# Flawless Pieces/Passages of Music



## SottoVoce (Jul 29, 2011)

Both Dostevsky and Nabokov called Anna Karenina a flawless piece of art. I wonder if anyone had the same conception of some pieces or passages of music, music so perfect that one wonders how so great a thing exists. 

The biggest contenders for me is Brahm's op. 119 no. 1, the overture to Don Giovanni, Webern's Concerto for Nine Instruments, or the transition to the variation movement in Beethoven's 14th String Quartet. This few minutes of music are so aphoristically precious to me that I would give up a great deal of music to have a few more minutes of them. These pieces of music, I think, are "perfect". Of course, this is nothing more than my own experience, and supposed to be more fun than serious.


----------



## Cheyenne (Aug 6, 2012)

Das Lied von der Erde.


----------



## mmsbls (Mar 6, 2011)

Brahms supposedly said of The Marriage of Figaro, "Every number in Figaro is for me a marvel. I simply cannot understand anyone could create anything so perfect."

Schumann wrote, "There are things in the world about which nothing can be said, as Mozart's C major symphony (No. 41), much of Shakespeare, and pages of Beethoven." I'm assuming he meant that those works were perfect.


----------



## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

For me the effect you describe is usually just one transient event in a work. It is a musical event I spend the entire piece awaiting, and the remainder of the piece basking in its afterglow. Examples are legion, impossible to remember them all. 

One that always comes to mind first for me is part of the finale of Beethoven's 9th. It is hard to describe the actual section without a score in front of me. There is a section with the chorus repeating the words "alle Menschen, alle Menschen, alle Menschen" in a descending 3rds (I think). This happens at two different times, but at the tail end of the second time, the four soloists ring out very loudly rising above both orchestra and chorus who have temporarily fled the scene. It is such a triumphant moment. They may be singing about all mankind, but for me the soloists in that moment represent the triumph of the individual over adversity -- indeed Beethoven's own triumph, and ours too vicariously through him. There are of course many amazing moments in that movement, but this one stands out as perfect for me.


----------



## Jobis (Jun 13, 2013)

This entire piece is incredible, but the passage from around 34:00 to 35:00 is just beyond words.


----------



## apricissimus (May 15, 2013)

The beginning of the presto section of the third movement of Beethoven's Appassionata sonata gets me every time. I get goosebumps and I get weak in the knees (and I'm not exaggerating).


----------



## LordBlackudder (Nov 13, 2010)

its always perfect if its art


----------



## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

SottoVoce said:


> Both Dostevsky and Nabokov called Anna Karenina a flawless piece of art. I wonder if anyone had the same conception of some pieces or passages of music, music so perfect that one wonders how so great a thing exists.


Looking at the score of Das Lied von der Erde, I can literally begin to break down at its beauty. Here Mahler purged everything unnecessary, in texture as well as form. When the recitative returns in Der Abschied after the funereal march section, the flute obbligato removed, the vast chasm between the sustained C in the cellos and the mezzo's line, sung "without expression", gapes wide open, an abyss staring at us unflinchingly. The occasional strokes on the tamtam add a faint haze of harmonics floating across the vacant scene.


----------



## DrKilroy (Sep 29, 2012)

Some of Stravinsky's neoclassical works, especially Concerto in E-flat and Concerto in D - they just seem so meticulous to me. 

Best regards, Dr


----------



## Avey (Mar 5, 2013)

Mahler. 

All.


----------



## StevenOBrien (Jun 27, 2011)

The exposition of the first movement of Mozart's 40th symphony. The rest of the work is excellent Mozart as usual, but the exposition is just transcendental, to me.


----------



## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_Ludwig_van_Beethoven


----------



## nightscape (Jun 22, 2013)

Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu


----------



## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

I can think of no work as flawless as Ravel's _Daphnis et Chloe_. There isn't one note out of place in the whole ballet. It's one endless stream of inspiration after another. There also isn't a weak spot to be found. As to whether the listener responds emotionally to the work or not is completely subjective, of course, but one would be quite ignorant to criticize the pure technical brilliance found throughout this score.


----------



## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Another work that I hear no flaws and is just perfect is Delius' _On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring_. People may scoff at the mere mention of Delius but he has always been a composer that has been dear to my heart. Another work by Delius that I feel contains no flaws is _North Country Sketches_ which is arguably his finest orchestral work.


----------



## SottoVoce (Jul 29, 2011)

StevenOBrien said:


> The exposition of the first movement of Mozart's 40th symphony. The rest of the work is excellent Mozart as usual, but the exposition is just transcendental, to me.


I agree, and the development seeping though the recapitulation, although fairly regular in mature classical style, is so perfectly done. I remember watching Woody Allen's Manhattan, when they attend a concert and the development-recapitulation is playing during the scene; I couldn't pay attention to anything but it.


----------



## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, Mozart, 

You get the idea.

There are others, of course.


----------



## Avey (Mar 5, 2013)

To be more specific, however, I'll say *Schubert's Quintet*. It's an obvious answer, but with every listen, there is something even _more_ perfect with the work. It never ceases to amaze and fascinate me.

Of course, I find "flawless," to be synonymous with "favorite," really. I mean, my favorites, in my eyes (ears?), are flawless to my listening. But to another individual who is not a fan, or say, more musically _adept_ than I, this music may be merely passing sounds.

Though, with this particular piece, passing sounds would be...well, wrong.


----------



## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

Full piece: Vaughan Williams' Tallis Fantasia.
Passage: the 'truly scrumptious' quiet string/harp section in part 2 of Mahlers' 8th symphony.


----------



## StevenOBrien (Jun 27, 2011)

SottoVoce said:


> I agree, and the development seeping though the recapitulation, although fairly regular in mature classical style, is so perfectly done. I remember watching Woody Allen's Manhattan, when they attend a concert and the development-recapitulation is playing during the scene; I couldn't pay attention to anything but it.


Personally, I actually think that the recapitulation gets a little weak towards the end (compared to the exposition, I mean, it's still excellent). The second theme in G minor and the coda feel like they could have been expanded upon. Still, he only had six weeks to write this, I guess, and it's not as if convention really gave him much freedom in this regard.


----------



## schuberkovich (Apr 7, 2013)

The exposition of the 1st movement of Schubert's D960.


----------



## trazom (Apr 13, 2009)

StevenOBrien said:


> Still, he only had six weeks to write this, I guess, and it's not as if convention really gave him much freedom in this regard.


Technically, he only had 6 weeks to write all three of his last symphonies, the e major and c major piano trios, a violin sonatina, and Piano sonata #16...


----------

