# Which piece do you think was most highly acclaimed at its premiere?



## Francis Poulenc (Nov 6, 2016)

We know that music is often not fully appreciated at the premiere, but some pieces sunk into the audience like no other on the first listen. A good example of this is Mahler's 8th Symphony, said to have produced 30 minutes of applause at the premiere. Which other pieces, do you think, were the most acclaimed the first time they were performed?


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## Retrograde Inversion (Nov 27, 2016)

Messiah. .......


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Many, many we don't listen to today. initial immense public acclimation often has little to do with lasting quality/greatness.


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## pcnog11 (Nov 14, 2016)

MarkW said:


> Many, many we don't listen to today. initial immense public acclimation often has little to do with lasting quality/greatness.


On the contrary, many great pieces that we listen to were not as well received in their first performances. I think history or time can judge what a great piece should be. A lot of classical lovers like us judged a certain piece over time to prove its value among music lovers.


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## Francis Poulenc (Nov 6, 2016)

pcnog11 said:


> On the contrary, many great pieces that we listen to were not as well received in their first performances. I think history or time can judge what a great piece should be. A lot of classical lovers like us judged a certain piece over time to prove its value among music lovers.


I think he was making the same point you are making. However, I agree, but I also think that widespread acclaim at the premiere speaks to a certain accessibility. Like Bernstein said of Beethoven, "accessible without being ordinary". There are of course many pieces of great quality that require many listens before one starts to appreciate them, but they are not the subject of this thread.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Wellington's Victory! From a review of the premiere performance: "The effect, nay, even the very realistic impression, is quite extraordinary. One can say without hesitation that there is nothing in the realm of descriptive music that is its equal. ... We hardly need to add that laymen were completely amazed at this work and did not know what had happened to them."


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## Bruckner Anton (Mar 10, 2016)

Many pieces that were initially highly acclaimed have faded out gradually.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Bruckner Anton said:


> Many pieces that were initially highly acclaimed have faded out gradually.


Or are still at the peak of their success.


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## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

MarkW said:


> Many, many we don't listen to today. initial immense public acclimation often has little to do with lasting quality/greatness.


Yup, and initial public disapproval, time and again, turn out to be a poor predictor of later success. One could have a companion thread about works that initially bombed only to end up in the standard repertoire. Beethoven's violin concerto comes to mind.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

brianvds said:


> Yup, and initial public disapproval, time and again, turn out to be a poor predictor of later success. One could have a companion thread about works that initially bombed only to end up in the standard repertoire. Beethoven's violin concerto comes to mind.


Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto. written about the same time and in a similar vein, also falls in this category. Both concertos were revived, many years after their premieres, by Mendelssohn, and both have been near the top of their repertoires ever since. Thanks, Felix!


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Mahler 8 was very succesful or so I've read.


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## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

I believe a very good case could be made for Verdi's Otello


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## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

KenOC said:


> Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto. written about the same time and in a similar vein, also falls in this category. Both concertos were revived, many years after their premieres, by Mendelssohn, and both have been near the top of their repertoires ever since. Thanks, Felix!


Ole Felix was one of the great midwives for re-birthing great but dead works. Had he been a member here, he would be one of those who replied to threads from ten years ago...


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

pcnog11 said:


> On the contrary, many great pieces that we listen to were not as well received in their first performances. I think history or time can judge what a great piece should be. A lot of classical lovers like us judged a certain piece over time to prove its value among music lovers.


That comment brings me to Bruckner (as I'm listening to his mighty Fifth Symphony, no less).


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