# The Essential Mozart [1]



## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

This is the start of a series of threads I will be making that asks TC users what a given composer's 'essential works' are. If you are exploring this composer, what works must you have on your shelves?. The first such composer is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Interpret the question as you wish, be it undisputed masterpieces or the composer's best works (in the case of a 'second-rate composer').

And I know this is coming, but please don't say that everything Mozart composed is essential - it is not. Please limit yourself to about 15-20 entries.


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## CDs (May 2, 2016)

Requiem
Symphony #41


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Die Zauberflöte
Le nozze di Figaro
Cosi fan tutte
Don Giovanni
Symphonies 35,36,38-41
Piano Concertos 8-27
Clarinet Concerto
Clarinet Quintet
Great Mass in C minor
Mass in C major, K. 337 "Solemnis"
Coronation Mass, K. 317
Requiem
Trio for Clarinet, Viola and Piano in E-flat major, "Kegelstatt"
Quintet for Piano and Winds
String Quintets 1-6
Haydn Quartets
Prussian Quartets
Violin Concertos 1-5
Horn Concertos 1-4
Adagio and Rondo for glass harmonica, flute, oboe, viola and cello
Serenade No. 10 for twelve winds and double bass in B-flat major, "Gran Partita"
Masonic Funeral Music

I wouldn't be without any of these... and a good many other works... to be honest.


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## TennysonsHarp (Apr 30, 2017)

Reqiuem
Don Giovanni
Figaro
Zauberflote
Mass in C Minor
Symphonies 25, 40, and 41
Piano Concertos 20 and 21
Violin Concertos
Horn Concertos
Serenade for Winds (Gran Partita)
Clarinet Quintet
Clarinet Concerto
Sinfonia Concertante
Haydn Quartets


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## jdec (Mar 23, 2013)

StlukesguildOhio said:


> Die Zauberflöte
> Le nozze di Figaro
> Cosi fan tutte
> Don Giovanni
> ...


All in this list is Essential Mozart indeed. I would add the Sinfonia Concertante, Symphony 25, piano quartets, sonata for 2 pianos, and some piano sonatas and divertimenti.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Grand Partita.
Sinfonia Concertante
Cosi fan tutte
Die Zauberflöte
Le nozze di Figaro
Cosi fan tutte
Don Giovanni
Piano Concertos ( all)
Clarinet Concerto
Clarinet Quintet
Great Mass in C minor
Mass in C major, K. 337 "Solemnis"
Trio for Clarinet, Viola and Piano in E-flat major, "Kegelstatt"
Quintet for Piano and Winds
String Quintets 
Haydn Quartets
Prussian Quartets
Violin Concertos 1-5
Requiem
Concert Arias.


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## Ziggabea (Apr 5, 2017)

CDs said:


> Requiem
> Symphony #41


Requiem
Piano Concerto no 27

Symphony #41
Fantasia in C minor
Serenade no 10
Piano concerto no 20

I'm not overall a big Mozart fan, despite stereotypically being a girl. His best work to me is his most angelic and his most "sad". The requiem, I think is the best.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

I won't say these are essential to everyone, but me:

Fantasia K.475
Piano Concertos 17, 22, 27
Clarinet Quintet
Don Giovanni
Flute and Harp Concerto
Symphonies 33, 39, 41
Concert Aria K. 505


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## Bruckner Anton (Mar 10, 2016)

Seriously, I would suggest going through all of his popular post-1780s works. Anyway here is my recommended list of 20.
Opera:
Magic Flute
Don Giovanni

Choral:
Requiem K.626
Mass in c minor K.427

Orchestral and Serenades:
Symphony 40,41
Clarinet concerto K.622
Piano concerto 20,24,27
Serenade no.13 in G major K.525

Chamber and Solo:
String quintet in g minor K.516
Clarinet quintet K.581
String quartet in d minor K.421
Piano quartet no.1 in g minor K.478
String trio K.563
Violin sonata K.304, K.378
Piano sonata K.333, K.576


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Piano Concertos 20, 21, 23, & 27.

String Quintets in C Major & G minor.

Great Mass in C minor

The Marriage of Figaro

Don Giovanni

Ave verum corpus

Six String Quartets Dedicated to Haydn

Piano Quartets in G minor and E Flat Major

Prague Symphony


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## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

1.Piano Concerto No. 12

2. Piano Concerto No. 20

3. Piano Concerto No. 21

4. Piano Concerto No. 22

5. Piano Concerto No. 23

6. Piano Concerto No. 24

7. Symphony No. 40

8. Symphony No. 41

9. Magic Flute

10. Don Giovanni

11. Marriage of Figaro

12. Violin Concerto No. 5

13. String Quintet in G Minor

14. Clarinet Concerto

15. Clarinet Quintet

16. Requiem

17. Dissonance Quartet

18. Piano Sonata in C Minor

19. Gran Partita Serenade

20. Sinfonia Concertante


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Pugg- Grand Partita... *Concert Arias*

Yes. The concert arias are perhaps the most important works IMO that I left off my list.

Ziggabea- I'm not overall a big Mozart fan, despite stereotypically being a girl.

Well... I'm not a girl... stereotypical or otherwise... and yet I absolutely adore Mozart. J.S Bach is the only composer by whom I have more music and to whom I listen more (only slightly).


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## Andolink (Oct 29, 2012)

String Quartet No. 23 in F major, K. 590
Piano Concerto No. 13 in C major, K. 415
Così fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti, K. 588
Piano Concerto No. 17 in G major, KV. 453


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

Here is my top 10 introductory Mozart list:

Serenade No. 13 "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik"
Symphony No. 40
Requiem
Piano Concerto No. 21
Don Giovanni
Piano Sonata No. 11
Bassoon Concerto
Clarinet Concerto
Symphony No. 41
String Quartet No. 23

It covers a pretty wide range of his styles and some of the most "important" pieces he wrote. If two symphonies is too much, you can substitue the 5 Contredanses K 609 for No. 41.


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## poconoron (Oct 26, 2011)

Obeying TS instructions, I am limiting myself to 20  :

Don Giovanni
Figaro
Cosi fan tutte
Magic Flute
Piano concertos 17,20,22,24,25,27
Sinfonia concertante K364
Clarinet quintet
Symphonies 39,40,41
Mass C minor
Divertimento for string trio K563
Requiem
Gran Partita Serenade
Quintet for piano,winds K452


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## Tallisman (May 7, 2017)

So much of his work is essential, but for the sake of brevity and for some people just starting out with Mozart, I'd say his five most _definitive_ works are:

Don Giovanni
Nozze de Figaro
'Great' Piano concertos (20 - 25)
Symphonies 35-41
Clarinet Quintet
Requiem


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

^ five?

Clarinet concerto
Clarinet quintet
Requiem
Symphonies 40,41
Piano concertos 20-27


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## AfterHours (Mar 27, 2017)

StlukesguildOhio said:


> Well... I'm not a girl... stereotypical or otherwise... and yet I absolutely adore Mozart. J.S Bach is the only composer by whom I have more music and to whom I listen more (only slightly).


I'm not a girl either. And I'm far from stereotypical. Except Mozart is among my favorite artists in any form. Therefore, the first two statements may not be true, though I am sure hoping that I'm right about them, otherwise my life has been stranger than I ever thought possible.


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## Tallisman (May 7, 2017)

Tallisman said:


> So much of his work is essential, but for the sake of brevity and for some people just starting out with Mozart, I'd say his five most _definitive_ works are:
> 
> Don Giovanni
> Nozze de Figaro
> ...


*I meant 6...


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

AfterHours said:


> I'm not a girl either. And I'm far from stereotypical. Except Mozart is among my favorite artists in any form. Therefore, the first two statements may not be true, though I am sure hoping that I'm right about them, otherwise my life has been stranger than I ever thought possible.


As if onee gender has anything to so with taste / preference, you are fine the way you are, do not loose any sleep over it.


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