# Your Favorite Concerto (Favorite Movement is fine)



## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

Since that other thread wasn't really asking for your favorite concerto, I decided to make this thread for that request. For me, It is Hummel's Trumpet Concerto. Majestic sounding. Albinoni's Oboe Concerto follows it.


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## StevenOBrien (Jun 27, 2011)

Either:

Mozart - Clarinet Conerto
Mozart - Piano Concerto 23
Beethoven - Piano Concerto 5

Bach's Brandenburg concertos too, but I'm not sure they count .


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

neoshredder said:


> Since that other thread wasn't really asking for your favorite concerto, I decided to make this thread for that request. For me, It is Hummel's Trumpet Concerto. Majestic sounding. Albinoni's Oboe Concerto follows it.


Wow, those are some interesting choices! Nice!

Mine might be Bach 1060 with an oboe. But I like Bruch's VC 1 very much too (and all his other music for violin and orchestra), Beethoven's PC 4, Mozart's PC 20 and 21 and 23 and 24. Hard to choose among them.


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## mmsbls (Mar 6, 2011)

I think it's too hard to select my favorite concerto. It's a bit easier to select favorite concertos for specific instruments. 

Cello - Dvorak
Violin - Brahms/Tchaikovsky (tie)
Winds - Mozart Clarinet
Horn - Mozart Horn Concerto 3/4
Piano - There are too many wonderful concertos but among my favorites are Beethoven 4/5, Mozart 20/24, Rachmaninoff 2, Schumann


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

Either way. Maybe pick your top 3 instruments and pick your favorite concerto of those instruments. Oboe and Trumpet are some of my favorites.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

For a long time Dvorak was my favorite cello concerto, and it's great, but now I love Elgar so much. Every time I hear Dvorak's I think that surely Elgar's can't be better, but then I hear Elgar's and I just love it do much.


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

Don't Say Elgar. ComposerofAvantGarde might be lurking.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

neoshredder said:


> Don't Say Elgar. ComposerofAvantGarde might be lurking.


My bad. I meant Large. Just typed it wrong.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Bach - hmmm all of them?
Ravel - PC in G, Left hand
Bartok - PC 1 + 2
Vivaldi - Four Seasons
Schnittke - Concerto for Piano and Strings
Mozart - Clarinet Concerto, late PC's
Beethoven - PC's 3,4,5
Mendelssohn - VC

To name a few.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Mozart - Clarinet concerto

Honorable mention:
Alwyn - Harp concerto Lyra Angelica


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

All by *Ligeti:*

Chamber Concerto
Piano Concerto
Cello Concerto
Violin Concerto
Hamburg Concerto
Double Concerto


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

I am gonna list one concerto/composer otherwise this list would be full of Mozart&Beethoven
Mozart 20th Piano concerto in D minor
Beethoven 5th piano concerto in Eb major
Mendelssohn Violin concerto in E minor
Sibelius Violin concerto in D minor


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## Andreas (Apr 27, 2012)

My favourite concerto is probably Brahms' piano concerto no. 2. At least I can't think of any other concerto I'd rather listen to. It's a little long, alright, but since it is so well structured one doesn't really notice it. I've heard that it's perversely difficult to play too, even though it doesn't really come across as a specatular virtuoso showpiece.


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## cwarchc (Apr 28, 2012)

I have to say it's Elgar's cello, followed by Dvorak's, or possibly Shoskatovich no 1


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## MaestroViolinist (May 22, 2012)

cwarchc said:


> I have to say it's Elgar's cello, followed by Dvorak's, or possibly Shoskatovich no 1


Definitely Dvorak's, not Shostakovich.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

For my favorites the choice of concerto has to be paired with a particular recording or performance.

Mendelssohn Violin Concerto - Hilary Hahn with Oslo Philharmonic






Mozart Clarinet Concerto - Martin Frost






Dvorak Cello Concerto - Peter Burns






OR Alisa Weilerstein


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## Sequentia (Nov 23, 2011)

For some reason concertos that are not for piano rarely impress me; the violin concertos of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Brahms disinterest me completely, for instance.

Somewhat in order:

Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 23
Xenakis, _Keqrops_
Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 25
Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 19
Brahms, Piano Concerto No. 1
Beethoven, Piano Concerto No. 4
Joël-François Durand, Piano Concerto (highly recommended! 



)
Xenakis, _Synaphaï_
Schönberg, Piano Concerto
Skalkottas, Piano Concerto No. 2

10 items should suffice.


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## cwarchc (Apr 28, 2012)

After listening to the music on the posts above.
I can't make up my mind now?
Alisa Weilerstein is very good, I'd not headrd her before

It's either this






Or it could be this version






What a great venue.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Beethoven 5
Rachmaninoff 2
Scriabin

Most beautiful movement ever:


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

cwarchc said:


>


It's hard to watch Barenboim conduct this...


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## NightHawk (Nov 3, 2011)

Amazing! I was going to list the 2nd movements of each concerto you posted and offer them as my top 3 favorite slow movements but unable to decide among them.



StevenOBrien said:


> Either:
> 
> Mozart - Clarinet Conerto
> Mozart - Piano Concerto 23
> ...


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## Cygnenoir (Dec 21, 2011)

Why haven't anyone mentioned Grieg's Piano Concerto??
Others I like are Rachmaninoff's PC No. 2, and Bartok's No. 2, Ligeti's Chamber Concerto and Piano Concerto, Berg's Violin Concerto, Prokofiev's PC No. 3, Ravel's PC in G, etc.


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## Llyranor (Dec 20, 2010)

Sibelius' violin concerto is easily my favorite concerto.
(berghansson, don't despair! Grieg is my favorite piano concerto, hehehe)

In terms of individual favorite movements, here are some of my choices:

Shostakovich's 1st violin concerto - 3rd mvt - passacaglia. I'm not even that much of a fan of the other movements, but the passacaglia just breaks me apart. It just feels like such a tragic movement.
[movement transitions directly into the 4th mvt after the cadenza in the video]





Vivaldi's RV558 - 1st movement (allegro molto). Concerto for 2 violins, 2 recorders, 2 trumpets, 2 mandolins, 2 chalumeaux, 2 theorbos and cello. Insane! I love his chamber concerti. 





Ravel's piano concerto in G - 2nd mvt - adagio assai. Such a powerful movement. The minimal orchestral accompaniment works in its favor here. Again, I'm not that much of a fan of the rest of the concerto for some reason, but this mvt is just sublime.


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## Romantic Geek (Dec 25, 2009)

StevenOBrien said:


> Either:
> 
> Mozart - Clarinet Conerto
> Mozart - Piano Concerto 23
> ...


Mozart PC 23 is definitely up there for me too! Love that second movement:






Love the Grieg PC as well:






Although I'm not the biggest fan of Beethoven's music on the whole, I love his 3rd PC: (by the way, check out this great recording I found!)






I stumbled upon Horatio Parker's Organ Concerto the other month. It's a wonderful work. Unfortunately, no recording on Youtube but there is one on Naxos.

Saint-Saens PC #2:






That's all I can think of now.


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## StevenOBrien (Jun 27, 2011)

Romantic Geek said:


> Mozart PC 23 is definitely up there for me too! Love that second movement


I'm not terribly fond of a lot of Mozart's slow movements (Exceptions being the more lyrical ones such as the Clarinet Concerto, PC21, 20, Eine kleine nacthmusik, Gran partita etc.), and I don't particularly enjoy PC23's one, but I can't get enough of the outer movements.


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## Romantic Geek (Dec 25, 2009)

StevenOBrien said:


> I'm not terribly fond of a lot of Mozart's slow movements (Exceptions being the more lyrical ones such as the Clarinet Concerto, PC21, 20, Eine kleine nacthmusik, Gran partita etc.), and I don't particularly enjoy PC23's one, but I can't get enough of the outer movements.


Oh, that's a shame. I think that's the most beautiful slow movement he ever wrote. Filled with pathos and quite jarring harmonic moments for Mozart...more appropriate for someone like Schubert.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anyway, for people who want to check out the Parker Organ Concerto and have Naxos, here's the link: 
http://naxosmusiclibrary.com/mediaplayer/flash/http-fplayer.asp?br=64&tl=404702|404703|404704


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## powerbooks (Jun 30, 2012)

StevenOBrien said:


> I'm not terribly fond of a lot of Mozart's slow movements (Exceptions being the more lyrical ones such as the Clarinet Concerto, PC21, 20, Eine kleine nacthmusik, Gran partita etc.), and I don't particularly enjoy PC23's one, but I can't get enough of the outer movements.


I second (or third?) on Mozart's Clarinet Concerto.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

Couchie said:


> It's hard to watch Barenboim conduct this...


He's not the one I'm watching.


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## Quartetfore (May 19, 2010)

Rachmaninov 3rd, Bruch #1, and almost any of those posted.


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## Jared (Jul 9, 2012)

Violin: 1) Brahms 2) Beethoven
Piano: 1) Beethoven No.5 2) Brahms No.2
Cello: 1) Elgar 2) Dvorak
Viola: Walton (!?)
Trumpet: 1) Haydn 2) Hummel
Clarinet: 1) Mozart 2) Weber (either)
Flute: 1) Mozart 2) Nielsen
Oboe: 1) Mozart 2) Haydn
Horn: 1) Mozart No.4 2) Strauss

all fairly predictable, I suppose...


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## jttoft (Apr 23, 2012)

This is almost too difficult. Mozart's Clarinet Concerto is definitely up there - it might be my favourite Mozart piece - but so is Beethoven's 5th Piano Concerto, Mozart's 21st Piano Concerto and Bach's 2nd Violin Concerto. I really love Mozart's 1st Violin Concerto as well.

I think I'll say the Emperor Concerto.


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## crmoorhead (Apr 6, 2011)

Maybe not a definitive list (what is?) but what I like at the moment:

Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 20 & Clarinet Concerto
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5
Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No. 2
Barber: Piano Concerto and Cello Concerto
Liszt: Piano Concerto No 1
Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1
Arnold: Concerto for 2 Pianos
Haydn: Cello Concerto No. 1

Maybe I am not refined in my tastes, but I prefer Piano Concertos with quirky/showy themes.


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## powerbooks (Jun 30, 2012)

I would add one more besides dozens have mentioend:

Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D. It was played in my first ever Symphony concert 20 years ago, and I was immediately enthused by the beautiful melodies. 

It is on top among Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Mozart, and Sibelius' concertos.


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## Toddlertoddy (Sep 17, 2011)

Recently became in love with Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand because it's for the left hand


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## millenarianism (Jul 10, 2012)

What immediately comes to mind are Brahms violin and second piano concerto.

Oh and Bach's 5th Brandenburg Concerto.


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## Rachmanijohn (Jan 2, 2014)

Rachmaninoff's 3rd Piano Concerto. Rich, dramatic, and sublime!


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## musicrom (Dec 29, 2013)

Violin: Mendelssohn
Viola: Casadesus/Handel
Cello: Elgar
Piano: Rachmaninoff (No. 2)


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## spradlig (Jul 25, 2012)

I recommend Korngold's neglected concerto for the left hand.



Toddlertoddy said:


> Recently became in love with Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand because it's for the left hand


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Elgar's Violin Concerto, Beethoven's Fourth Piano Concerto, Brahm's Second Piano Concerto, Brahm's Violin Concerto, Mozart's 23rd Piano Concerto, Sibelius Violin Concerto, Prokofiev Third Piano Concerto, Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto.


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## Livly_Station (Jan 8, 2014)

I'm thinking for some time and can't be sure of one, since they're always rotating in my preference. A top 7 would be, maybe:

Ravel: Piano Concerto in G
Mozart: Piano Concerto 23
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto 3
Alban Berg: Violin Concerto to The Memory of an Angel
Scriabin: Piano Concerto
Beethoven: Piano Concerto 3
Shostakovich: Piano Concerto 2


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## revdrdave (Jan 8, 2014)

You said we could pick favorite concerto movements...slow movement of the Ravel concerto in G, hands-down.

An entire concerto? I've just discovered Pfitzner's Piano Concerto. Wow. Just stunningly beautiful. I can't claim it's my all-time favorite concerto, but it's my favorite concerto right now.


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## lupinix (Jan 9, 2014)

Most favorite concerto of all: Sergei Rachmaninovs 3rd piano concerto
violin: Sergei prokofiev 1 or Dimitry shostakovich 1 (then sibelius)
cello: Dmitry shostakovich 1 (then prokofiev and dvorak and elgar)
harp: William Alwyn
guitar: Mauro Guiliani
clarinet: Mozart (only one i know )
concerto grosso: Bach for oboe and harpsichord (guess it must be a concerto grosso as it isnt a solo concert, otherwise brandenburg 5)


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## Blake (Nov 6, 2013)

The 2nd movement to Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 comes to mind... Probably because I'm listening to it right now. Most Wonderful.


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## Winterreisender (Jul 13, 2013)

Piano: Grieg, and several by Mozart
Violin: Bruch #1
Guitar: Vivaldi RV. 93
Other: Mozart Flute and Harp


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## Eviticus (Dec 8, 2011)

Top: Dvorak Cello Concerto Movement 1

Other favs:
Mozart Oboe concerto Movement 1
Tchaikovsky violin concerto Movement 2
Elgar Cello Concerto Movement 1
Beethoven Emperor Movement 2

Never quite understood why Mozart's Clarinet Concerto resonates with so many though... I even prefer his Bassoon Concerto.


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## QuietGuy (Mar 1, 2014)

My tastes in music are wide and varied:

Samuel Barber: Violin Concerto
Maurice Ravel: Concerto for the Left Hand
Keith Emerson: Piano Concerto
Cecille Chaminade: Flute Concertino


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Love the second movements of:

Ravel Piano Concerto in G.

Mozart Piano Concerto #23 in A.


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## classifriend (Mar 9, 2014)

bartok's piano concerto no. 3
the adagio religioso is so tender




 (8:05)


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

In real time, Mozart Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major.


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## 20centrfuge (Apr 13, 2007)

Violin - Shostakovich Violin Concerto
Piano - Prokofiev Concerto No.2

Lesser Known:
Ginastera Harp Cto
Maxwell Davies Trumpet Cto


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## Bettina (Sep 29, 2016)

As usual, I can't limit myself to just one! Here's my top five:

1. Beethoven, Piano Concerto No. 5, "Emperor"
2. Mozart, Violin Concerto No. 5
3. Beethoven, Violin Concerto
4. Dvorak, Cello Concerto
5. Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 20


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Can we have a little decorum around here????


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

Brahms: Double Concerto


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## AfterHours (Mar 27, 2017)

1. Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1785) 
2. Violin Concerto in D Major - Johannes Brahms (1878) 
3. Concerto for Orchestra - Roberto Gerhard (1965) 
4. Violin Concertos Nos. 1-4, "The Four Seasons" - Antonio Vivaldi (1723) 
5. Violin Concerto No. 2 in C-sharp Minor - Dmitri Shostakovich (1967) 
6. Violin Concerto in D Major - Ludwig van Beethoven (1806) 
7. Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major - Johannes Brahms (1881) 
8. Violin Concerto "To the Memory of an Angel" - Alban Berg (1935) 
9. Violin Concerto No. 2 - Bela Bartok (1938) 
10. Cello Concerto No. 2 - Dmitri Shostakovich (1966) 
11. Concerto for Orchestra - Bela Bartok (1943) 
12. Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major "Emperor" - Ludwig van Beethoven (1811) 
13. Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1785) 
14. Concerto for Piano and String Orchestra - Alfred Schnittke (1979) 
15. Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1875) 
16. Piano Concerto - Michael Nyman (1993) 
17. Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor - Sergei Rachmaninoff (1901) 
18. Piano Concerto in A Minor - Robert Schumann (1845) 
19. Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major - Ludwig van Beethoven (1806) 
20. Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major - Sergei Prokofiev (1921) 
21. Piano Concerto in G major - Maurice Ravel (1931) 
22. Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 in D Minor - Johann Sebastian Bach (1734) 
23. Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor - Johannes Brahms (1858) 
24. Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat major - Franz Liszt (1849) 
25. Oiseaux Exotiques - Olivier Messiaen (1956)


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## chromatic owl (Jan 4, 2017)

Really an unanswerable question to me but I would like to state that I Iove Dvořák's concerto 'trilogy' (piano, violin, cello).


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Prokofiev PC #3, because it's perfect. Ravel Left Hand 99.9% as perfect as Proko 3. Brahms PC #2 99.8% as perfect as Proko 3 (I measured it!)...........


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## laurie (Jan 12, 2017)

Currently, Moeran's Cello Concerto is tops for me. Oh, and Barber's Piano concerto would be next.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Beethoven :the Triple concerto , second movement.
Beethoven: Piano concerto 5, last movement.
Beethoven: Violin Concerto : last movement.
Bruch:Violin concerto First movement.
Mozart: Piano concerto 17, middle movement.


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## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

Pugg said:


> *Beethoven :the Triple concerto , second movement.*
> Beethoven: Piano concerto 5, last movement.
> Beethoven: Violin Concerto : last movement.
> Bruch:Violin concerto First movement.
> Mozart: Piano concerto 17, middle movement.


Just listening to that yesterday- reminds me a lot of the Emperor Concerto's slow movement. What amazes me about Beethoven more than anything is how dull many of his melodies are- yet how he makes up for it with texture and other things that only genius's could do. For instance, the violin concert's first movement- the melody is thought of as beautiful and wonderful today, but it's really nothing unusual- but everything else Beethoven does makes him one of the greatest composers.


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## laurie (Jan 12, 2017)

Strange Magic said:


> Prokofiev PC #3, because it's perfect. Ravel Left Hand 99.9% as perfect as Proko 3. Brahms PC #2 99.8% as perfect as Proko 3
> (I measured it!)...........


This is a great new thread idea! You, Strange Magic, could announce that you've figured out the way to precisely measure perfection in Classical music. Wouldn't _that _ be a fun thread! :lol:  :lol:


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## Tallisman (May 7, 2017)

Strange Magic said:


> Prokofiev PC #3, because it's perfect. Ravel Left Hand 99.9% as perfect as Proko 3. Brahms PC #2 99.8% as perfect as Proko 3 (I measured it!)...........


Agree about Prokofiev's 3rd. I could do a top 4 for sure:

Prokofiev 3rd
Bruch violin concerto
Rach 2
Brahms violin concerto


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## Tallisman (May 7, 2017)

Actually... no.1 without any doubt for me is Mozart's 21st. Completely forgot:tiphat:


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

laurie said:


> This is a great new thread idea! You, Strange Magic, could announce that you've figured out the way to precisely measure perfection in Classical music. Wouldn't _that _ be a fun thread! :lol:  :lol:


My Bestmeter has been broken for a long time now, and the company that makes it says they're having trouble getting parts. The Perfectionmeter works reasonably well, but has registered only a tiny handful of perfect works. I use to work for a printing company years ago. We had three quality grades: the lowest grade was labeled "Museum Quality"; the middle grade was "Perfect", and our highest quality grade had no name at all, though people often said "Ineffable" .


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