke: Piano Quintet
Bach: Goldberg Variations
Nielsen: Symphony No. 4
Sibelius: Symphony No. 6
Pärt: Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten
Dvorak: Cello Concerto


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## Mirror Image

World Violist said:


> Bruckner: Symphony No. something or other... maybe 8 or 9, not quite 7.


Okay...how much Bruckner have you actually heard, WV?


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## Mirror Image

My Top 10 for today:

1. Bruckner: Symphony No. 8
2. Bruckner: Symphony No. 7
3. Tchaikovsky: Manfred Symphony
4. Delius: The Walk to the Paradise Garden
5. Mahler: Symphony No. 6
6. Gandolfi: The Garden of Cosmic Speculation
7. Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition
8. Hovhaness: Mysterious Mountain
9. Barber: Knoxville: Summer of 1915
10. Bartok: Divertimento


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## Zeniyama

Mmm...

1. In the Mists - Leos Janacek
2. Scherzo in Bb Major - Modest Mussorgsky
3. Rotative - Giacinto Scelsi
4. Rainbow in Curved Air - Terry Riley
5. Piano Sonata no. 7 - Sergei Prokofiev
6. Lyrische Suite - Alban Berg
7. Nocturne, op. 9 no. 3 - Frédéric Chopin
8. Piano Sonata in A Minor, D. 784 - Franz Schubert
9. Rugby - Arthur Honegger
10. Jazz Symphony - George Antheil

A little more modern things on this list.


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## JAKE WYB

World Violist said:


> Schubert: String Quintet in C major
> Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde
> Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7 (a.k.a. most guilty-pleasure symphony ever)
> Bruckner: Symphony No. something or other... maybe 8 or 9, not quite 7.
> Schnittke: Piano Quintet
> Bach: Goldberg Variations
> Nielsen: Symphony No. 4
> *Sibelius: Symphony No. 6*
> Pärt: Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten
> Dvorak: Cello Concerto


yes thats my very favourite - the score is like the bible to me now - to me the ideal symphonic work - one that states the atmosphere and develops the atmosphere and colours as well as the actual notes - in one long unified sweep without deviation or marrartions of any knd - sticks to the works own individual feelings not needing to force in any 'cocktails ' as sibelius put it


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## Dim7

Tough, but I'll try. Putting them in order would be impossible though (not that they are exactly as great, I'd probably put Beethoven's Eroica and Scriabin's Poem of Ecstasy above the others at least), so this order is just alphabetical, according to composer's name.

Bach - Double Violin Concerto in D minor
Bartók - String Quartet No. 4
Beethoven - Symphony No. 3 'Eroica'
Bruckner - Symphony No. 7 (The fourth and the ninth very closely behind)
Debussy - L'isle Joyeuse (a solo piano piece)
Mahler - Symphony No. 6 (The second one closely behind)
Mozart - Symphony No. 41 'Jupiter'
Schoenberg - Verklärte Nacht (the string orchestra arrangement)
Scriabin - Le Poème de l'extase / The Poem of Ecstasy (a symphonic poem)
Shostakovich - Symphony No. 7 'Leningrad'

It's a bit ridiculous though that Debussy's one movement, 5-minute piano piece and some huge symphony by Mahler or Bruckner both count as one work


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## kmisho

Dim7 said:


> It's a bit ridiculous though that Debussy's one movement, 5-minute piano piece and some huge symphony by Mahler or Bruckner both count as one work


I agree. There are actually very few symphonies where I can say I really like the whole thing. Prokoviev's 3rd and Shostakovich's 4th come to mind.

I'm going to give my top 10 a little later and it's going to include some movements from symphonies.


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## Lukecash12

These are my current favorites as of this moment (because they're off the top of my head).

Scriabin- Prometheus
Sorabji- Archmagicum and Transcendental Etude No. 99
Alkan- Super Flumina Babylonis
Albeniz- Sevilla (from his Suite Espagnole)
Janacek- The Madonna of Frydek and his Sonata for Violin and Piano
Bach- Concerto in D minor BWV1052
Feinberg- Piano Sonata no. 3 and his Berceuse Op 19a
Debussy- Jardins sous la Pluie and What The West Wind Saw
Tchaikovsky- None But The Lonely Hearts and Grandfather's Dance
Roslavets- Piano Trio No. 4

But of course I could go on forever, though...


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## muxamed

Hi all
I am new to this forum and find it appropriate to start here in this thread by introducing myself. I find it very hard to choose my 10 favorite compositions as that is prone to change very often. I have my periods when I repeatedly listen to very few compositions, trying to enter deeply into the works. Right now I have a period when I am listening to the following works:

Sibelius - Symphonies Nos 4 and 6
Beethoven - String Quartets Op. 127 and Op.131
Bach - Art of fugue
Messiaen - Turangalila symphony
Bartok - String Quartet No. 5
Mahler - Symphony No 6
Beethoven - Symphony No 6
Bach - Suite No 5 for Solo Cello
Martinu - Symphony No 6
Nielsen - Symphony No 3
Liszt - Piano Sonata in B Minor

Cheers


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## Il Seraglio

I think I posted on this thread before, but... what can I say, people change.

1.) Bach - The Musical Offering
2.) Mozart - 'Great' Mass in C Minor
3.) Bach - St. Matthew Passion
4.) Bach - Partita No. 2
5.) Mozart - Cosi fan Tutte
6.) Wagner - Parsifal
7.) Mozart - The Magic Flute
8.) Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 3
9.) Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen
10.) Strauss - Salome


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## Art Rock

Not in order, and limiting myself to one per composer:

BACH - Matthaeus Passion
BARBER - Knoxville, summer of 1916
BRAHMS - Clarinet quintet
BRUCKNER - Symphony 9
DVORAK - Symphony 9
GORECKI - Symphony 3
MAHLER - Kindertotenlieder
MOZART - Clarinet concerto
MENDELSSOHN - Violin concerto
SCHUBERT - Unfinished symphony


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## Roger Chambers

I am new here too, but hope to come back again. The favorites are nearly constantly changing, but some have remained favorites for many, many years, especially #1

1. Tchaikovsky Symphony #5 in E minor, especially movement 2 (I was a horn player years ago)
The next 9 are rather quickly thought out and in no special order:

DeBussy: Sonata for flute, viola, and violin
Smetana: The Moldau
Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor
Rimskey Korsikov: Russian Easter Overture
Prokofiev: Piano Sonata #7
William Schumann: Symphony #3, I think, the one with 2 movements
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Sinfonia Antarctica
Dvorak: Carnival Overture
Straviinsky: The Firebird
Barber: Adagio for Strings

There are many more that come to mind, perhaps 30 or 40, but those will do for now.


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## Lukecash12

Schubert Impromptu Op. 142, No. 2: 




Debussy's Jardins sous la Pluie: 




Handel - Messiah "He was despised": 




Scelsi's "Elohim": 




C.D.v. Dittersdorf - Sinfonia No.1 in C major 'The Four Ages of the World': 




Albeniz "Sevilla": 




Bach´s "Bourree" - Suite No 3: 




Max Bruch - "Oratorio Moses": 




Roslavets - Piano Trio No. 4: 




Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart- "God is Our Refuge" (K. 20):


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## TWhite

Like several others on this thread, I'm new here too, and frankly, my favorites change a great deal from time to time. Here's what I've been enjoying a lot the past couple of weeks, though not necessarily in numerical order: 

1:Falla: El Sombrero de Tres Picos
2:Albeniz: Iberia
3: Ravel: Piano Concerto for Left Hand
4: Brahms: Academic Festival Overture
5: Ginastera: Estancia
6: Strauss: Burleske
7: Walton: Belshazzar's Feast
8: Beethoven: Symphony #8
9: Barber: Piano Concerto
10: Copland: El Salon Mexico 

Make any sense? Doesn't to me, either, LOL! But then again, subject to change without notice.

Tom


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## starry

In no particular order

Brahms - Symphony 4
Beethoven - Symphony 6 (Toscanini BBC SO)
Mozart - Symphony 41
Beethoven - String Quartet op130 (with original ending)
Beethoven - Piano Sonata no30
A Tchaikovsky ballet
Mozart - Piano Concerto 23
Mozart - Divertimento k334
Elgar - Symphony 1 (preferably Elgar's recording)
Mozart - String Quartet k458

This is a list of favourites over the years and not 'greatest works' and so makes no pretense at trying to be balanced.


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## Guest

Mahler: Symphony No. 2
Elgar: Cello Concerto
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9
Dvorak: Symphony No. 9
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6
Beethoven: Symphony No. 6
Bruckner: Symphony No. 4
Bach: Brandenburg Concertos
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2
Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde

These are not in any particular order.


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## World Violist

Edited...

Bruckner: Symphony No. 8
Sibelius: Symphony No. 6
Debussy: La Mer
Berg: Wozzeck
Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde
Ravel: Daphnis et Chloe
Boulez: ...explosante-fixe...
Wagner: Ring cycle
Britten: Curlew River
Berg: Violin Concerto


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## SPR

10? Hm. I would have to consider that a bit more but these are a few of what I consider my favorites. Looks fairly pedestrian, yes?

Bach - Brandenburg Concertos (hard to top this)
Mozart - Clarinet Quintet
Telemann - Tafelmusik
Haydn - String Quartets op 33 (or 54? or 64? or 76?)
Handel - Music for the Royal Fireworks (or Wassermusik, both good)
Beethoven - 7th
Mozart - Symphony #41
Corelli - Concerto Grossi, op 6


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## CostaSimpson

1. Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe
2. Debussy's Arabesques
3. Brahms Clarinet Sonata 1 & 2
4. Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffman
5. Puccini's Turandot
6. Schumman's Romances for Clarinet
7. Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition (Orchestrated by Ravel)
8. Rutter's Magnificat
9. Stravinsky's The Firebird Suite
10. Korngold's Violin Concerto


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## saltyseaweed

I'm genuinely surprised someone including Eine Kleine Nicht musik. I wouldn't even consider that top 10 for Mozart. And unlike someone's comment, I prefer Romance (I think 3rd mvmt) over the first movement.

Also, someone picked Moonlight Sonata? It's very pleasing to be sure, but geez, it somehow doesn't seem qualified for such a grand list.

I'm just going to list top ten composers and what I think is their best work . . . 

1. Mozart - Don Giovanni
2. Beethoven - 9th Symphony
3. Bach - Brandenburg Concertos
4. Schubert - Unfinished
5. Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto
6. Tchaikovsky - Pathetique
7. Mahler - Symphony 9
8. Chopin - Piano Concerto 2
9. Liszt - Piano Concert 1
10. Wagner - Ring


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## HarpsichordConcerto

I love many more works that what I shall list below. In random order, and perhaps more to do with how magnificently it impacted me when I first heard these works in its entirety than other factors. Yes, they are still favourites, amongst many, many others. I also feel I am very unfairly not listing many others.

Changed my mind. I shall list two works for each.

1. Handel _Giulio Cesare in Egitto_, _Saul_
2. J. S. Bach Mass in B minor, Brandenburg Concertos
3. Mozart _Le nozze di Figaro_, _Don Giovanni_
4. Haydn _Die Schopfung_, all 12 London symphonies (sorry, I know I am cheating)
5. Beethoven symphony no.6, Piano concerto no.5

20. Haydn _L'anima del filosofo_ (his last opera), _Die Jahreszeiten_ (The Seasons)

X. Vivaldi _Arsilda_

Y. Monterverdi _L'Orfeo _

It really doesn't matter what I list anymore, these are all masterpieces in my mind.


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## Eusebius12

ok...

I'll list my top 20 greatest pieces...

1. Matthaeus Passion- JS Bach
2. Johannes Passion- JS Bach
3. Mass in B Minor- JS Bach
4. Symphony no. 9- Beethoven
5. Don Giovanni- Mozart
6. Christmas Oratorio- JS Bach
7. Missa Solemnis- Beethoven
8. Die Zauberfloete- Mozart
9. Schwanengesang- Schubert
10. Le Nozze di Figaro- Mozart
11. String Quartet op.131 in C# minor- Beethoven
12. Requiem- Mozart
13. 'Emperor' Piano Concerto - Beethoven
14. Tristan und Isolde- Wagner
15. Kreisleriana- Schumann
16. String Quartet in Bb op. 130- Beethoven
17. Violin Partita in D Minor- JS Bach
18. Goldberg Variations- JS Bach
19. Piano Sonata in C Minor op. 111- Beethoven
20. String Quintet in C- Schubert
21. Violin Concerto- Beethoven
22. Winterreise- Schubert
23. Piano Quintet in F Minor- Brahms
24. Fantasy in C- Schumann
25. Boris Godunov- Mussorgsky
26. Ballade in F Minor- Chopin
27. Piano Trio- Faure
28. Faust Scenes- Schumann
29. Piano Concerto in C Minor k.491- Mozart
30. Dream of Gerontius- Elgar
(31. War and Peace-Prokofiev)
(32. Dichterliebe- Schumann)
(33. String Quartet in A Minor- Beethoven)
(34. Mass in C Minor- Mozart)
(35. Etude in C Minor op. 25 no.12 - Chopin)
(36. Symphony no.6 - Tchaikovsky)
(37. Messiah- Handel)
(38. Symphony no. 7- Beethoven)
(39. Cello Concerto- Elgar)
(40. Paino Sonata no.23 'Appassionata'- Beethoven)

sorry couldn't stop.....


----------



## Air

Eusebius12 said:


> I'll list my top 20 greatest pieces...
> 
> 1. Matthaeus Passion- JS Bach
> 2. Johannes Passion- JS Bach
> 3. Mass in B Minor- JS Bach
> 4. Symphony no. 9- Beethoven
> 5. Don Giovanni- Mozart
> 6. Christmas Oratorio- JS Bach
> 7. Missa Solemnis- Beethoven
> 8. Die Zauberfloete- Mozart
> 9. Schwanengesang- Schubert
> 10. Le Nozze di Figaro- Mozart
> 11. String Quartet op.131 in C# minor- Beethoven
> 12. Requiem- Mozart
> 13. 'Emperor' Piano Concerto - Beethoven
> 14. Tristan und Isolde- Wagner
> 15. Kreisleriana- Schumann
> 16. String Quartet in Bb op. 130- Beethoven
> 17. Violin Partita in D Minor- JS Bach
> 18. Goldberg Variations- JS Bach
> 19. Piano Sonata in C Minor op. 111- Beethoven
> 20. String Quintet in C- Schubert
> 21. Violin Concerto- Beethoven
> 22. Winterreise- Schubert
> 23. Piano Quintet in F Minor- Brahms
> 24. Fantasy in C- Schumann
> 25. Boris Godunov- Mussorgsky
> 26. Ballade in F Minor- Chopin
> 27. Piano Trio- Faure
> 28. Faust Scenes- Schumann
> 29. Piano Concerto in C Minor k.491- Mozart
> 30. Dream of Gerontius- Elgar
> (31. War and Peace-Prokofiev)
> (32. Dichterliebe- Schumann)
> (33. String Quartet in A Minor- Beethoven)
> (34. Mass in C Minor- Mozart)
> (35. Etude in C Minor op. 25 no.12 - Chopin)
> (36. Symphony no.6 - Tchaikovsky)
> (37. Messiah- Handel)
> (38. Symphony no. 7- Beethoven)
> (39. Cello Concerto- Elgar)
> (40. Piano Sonata no.23 'Appassionata'- Beethoven)


This is a list after my own heart.


----------



## Organum

JS Bach - Passacaglia & Fugue in C minor, BWV 582
JS Bach - Fantasia & Fugue in C minor, BWV 537
Stravinsky - Rite of Spring
Stravinsky - The Firebird
Stravinsky - Petrushka
Debussy - La Mer
Debussy - Nocturnes for Orchestra
Rachmaninoff - Vespers
Dvorak - New World Symphony
Holst - The Planets


----------



## Eusebius12

Air said:


> This is a list after my own heart.


Well..pleased to meet you then


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## Eusebius12

saltyseaweed said:


> I'm genuinely surprised someone including Eine Kleine Nicht musik. I wouldn't even consider that top 10 for Mozart. And unlike someone's comment, I prefer Romance (I think 3rd mvmt) over the first movement.
> 
> Also, someone picked Moonlight Sonata? It's very pleasing to be sure, but geez, it somehow doesn't seem qualified for such a grand list.
> 
> I'm just going to list top ten composers and what I think is their best work . . .
> 
> 1. Mozart - Don Giovanni
> 2. Beethoven - 9th Symphony
> 3. Bach - Brandenburg Concertos
> 4. Schubert - Unfinished
> 5. Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto
> 6. Tchaikovsky - Pathetique
> 7. Mahler - Symphony 9
> 8. Chopin - Piano Concerto 2
> 9. Liszt - Piano Concert 1
> 10. Wagner - Ring


You don't think the Moonlight is qualified, yet you pick the Liszt 1st piano concerto? As they say, lol


----------



## vamos

i don't know ****
here are my favorites from my small background - at this point in time

1. ravel - gaspard de la nuit
2. mozart - 40th symphony
3. satie - Six Gnossiennes
4. webern - symphony
5. scriabin - etudes
6. bach - preludes+fugues , klavierwerk, whatever
7. stockhausen - kontakte

8. stravinsky - rite of spring
(though i don't enjoy it as much anymore, too intense. still probably what i would consider my greatest influence personally, though)

9. john cage - preludes and sonatas for prepared piano
10. philip glass - music in twelve parts


talk to me guys! recommend stuff


----------



## Aramis

> i don't know ****


And you want to? Get this and enjoy huge dose of ****:


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## vamos

that looks right up my alley. thanks a ton.

satie is becoming my favorite composer. i've been developing a style for a few years, before i heard his music, then i found him and was mad someone else already seemed to have touched on that style. melodic minimalism, strange chords, etc.


i've not been a fan of avro part yet, i look forward to hearing this! solo piano music is my preference.


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## Bix

Lisztfreak said:


> Wow, so you do like at least some Liszt!  Thanks!


I adore Liszt

The top ten thing is on most websites and it is very hard to come up the your favourite top ten of all types of classical - so what I did on another was ask questions like:

1. What are you favourite 10 piano concertos
2.  symphonies
3. solo instrument pieces.............etc


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## Nix

After only a year of listening to Classical, here are my favorite pieces. I'll be sure to post again in another year. 

1. Bach- Cello Suite #6
2. Beethoven- Symphony #5
3. Mozart- Symphony #41
4. Vaughan Williams- The Lark Ascending
5. Debussy- String Quartet
6. Beethoven- Symphony #6
7. Shostakovich- String Quartet #8
8. Bach- Cello Suite #2
9. Sibelius- Symphony #3
10. Mozart- Clarinet Concerto


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## Huilunsoittaja

I could never do this, too many loves. Nor could I trust what I love now to be my all-time favorites. The list would mostly be Prokofiev right now.


----------



## PicklePepperPiper

Today's list. Tomorrow's list will be very different.
Actually in order, but that's subject to the next few hours when I change my mind yet again.

1. Tchaikovsky _Symphony No. 4_
2. Gershwin _Rhapsody in Blue_
3. Kodaly _Hary Janos Suite, 3rd Movement_
4. Copland _Appalachian Spring_
5. Grieg _String Quartet No. 1 in G Minor_
6. Haydn _Cello Concerto in D_
7. Nielsen _Symphony No. 5_
8. Debussy _La Mer_
9. Beethoven _Symphony No. 5_
10. Shostakovich _String Quartet No. 8_

*sigh* Rather embarassing to see some overtly obvious ones on there, especially the Shosta quartet. I had hoped my tastes were a little broader, but evidently not today.

Tomorrow might surprise me, pleasantly.
-PPP


----------



## orquesta tipica

here are 10 I can immediately think of:

Prokofiev 1st symphony
Wagner Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Beethoven quartet op 135
Purcell Dido and Aeneas
Shostakovich 14th symphony
Mozart The Magic Flute
Bach Ich habe genug
Beethoven quartet op 74
Mahler 4th symphony
Webern symphony op 21


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## PicklePepperPiper

Damn... just realised that I didn't include Hindemith Symphonic Metamorphosis - would happily bump off the Grieg for that one. And then Duport Cello Study No. 10 is really catchy, also Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet, and so many more :-(

New list required, I think.
-PPP


----------



## Guest

DrMike said:


> Mahler: Symphony No. 2
> Elgar: Cello Concerto
> Beethoven: Symphony No. 9
> Dvorak: Symphony No. 9
> Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6
> Beethoven: Symphony No. 6
> Bruckner: Symphony No. 4
> Bach: Brandenburg Concertos
> Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2
> Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde
> 
> These are not in any particular order.


I'm going to revise mine a bit:
Mahler: Symphony No. 2
Elgar: Cello Concerto
Bach: Mass in B Minor
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9
Bruckner: Symphony No. 4
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2
Tallis: Spem in Alium
Mozart: Symphony No. 40
Haydn: Die Schoepfung (The Creation)
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 9 "Kreutzer"


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## Bix

DrMike said:


> I'm going to revise mine a bit:
> Mahler: Symphony No. 2
> Elgar: Cello Concerto
> Bach: Mass in B Minor
> Beethoven: Symphony No. 9
> Bruckner: Symphony No. 4
> Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2
> Tallis: Spem in Alium
> Mozart: Symphony No. 40
> Haydn: Die Schoepfung (The Creation)
> Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 9 "Kreutzer"


That Elgar is quite something.


----------



## Guest

Bix said:


> That Elgar is quite something.


Couldn't agree more. It is an incredible piece - and honestly, the only work of his that I care much about. I have the du Pre/Barbirolli recording, and Maisky/Sinopoli recording, but am looking for another good one.


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## Bix

This is a great version of it - Lloyd-Webber on Cello and Menuhin Conducting the RPO

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Elgar-Cello-Concerto-Sir-Edward/dp/B00000E354/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1282057945&sr=1-9

Im looking to get this one as it has the Elgar and my favourite cellist of all time - Rostropovich

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Elgar-Haydn-Saint-Sa%C3%ABns-Cello-Concertos/dp/B000I2IS7W/ref=sr_1_47?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1282058199&sr=1-47


----------



## DreamInSong

Hmm, I'll try...

Gorecki - Symphony 3
Holst - The Planets
Chopin - Nocturnes
Rachmaninov - Morceaux De Fantaisies
Edger Meyer - Uncommon Ritual
Philip Glass - Metamorphosis
Chopin - Ballades
Soundtrack to The Shawshank Redemption

Don't have any others I might call favorites, I'm sure this list will change once I'm more familiar with classical


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## afterpostjack

A lot more than 10 selections, but still this list does not do the classical repertoire any justice. These are some of my current favourites (changing constantly), in no particular order as that would be too hard to do.

Beethoven - Symphony no. 7 in A major, Symphony no. 4 in B flat major, Overture Leonore no. 3, Moonlight Sonata: Presto agitato
Gustav Holst - The Planets Suite
Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring, The Firebird
Bach - Violin Concerto in A minor, Mass in B minor, Trio Sonatas, The Art of Fugue
Ravel - Daphnis et Chloé, String Quartet in F major
Sibelius - Lemminkäinen Suite, Kullervo, Symphony no. 7 in C major
Grieg - Lyric Suite, Elegiac Melodies: To Spring, Peer Gynt Suite no. 1
Tchaikovsky - Manfred Symphony, The Nutcracker
Shostakovich - Symphony no. 11 in G minor
Haydn - Mass in C major, Symphony no. 22 in E flat major, String Quartet op. 7 no. 6 in D major
Monteverdi - Beatus vir
G. Gabrieli - Canzon IV a 6

Covers a pretty wide range of eras.


----------



## Conor71

Perhaps something like this:

Holst: The Planets
Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier (Could substitite any of Bach's Solo Keyboard works here really..)
Bach: Solo Instrumental Suites
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas (Cheating a bit here!)
Beethoven: Symphonies
Beethoven: String Quartets
Sibelius: Symphonies
Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1
Shostakovich: Symphonies
Shostakovich: Chamber Music

Thats as much as I can narrow it down for the moment - selecting individual works from these groups of compositions is just too difficult! :tiphat:.


----------



## PicklePepperPiper

New list (no order this time), because I happen to be listening to them right now:

Mahler: Symphony No. 7
Dvorak: Silent Woods
Mendelssohn: Octet for Strings
Bruch: Kol Nidrei
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5
Mozart: Divertimenti in D
Tchaikovsky: Francesca da Rimini
Nielsen: Symphony No. 5
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 9
Tippet: String Quartet No. 2

-PPP


----------



## Il Seraglio

PicklePepperPiper said:


> Mahler: Symphony No. 7


That's an unusual one. Apparently Mahler's only symphony not to have any programmatic setting. Considered his strangest symphony.

I am not going to post my choices in this thread again until I have a bunch of recordings on my wishlist and I am a relative novice around these parts so don't want to say until I have more listening experience.


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## JAKE WYB

Nuukeer said:


> Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring,
> Ravel - Daphnis et Chloé,
> Sibelius - Lemminkäinen Suite, Kullervo, Symphony no. 7 in C major
> Grieg - Lyric Suite,
> Tchaikovsky - Manfred Symphony,
> Shostakovich - Symphony no. 11 in G minor


I would concur with these selections very much indeed - they would appear amongst my own favourites


----------



## Art Rock

BACH - Cello suites
BRAHMS - Clarinet quintet
BRAHMS - Ein Deutsches Requiem
BRUCKNER - Symphony 9
GORECKI - Symphony 3
MAHLER - Kindertotenlieder
MAHLER - Das Lied von der Erde
MOZART - Clarinet concerto
SCHUBERT - Unfinished symphony
SCHUBERT - String quintet

Tomorrow might see many different ones in this list. Ten is too few.


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## PicklePepperPiper

Il Seraglio said:


> That's an unusual one. Apparently Mahler's only symphony not to have any programmatic setting. Considered his strangest symphony.


My favourites vary more than the weather - I probably won't be that interested in it tomorrow, but right now I'm loving the kickass finale. I'm actually not familar with Mahler - he just happened to pop up on my shuffle so I listened.

-PPP


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## Ravellian

Haha, I remember this topic.. I posted here more than a year ago.. I'll try this again..

I have to admit though, I'm picking pieces that affect me the most emotionally.. and I'm only going to pick the large-scale, more important works.. So here's some of them, in chronological order..

Mozart Symphony No. 40 in G minor
Mozart The Magic Flute
Beethoven Symphony No. 3 in Eb major "Eroica"
Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major
Schubert Piano Sonata No. 21 in Bb major
Schubert Symphony No. 9 in C major "Great"
Chopin Preludes
Wagner Tannhauser
Wagner Tristan und Isolde
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 in F minor
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 in B minor
Tchaikovsky The Nutcracker
Mahler Symphony No. 5
Mahler Symphony No. 9
Prokofiev Piano Sonata No. 7
Rachmaninov Rhapsody
Ravel Piano Concerto
Nielsen Symphony No. 5


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## JMJ

Some favorites ...

Stockhausen, _Licht_
Fauré, _Nocturne #13_ 
Wagner, _Parsifal_
Webern, _Symphonie Op.21_
Stravinsky, _Agon_
Bartók, _SQ #6_
Ligeti, _Melodien_
Harvey, _Mortuos Plango, Vivos Voco_
Donatoni, _Françoise Variationen_
Viñao, _Son Entero_


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## Nevohteeb

*10? top music favourites*

Oh boy, the list changes with the hour. Here goes: Bach: WTC. (G. Gould); Beethoven: Piano Trio in Eb+, Op. 70 #2 (Florestan Trio); Brahms Piano Trio in A+. Op. 8 (Istomin, Rose, Stern Trio); Dvorak: Piano Quintet in A+, Op. 81,Richter,& Borodin Quartet) ; Mendelssohn: Piano Trios (can't decide which I love best); Florestan Trio; Mozart: Piano Concerto #22 in Eb+, K482 (Serkin & Lonon Philharmonic); Rachmaninoff: Concerto #3 in D-,(Horowitz ); Shostakovich, Piano Quintet (Richter); Saint-Saens Piano concerto #4 in C- (Casadesus & Bernstein); Tchaikovsky: Sextet," Souvenir of Florence", String Sextet in D-, Op. 70 (Rostropovich, and Borodin Quartet. That's it for this month. :tiphat:


----------



## World Violist

1-whatever: [insert whatever Bach cantatas I happen to like here]
whatever+1: Enescu- Symphony No. 3
whatever+2: Norgard- String Quartet No. 4 "Dreamscape"
whatever+3: Aho- Cello Concerto
whatever+4: Lassus- Cantiones Sacrae


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## parsa

-hadel courante
-j.s. bach lute suit no. 4 in E,bmw 1006a prelude
-j.s. bach minuet in Am 
-d.scarlatti sonata en re k322
-mozart turkish march
-fernando sor minuet in A op:11 no.7
-albeniz mallorca
-tarrega maria
-vivaldi trio for violin,basso and lute in C


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## drbetteridge

Khachaturian--Waltz, Masquerade Suite
Grieg--Anitra's Dance
Karl Jenkins--Sanctus
Gershwin--Promenade
Mussorgsky--Night on the Bald Mountain
Mozart--Horn Concerto No. 4 in E flat major
Bizet--Habanera, Carmen
Bach--Toccata and Fugue in D minor
Donizetti--Ah! Mes Amis
Saint Saens--Danse Macabre


----------



## ScipioAfricanus

my list changes constantly, but here it is

1. Bruckner 4th
2. Draeseke 3rd
3. Brahms String Quartet no 2
4. Mozart Clarinet Quintet
5. Brahms Piano Trio no 2
6. Schubert String Quintet
7. Dvorak Piano Quintet 
8. Beethoven F Major string quartet Op. 59
9. Wagner's Die Walkure
10. Ludwig Thuille Piano Quintet E flat


----------



## Firefly

1. Handel - Water Music Suite #1
2. Mahler - Symphony #5
3. Ravel - Piano Concerto in G
4. Mendelssohn - Fingal's Cave
5. Haydn - String Quartet #2
6. Bach - Brandenburg Concerto #5
7. Dvorak - String Quartet #9
8. Mozart - Concerto For Flute & Harp In C
9. Beethoven - String Quartet #4
10. Couperin - Les baricades mistérieuses

I'm still fairly new to classical music.


----------



## Rasa

This thread is just sad.


----------



## Boccherini

Pathetically imbalanced thread, indeed.


----------



## Ariasexta

I am a baroque music enthusiast:


Goldberg Variation by JS Bach

8 Harpsichord suites by Henry Purcell

Ode for the death of Henry Purcell by John Blow

Harpsichord suites by J J Froberger

Flow My Tears by John Dowland


----------



## Ariasexta

Lachrimae Pavan by Sweelinck

2 Pavans by JC Chambonnieres

2 Passacailles by L Couperin

Hexachordum Appollinis by J Pachelbel

Aria Con Ariazioni by GF Handel for harpsichord.


----------



## dmg

Ok, I will give this a first go-round:

1. Saint-Saens: Danse macabre
2. Mozart: Vesperae solennes de confessore.
3. Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1
4. Mozart: Symphony No. 41 'Jupiter'
5. Saint-Saens: Introduction et Rondo capriccioso
6. Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 'Eroica'
7. Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1 'Classical'
8. Saint-Saens: Oratorio de Noel
9. Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 'Choral': II. Molto vivace
10. Mozart: Symphony No. 40

This will be completely different the next time I do it, which could be any time between now and my death.

:tiphat:


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## Huilunsoittaja

I just can't do hierarchies. I don't know how to measure favorites anymore.


----------



## picanocantabile

Like many others, I couldn't possibly chose only 10 pieces, but I will name the ones that come to my mind right now (they're mostly for piano ^^)

1. Transcendental Etudes (especially Feux Follets & Chasse-neige) - Liszt
2. Scherzo from "A Midsummernight's Dream" - Mendelssohn
3. La Valse - Ravel
4. Clair de Lune - Debussy
5. Aquarium from "Carnival of the Animals" - Saint-Saens
6. Three Movements from Petrouchka - Stravinsky
7. Auf dem Wasser zu singen & Der Erlkönig - Schubert/Liszt
8. 2nd mov. from the Piano Concerto N°1 - Chopin
9. Hungarian Dance N°5 - Brahms
10. Adagio cantabile from la Grande Sonate Pathétique - Beethoven


----------



## mamascarlatti

Wagner: Ring, Tristan und Isolde
Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni 
Handel: Giulio Cesare
Puccini: la Fanciulla del West
Verdi: La Traviata, Don Carlos, Otello
Purcell: Dido and Aeneas
Bach: St Matthew Passion
Prokofiev: War & Peace, Romeo & Juliet
D.Scarlatti: Sonata K402


----------



## Air

Top 30:

MOZART: LE NOZZE DI FIGARO
BACH: MASS IN B MINOR
BACH: THE WELL-TEMPERED CLAVIER
WAGNER: TRISTAN UND ISOLDE
MOZART: GREAT MASS IN C MINOR
PROKOFIEV: PIANO SONATA NO. 8
PROKOFIEV: PIANO CONCERTO NO. 2
BRUCKNER: SYMPHONY NO. 9
SCHUMANN: PIANO CONCERTO
BEETHOVEN: STRING QUARTET NO. 14
MAHLER: SYMPHONY NO. 2
MOZART: PIANO CONCERTO NO. 23
SCHUMANN: PIANO QUINTET
STRAVINSKY: THE RITE OF SPRING
VARESE: DESERTS
RAVEL: DAPHNIS ET CHLOE
BARTOK: MUSIC FOR STRINGS, PERCUSSION, AND CELESTA
STRAUSS: FOUR LAST SONGS
LISZT: PIANO SONATA
LIGETI: ETUDES
BRAHMS: SYMPHONY NO. 4
PROKOFIEV: QUINTET
MEDTNER: SONATA ROMANTICA
SCHUBERT: PIANO SONATA NO. 21
BUSONI: PIANO CONCERTO
IVES: PIANO SONATA NO. 2
VILLA-LOBOS: RUDEPOEMA
CHOPIN: PRELUDES
TCHAIKOVSKY: PIANO TRIO
VAUGHAN-WILLIAMS: JOB


----------



## bachbabe

I am going to check some of these out on the lists! I just started listening a couple years ago, so I don't really have a list. I like these though:

Bach Chicone (most perfect piece of music ever written in my opinion)
Carmen Fantasy by Sarasate
Ziegunewiesin (I know I spelled it wrong) Sarasate
Fratres by Arvo Part
the Brandenburgs (all of them)
Beethoven's Symphony #9
Carnival of the Animals Saint Saens
Carmen Overture by Bizet

OK. Please feel free to correct my spelling, laugh, whatever.


----------



## livemylife

Off the top of my head and are not necessarily ranked, even though the first 4 are prolly my top 4. 1 and 2 are tied for 1st.  

1) Rachmaninoff 2nd Piano Concerto
2) Rachmaninoff 2nd Symphony - 3rd mvt.
3) Chausson Piano Trio in G minor
4) Rachmaninoff Cello Sonata
5) Sibelius Violin Concerto
6) Barber Violin Concerto
7) Schumann Piano Quartet in Eb major - 3rd mvt
8) Dvorak Cello Concerto
9) Dvorak Piano Quintet
10) Schumann Cello Concerto


----------



## Romantic Geek

I'll give it a shot:

1. Edward MacDowell - Piano Sonata No. #4 'Keltic'
2. Amy Beach - Variations on a Balkan Theme Op. 60
3. Mahler - Symphony #3
4. Mahler - Symhpony #2
5. Brahms - 6 Piano Pieces Op. 118
6. Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No. 3
7. Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue (although I'm tempted to put the Concerto in F here)
8. Grieg - Cello Sonata in A minor
9. Faure - Requiem
10. Jerome Kern - Ol' Man River (definitely would want to hear that before I die)


----------



## StlukesguildOhio

I took a look at the list I posted some while back:

Again... no particular order:

1. J.S. Bach- Well Tempered Clavier
2. J.S. Bach- Suites for Solo Cello
3. W.A. Mozart- The Magic Flute
4. W.A. Mozart- Le Nozze de Figaro
5. Beethoven- Symphony no. 9
6. Richard Wagner- Tristan und Isolde
7. Franz Schubert- Die Winterreise
8. Richard Strauss- Four Last Songs
9. Gustav Mahler- Song of the Earth
10. Shostakovitch- Preludes and Fugues

If I were to add another 10 to the list they might include:

1. J.S. Bach- Alto Cantatas (BWV 35, 169, 170) as well as nos. 140, 147
2. Joseph Haydn- The Creation
3. Handel- The Messiah (I can't avoid this one)
4. W.A. Mozart- Clarinet Quintet
5. Mussorgsky- Boris Gudunov
6. Wagner- Parsifal
7. Puccini- Madame Butterfly
8. anon. Spanish XII c. Sibilia Galaica
9. Szymanowsky- Harnasie
10. Richard Strauss- Der Rosenkavalier

About the only changes I would make would be to remove the Shostakovitch, the Mussorgsky, the Szymanowsky, and perhaps the Sibilia Galaica. Not that these were "bad" or any such thing... but rather they were simply representative of what I was listening to at the time... perhaps a bit overrated because they were so fresh in my memory. So what would I replace them with? Mozart's _Don Giovanni_, Bach's St, _Matthew Passion_, Beethoven's 3rd Symphony, Faure's _Requiem_... perhaps.

If I were to choose only from works that I only first encountered this year my list might look something like this... again, no particular order:

1. Carlo Gesualdo- _Tenebrae Responsoria_
2. Othmar Schoeck- _Notturno_
3. Zelenka- _Missa Votiva_ ZWV 18
4. Rameau - _Les Indes Galantes_
5. Joseph Marx- _Orchestral Songs_
6. Charles Koechlin- _Orchestral Songs_
7. Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber- _The Rosary Sonatas_
8. Jean-Joseph Cassanea de Mondonville- _Pièces de clavecin avec voix ou violon_
9. Michel-Richard Delalande- _Petit Motets_
10. Toru Takemitsu- _In an Autumn Garden_

Or it might look entirely different...


----------



## afterpostjack

JAKE WYB said:


> I would concur with these selections very much indeed - they would appear amongst my own favourites


It would perhaps be beneficial if I mentioned that I like Grieg's lyric suite orchestrated, not played by piano.


----------



## myaskovsky2002

Let's see:

Evgeny Onieguin (Tchaikovsky, Pushkin)
Cherevichky (Tchaikovsky, Gogol)
Tsar Saltan (Rimsky Korsakov, Pushkin)
Tsar's bride (Rimsky Korsakov)
Lulu (Berg, Wedekind)
Wozzeck (Berg, Büchner)
La Rondine (Puccini)
Egon Wellesz: symphony no. 4
Alban Berg: violin concerto
Webern: Passacaglia.


well...there are many more...


Martin Pitchon


----------



## Nix

This popped up, so I guess I'll do it again since I've listened to more stuff since my last post. 

Bach: Cello Suite #6
Beethoven: Symphony #5
Beethoven: Symphony #9
Mozart: Symphony #41
Bach: Mass in b minor
Vaughan Williams: Lark Ascending
Debussy: String Quartet
Beethoven: Symphony #6
Shostakovich: String Quartet #8
Bach: Cello Suite #2

Now if I had to pick 10 works that would be the ones I'd listen to the rest of my life, this would be a different list with more variety... but the above I think gives you an idea of what moves me the most.


----------



## myaskovsky2002

La verdad es que este grupo es un plomo de aburrido. Pierdo mi tiempo. Cada loco con su tema.

Martin que toca el violin.


----------



## Gymnopédie

1. Ravel - Daphnis et Chloe
2. Shostakovich - Symphony #5
3. Satie - Gnossiennes
4. Purcell - Music on the Death of Queen Mary
5. Mondonville - Grand Motet: Dominus regnavit
6. J.S. Bach - Harpsichord Concerto in D Minor
7. Debussy - Children's Corner
8. Poulenc - Four Motets for Christmas
9. Britten - A Boy Was Born
10. Ives - Symphony #4


----------



## Sid James

Here were my "top 10" back when I started the thread:



Andre said:


> 1. *Bartok* - _Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta_
> 2. *Janacek* - _String Quartet No. 1_
> 3. *Britten* - _Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge_
> 4. *Prokofiev* - _Violin Concerto No. 1_
> 5. *Debussy* - _La Mer _
> 6. *Varese* - _Deserts_
> 7. *Walton* - _Henry V, a Shakespeare scenario (arr. Christopher Palmer)_
> 8. *Ravel* - _Daphnis et Chloe (the full chorus & orchestra version)_
> 9. *Brahms* - _Symphony No. 4_
> 10. *Messiaen* - _Quartet for the End of Time_


I've heard much more music since then, so here are the pieces I now find that I return to time and time again (not in any particular order this time). Things like the Varese & Messiaen are still on the list, but I've ditched things like the Ravel _Daphnis et Chloe_, which I'm not as crazy about now as I was then. Some of these pieces I've known for more than a decade (the Handel & Walton), while others are more recent discoveries. My favourite genres seem to be chamber and choral:

1. Frank Martin - Mass for Double Choir
2. Carter - String Quartet No. 1
3. Stanford - Requiem
4. Varese - Deserts
5. Beethoven - "Archduke" Piano Trio
6. Schoenberg - Violin Concerto
7. Walton - String Quartet in A minor
8. Messiaen - Quartet for the End of Time
9. Morten Lauridsen - Chansons des Roses
10. Handel - Messiah (I can't avoid this one either!)

& some other things I really like as well:

11. Xenakis - Theraps for double bass solo
12. Berg - String Quartet op. 3
13. Penderecki - Canticum Canticorum Salomonis
14. Webern - Five Pieces for Orchestra op. 10
15. Ives - Piano Sonata No. 1
16. Janacek - Glagolitic Mass
17. Widor - Organ Symphony No. 5
18. Ravel - Piano Trio
19. Eric Whitacre - Lux Aurumque
20. Schubert - Notturno for piano trio


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## Pierrot Lunaire

Since it's so difficult, I'm going to restrict myself to compositions that have been written in my lifetime which is since 1981. I've been really into recent music anyway.

1. Les espaces acoustiques (Gérard Grisey - 1985)
2. Études (György Ligeti - 2001)
3. Répons (Pierre Boulez - 1984)
4. Concentric Paths (Thomas Adès - 2005)
5. The Shadows of Time (Henri Dutilleux - 1997)
6. in vain (Georg Friedrich Haas - 2002)
7. Clarinet Concerto (Elliott Carter - 1996)
8. Chain II (Witold Lutosławski - 1985)
9. Offertorium (Sofia Gubaidulina - 1986)
10. Joy (Magnus Lindberg - 1990)


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## Sarabande

1 Schoenberg Verklarte Nacht
2 Wagner Tannhauser overture
3 Bruckner Symphony number 4
4 Bruckner Symphony number 8
5 Shostakovich Symphony number 8
6 Schoenberg Trio op45
7 Berlioz Symphony Fantastique
8 Dvorak Symphony number 9
9 Schubert Unfinished Symphony
10 Mozart Piano Concerto number 20


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## MatsumaruDX

i guess this is my list. since i like piano solo a lot..

Etude Op. 10 and Op. 25 (Chopin)
Fantaisie Op 49 (Chopin)
Ride of The Valkyrie (Richard Wagner)
Piano Sonata No. 2 mvt. 1 (Chopin)
Piano Sonata "Pathetique" (Beethoven)
Piano Concerto No. 1 (Chopin)
Ballade No. 1 (Chopin)
Prelude in C sharp Minor (Rachmaninnof)
The Nutcracer Suite (Tchaikovsky)
Piano Sonata "Moonlight" (Beethoven)


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## pjang23

Very hard to restrict to just 10 let alone order them. Depending on my mood, most honorable mentions would also fit into 9th/10th place.

1. Brahms Nänie Op.82
2. Brahms Symphony No.4 Op.98

3-5
Beethoven Symphony No.9 Op.125
Brahms Piano Concerto No.1 Op.15
Mozart Requiem in D Minor K626

6-8
Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem Op.45
Brahms Symphony No.3 Op.90
Brahms Alto Rhapsody Op.53

9-10
Schubert Winterreise D911
Bach Goldberg Variations BWV988

Honorable mentions (no particular order)
Bach Chaconne from Partita No.2 BWV1004
Bach Mass in B minor BWV232
Beethoven String Quartet No.14 Op.131
Beethoven Symphony No.7 Op.92
Beethoven Piano Concerto No.5 Op.73
Brahms Clarinet Quintet Op.115
Brahms Piano Quartets
Brahms Piano Concerto No.2 Op.83
Brahms Symphony No.1 Op.68
Chopin Nocturnes (Esp Op.27 & Op.48/1)
Chopin Piano Concertos
Mahler Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
Mahler Symphony No.5
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.2 Op.18
Schubert Trout Quintet D667
Tchaikovsky Piano Trio Op.50


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## Astrognash

Definite Top 10 (In no particular order):


 _Canon in D_ - Johann Pachelbel
 _First Suite in E-Flat_ - Gustav Holst
 _The Melody Shop_ - K.L. King
 _The 1812 Overture_ - P.I. Tchaikovsky
 _March of the Nutcracker_ - P.I. Tchaikovsky
 _The Fire of Eternal Glory_ - Shostakovich
 _Yosemite Autumn_ - Mark Camphouse
 _Machine (Finale from the Fifth Symphony)_ - William Bolcom
 _National Emblem_ - E.E. Bagley
 _Barnum and Bailey's Favorite_ - K.L. King

Honorable Mention (again, no particular order):


 _Mars_ from _The Planets_ - Gustav Holst
 _Jupiter_ from _The Planets_ - Gustav Holst
 _Procession of the Nobles_ - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
 _Vesuvius_ - Frank Ticheli
 _Among the Clouds_ - Brian Balmages
 _Fifth Symphony_ - Beethoven
 _Ode to Joy_ - Beethoven
 _An American Elegy_ - Frank Ticheli
 _Centennial Spirit_ - James Curnow
 _Into the Storm_ - Robert Smith
 _Washington Post March_ - J.P. Sousa
 _Cyrus the Great_ - K.L. King


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## Huilunsoittaja

It's too difficult for me to name favorites one over another, so I won't try


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## myaskovsky2002

*mmm*



PHP:


Totally impossible to answer. But if you put a gun to my head I'd like to hear the Adagietto from Mahler's 5th symphony before you pull the trigger.

If you put a gun on my head I'd say SHOOT!

Martin


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## Moscow-Mahler

My Top 10 will be pretty banal

Beethoven - Die Neunte
Mozart - Die Zauberflцte
Brahms - Doppel-Konzert fьr Cello und Violine
Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem
Bruckner - Die Siebente
Tchaikovsky - 6th symphony (Shestaya simfonia)
Mahler - Die Fьnfte or Die Siebente or Ich weiss nicht!
Bartok - maybe Miraculous Mandarin (Csodálatos mandarin), but I still need to hear more of his works
Hindemith - Kammermusik (I can't choose the single one).
Shostakovich - 8th symphony (Vosmaya simfonia)
Shostakovich - 3rd String Quartet (Tretiy Strunnyi Kvartet)

Still I need to learn more XX century music.


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## science

1. Beethoven's 5th Symphony
2. Brahms' 1st Symphony3. 
3. Mozart's Requiem
4. Brahms' German Requiem
5. Chopin's Nocturnes
6. Brahms' Piano Quintet
7. Brahms' Piano Trio #1
8. Bach's Cantata 82 Ich habe genug
9. Bruch's Violin Concerto #1
10. Debussy's Prelude to the afternoon of a faun


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## mmsbls

This is my top 10 now. It, of course, changes. I'm not even sure this is really my top 10, but it's my best guess now.

1. Beethoven Symphony 9
2. Mozart Symphony 41
3. Mozart Piano Concerto 20
4. Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
5. Brahms Violin Concerto
6. Beethoven Symphony 7
7. Mendelssohn Symphony 4
8. Schubert Symphony 9
9. Dvorak Cello Concerto
10. Mozart Symphony 40


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## Air

Top 10 updated:

1. Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro
2. Wagner: Tristan und Isolde
3. Bach: Mass in B minor
4. Schumann: Piano Concerto
5. Mahler: Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection"
6. Schubert: Winterreise
7. Prokofiev: War Sonatas
8. Beethoven: String Quartet No. 14
9. Brahms: Symphony No. 4
10. Messiaen: Vingt regards sur l'enfant-Jésus

An additional 10:

11. Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier
12. Bruckner: Symphony No. 9
13. Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 "Eroica"
14. Stravinsky: Rite of Spring
15. Mozart: Don Giovanni
16. Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 2
17. Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23
18. Varèse: Déserts
19. Handel: Giulio Cesare
20. Schumann: Fantasie in C

And more:

21. Strauss: Four Last Songs
22. Chopin: Ballades
23. Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé
24. Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge
25. Bartók: Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta
26. Ligeti: Études
27. Medtner: Sonata Romantica 
28. Schubert: Piano Sonata No. 21
29. Villa-Lobos: Chôros
30. Ives: Piano Sonata No. 2 "Concord"

That's it for now. You gotta stop somewhere, no matter how difficult it is.


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## science

Changing my top 10 answers:

1. Beethoven: Symphony #5
2. Brahms: Symphony #1
3. Mozart: Requiem
4. Brahms: German Requiem
5. Dvorak: Symphony #9
6. Mozart: Don Giovanni
7. Stravinsky: Rite of Spring
8. Beethoven: Piano Sonata #32
9. Debussy: Prelude to the afternoon of a faun 
10. Chopin: Nocturnes

Thirty more: 
11. Shostakovich: String Quartet #8
12. Brahms: Symphony #4
13. Schubert: String Quintet
14. Brahms: Piano Quintet
15. Verdi: Rigoletto 
16. Haydn: Emperor Quartet 76.3
17. Beethoven: Symphony #3
18. Schubert's Winterreise 
19. Beethoven's String Quartet #13
20. Beethoven's Symphony #9
21. Brahms' Piano Trio #1
22. Bruch: Violin Concerto #1
23. Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto #2
24. Brahms: Clarinet Quintet
25. Beethoven: Symphony #7
26. Tchaikovksy: Piano Concerto #1
27. Brahms: Piano Concerto #1
28. Beethoven: Piano Concerto #4
29. Bach: Cantata 82 Ich habe genug
30. Bizet: Carmen
31. Schubert: Piano Sonata #21
32. Mozart: Piano Concerto #20
33. Debussy: Preludes
34. Mozart: Symphony #40
35. Bach: Mass in B minor
36. Mozart: Marriage of Figaro 
37. Haydn's Symphony 104
38. Elgar: Cello Concerto
39. Wagner: Tristan and Isolde
40. Tchaikovsky: Symphony #6

This is subject to reconsideration....


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## david johnson

ah...Cyrus the Great, excellent. let us also mention - Washington Grays (grafulla) and Eagle Squadron (alford) , & Farewell of the Slavic Girl (agapkin) - all are music the way it should be 



Astrognash said:


> Definite Top 10 (In no particular order):
> 
> 
> _Canon in D_ - Johann Pachelbel
> _First Suite in E-Flat_ - Gustav Holst
> _The Melody Shop_ - K.L. King
> _The 1812 Overture_ - P.I. Tchaikovsky
> _March of the Nutcracker_ - P.I. Tchaikovsky
> _The Fire of Eternal Glory_ - Shostakovich
> _Yosemite Autumn_ - Mark Camphouse
> _Machine (Finale from the Fifth Symphony)_ - William Bolcom
> _National Emblem_ - E.E. Bagley
> _Barnum and Bailey's Favorite_ - K.L. King
> 
> Honorable Mention (again, no particular order):
> 
> 
> _Mars_ from _The Planets_ - Gustav Holst
> _Jupiter_ from _The Planets_ - Gustav Holst
> _Procession of the Nobles_ - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
> _Vesuvius_ - Frank Ticheli
> _Among the Clouds_ - Brian Balmages
> _Fifth Symphony_ - Beethoven
> _Ode to Joy_ - Beethoven
> _An American Elegy_ - Frank Ticheli
> _Centennial Spirit_ - James Curnow
> _Into the Storm_ - Robert Smith
> _Washington Post March_ - J.P. Sousa
> _Cyrus the Great_ - K.L. King


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## Xaltotun

My top 10 right now at this very moment and in this very mood, limiting one work from each composer:

1. Beethoven: Symphony #3
2. Wagner: Die Walküre
3. Mahler: Symphony #7
4. Brahms: Symphony #1
5. Bruckner: Symphony #7
6. Sibelius: Symphony #4
7. Saint-Saëns: Symphony #3
8. Berlioz: Requiem
9. Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto #1
10. Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto #2


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## Orange Soda King

1. Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1
2. Schubert: Winterreise
3. Schubert: Fantasie in F Minor
4. Ravel: Daphnis et Chloe
5. Ravel: Piano Concerto in D Major (for the left hand)
6. Ravel: Le Tombeau de Couperin
7. Ravel: Miroirs
8. Alkan: Concerto for Solo Piano
9. Alkan: Sonate de Concert for piano and cello (or viola)
10. Schubert: Impromptus Op. 142

I have one more, and I can't quite number it, but it's not really "above" or "below" this top 10: Busoni's Piano Concerto in C Major, Op. XXXIX. For starters, the opening is one of the most beautiful beginnings to a piece I've ever heard so far, on par with Chopin's 4th Ballade. And I haven't listened to it much lately, but I really lose myself the entire 75 minutes while listening to it.

Ah what the heck, the Busoni is my "Grand Prize" winner, hehe.


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## HarpsichordConcerto

Andre said:


> *What are your top 10 favourite classical works? *
> 
> *These can be in any genre *


My fav.


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## Llyranor

Tough one. This will change for me constantly, but I think I'm a tad partial to the violin.

Bach: Violin Partita #2
Barber: Adagio for Strings
Beethoven: Violin Concerto
Brahms: Violin Concerto
Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante for Violin & Viola
Saint-Saens: Danse Macabre
Sibelius: Symphony #2
Sibelius: Violin Concerto
Tchaikovsky: Symphony #5
Vitali: Chaconne

There are so many others I feel I should include  Grieg's Piano Concerto and Dvorak's Cello Concerto are the most likely candidates at the present time.

There are others I really love, but it's really individual movements rather than the entire composition. Examples are Barber's Violin Concerto (2nd movement), Ravel's Piano Concerto (2nd movement), Beethoven's Piano Concerto (2nd movement), Shostakovich's 1st Violin Concerto (3rd movement).


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## fasolo

Not in any particular order:

1. Vivaldi -- Op. 3 no. 9
2. Albinoni Op. 5 no. 3
3. Marais Chaccona for Viola da Gamba
4. Tarquino Merula Ciaccona
5. Couperin La Menetou 
6. Handel Messiah
7. Fasolo Ciaccona acceso mio core
8. Correli Ciaccona la valentina
9. Corelli Concerto de Navidad
10. Mozart's Requiem


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## Terrapin

Orchestral:
1. Beethoven Sym No. 5
2. Beethoven Sym No. 3
3. Tchaikovsky Sym No. 6
4. Schubert Sym No. 8
5. Mahler Sym No. 9
6. Beethoven Sym No. 7
7. Beethoven Sym No. 9
8. Tchaikovsky Sym No. 5
9. Dvorak Sym No. 9
10. Beethoven Sym No. 6

Chamber:
1. Beethoven String Quartet No. 14
2. Beethoven String Quartet No. 15
3. Schubert String Quintet
4. Beethoven String Quartet No. 13
5. Beethoven String Quartet No. 16
6. Beethoven String Quartet No. 12
7. Schubert Piano Trio No. 2
8. Beethoven Piano Trio No. 8, "Archduke"
9. Schubert Piano Trio No. 1
10 Dvorak Quartet No. 12, "American"

I must like Beethoven!


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## haydnfan

Instead of posting a list I'll say that my favorite work is Beethoven's Archduke Trio.


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## maxshrek

very difficult choice. I premise that i've still have to listen many masterpieces like Mass in B, Meistersinger, PArsifal, Capriccio that could easily enter in the top ten.
Anyway.

1.Art of Fugue by Bach (no doubt about it as no doubt to consider Mona lisa as the greatest painting ever)
-----
now start the difficult choice so i will mention them in chronological order
-----
2. The Well Tempered Klavier (Book I)
3. The St. Matthew Passion
4. Goldberg Variations.
4. Le Nozze di Figaro
5. Don Giovanni.
6. Symphony n. 3 by Beethoven
7. Piano sonata op. 111 by Beethoven
8. Symphony n. 9 by Beethoven
9. String Quartet op. 131 by Beethoven
10. Grosse fugue by Beethoven.
11. Tristan and Isolde.
12. Metamorphosen.

Well i'm quite sure that Tristan, Grosse Fugue, Ninth Symphony and Don giovanni are the works that can challenge but not defeat the n. 1 of this ranking.

Other masterpiece in this strictly selected works are Beethoven op. 95 and the late 5 Quartets, the stunning op. 109 of the same author, Suite op. 25 by Schoenberg and many others.


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## Vesteralen

Oh well...I'll give it a try...(as of today)

Brahms - Alto Rhapsody
Schumann - Fantasy in C
Brahms - Piano Concerto #1
Elgar - Enigma Variations
Nielsen - Symphony No 5
Vaughan Williams - Symphony No 7
Barber - Symphony No 1
Brahms - Symphony No 4
Brahms - A German Requiem
Mozart - Symphony No 39

(and I can't believe I left out The Magic Flute, The Scotch Symphony, Manfred Overture, Pomp & Circumstance Marches, Nielsen Sym 3, L'Orfeo, The "Miracle", Schumann's G Minor Sonata, Novak's "Lady Godiva", VW's "London" Symphony etc etc)


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## clavichorder

My list would be so skewed by symphonies and cluttered with great but still underserving-of-such-high-praise obscure composers that my contribution would be meaningless.


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## maxshrek

Unforgettable i didn't mention salomè and elektra -)).
N.b.: I'm just studying the Missa Solemnis and i can't rank it. It's simple astounding.


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## Klavierspieler

SO DIFFICULT!!!!

As of right now:

Beethoven - Symphony No. 9
Bach - Das Wohltemerierte Clavier
Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 30
Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 31
Schumann - Fantasie in C
Schumann - Kreisleriana
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 13 (with Große Fuge)
Schumann - Konzertstück Op. 92
Schumann - Piano Concerto
Chopin - Ballade No. 2

This is very inaccurate, it's impossible to narrow it down so much.


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## jalex

Non operatic since I've hardly listened to any:

All time favourites
Josquin: Missa Pange Lingua
Bach: St Matthew Passion
Bach: Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor
Bach: Prelude and Fugue in E Flat Major (St Anne)
Mozart: Symphony 41
Mozart: Clarinet Quintet
Beethoven: Symphony 3
Beethoven: String Quartet 13 (with Grosse Fugue as finale)
Schubert: String Quintet
Bartok: String Quartet 4
Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms

Currently
Mozart: Clarinet Quintet (again!)
Haydn: Symphony 104
Haydn: Drumroll Symphony
Haydn: String Quartet Op 50 no 1
Beethoven: String Quartet 15
Schumann: Kinderszenen
Stravinsky: Symphony in 3 Movements
Schoenberg: Pierrot Lunaire
Webern: String Quartet 
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto 2
Shostakovich: String Quartet 15


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## Nix

I think this is like my 3rd time posting on this thread, but I'm always listening to new pieces so here's an updated version of my top 10. 

Bach: Cello Suite #6
Bach: Mass in b Minor
Mozart: Piano Concerto #20
Mozart: Symphony #41
Beethoven: Symphony #5
Beethoven: String Quartet #14
Schubert: Cello Quintet
Debussy: String Quartet
Janacek: String Quartet #2

I will not apologize for any cliches.


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## Couchie

1. Tristan und Isolde 
2. Götterdämmerung 
3. Die Walküre 
4. Parsifal 
5. Das Rheingold 
6. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg 
7. Lohengrin
8. Siegfried
9. Wagner's flatulence
10. Bach or whatever kids are listening to these days


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## Lisztian

There's simply no way I can narrow it down that much.

So instead i'll do a top 10 based on the last 2 months of listening.

1. Liszt - Christus.
2. Liszt - Variations on Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen.
3. Beethoven - Piano Sonata Op. 109.
4. Liszt - Harmonies poétiques et religieuses.
5. Schumann - Fantasie in C.
6. Rachmaninoff - The Isle of the Dead.
7. Ligeti - Requiem.
8. Schubert - Piano Sonata D. 784.
9. Debussy - Images (Solo Piano).
10. Schubert - Winterreise. 

Or something like that.


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## pierrot

*1.* Bach - Mass in B Minor (Supreme)
*2.* Mahler - Symphony No. 9 (First symphony I heard)
*3.* Bartók - Concerto For Orchestra
*4.* Bach - Violin Concerto in A minor
*5.* Beethoven: Symphony No. 9
*6.* Brahms - Symphony No. 4
*7.* Schubert - String Quintet
*8.* Schoenberg - Verklärte Nacht
*9.* Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No. 5
*10.* Bruckner - Symphony No. 8

I'm kinda new to classical music (started a few months ago) so this list is messy.


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