# Your favorite composer's MOST charming music



## peeyaj (Nov 17, 2010)

Forget about the seriousness of your favorite composer's work, what works of your favorite composer is the most charming? Charming in a way that it is full of life and will put a smile on your face.. (i.e. the opposite of Beethoven's Grosse Fugue, hahhaa).



Here's my mine:

Franz Schubert:

*The second movement of Symphony no. 3*






Octet in F - 3rd movement






and of course!

*
Die Forelle*






What's yours?


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## Carpenoctem (May 15, 2012)

3rd movement of Mozart' Piano concerto No.22 always puts a smile on my face, it's so damn charming!


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)




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## Renaissance (Jul 10, 2012)

Beethoven's Symphony No.4, second movement.


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## Stargazer (Nov 9, 2011)

Here's one from Mahler that always makes me laugh


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

The charm of Glazunov has no end... NO END...

I will limit myself to just a few






May I have this dance, Huilunsoittaja?











Heck yes!!!

What a lady's man! *swoons*  <3 <3 <3


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)




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## Hassid (Sep 29, 2012)

Tchaikowsky's string sextet.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

I'll follow Huilu's & Hassid's way and add a few more Russians:

*Prokofiev*, a lot of his stuff (eg. Peter and the Wolf, Sym.#1 'Classical'), but esp. the March from The Love for Three Oranges

*Shostakovich's* Waltz #2 played & arranged by the king of schmaltz (or the waltz?) himself, Andre Rieu.

*Stravinsky's* Ragtime and also his Russian Dance from Petrushka performed by the late Alexis Weissenberg (a joy to watch and hear!).


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## Hassid (Sep 29, 2012)

Pne of the most charming and joyful symphonic works I know is the beautiful, underrated and almost unknown Suite Algerienne by Saint-Saëns. Last movement "French Military March" is heard sometimes, but all 4 are just lovely.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Renaissance said:


> Beethoven's Symphony No.4, second movement.


My choice also!


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Huilunsoittaja said:


> The charm of Glazunov has no end... NO END...


I hope the young men around these parts are taking note of how to sweep you off your feet.

I've always thought this piece by Glazunov was charming. When my grandson was a few months old, I'd play this for him. It's a lovely memory.


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## Norse (May 10, 2010)

I don't know about favorite composer, but this is pretty darn charming.


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## Lisztian (Oct 10, 2011)

5:48 - 9:04.






Damnit Faust. Stop your lamentations...


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Hassid said:


> Tchaikowsky's string sextet.


Add to that his Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and small orchestra. That piece is divine.


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## Turangalîla (Jan 29, 2012)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


>


You are home!!!  I've missed you!
And sans an avatar, I might add! What is the reason for this disrespect toward His Worship Ligeti?


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

CarterJohnsonPiano said:


> You are home!!!  I've missed you!
> And sans an avatar, I might add! What is the reason for this disrespect toward His Worship Ligeti?


I am trying to resist the temptation of coming back to this site for the time being. And by the way, I'm a philosopher now. I put my faith in John Cage almost as much as *Ligeti* now.


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## SimonNZ (Jul 12, 2012)

Hassid said:


> Tchaikowsky's string sextet.


That intrigued me - I don't think I know that work at all. Which recording or recordings would you recommend?

As for me...

Lets say my favorite composer is Bach, who wasn't much interested in being charming, but maybe the opening of the "Wachet Auf" cantata (for my taste the Karl Richter recording)


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## Norse (May 10, 2010)

Some charming Saint-Saëns






Once again, I'm not good at 'favorites', I'm just trying to think of cute pieces.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

Of my top three composers:

*Brahms*: I think his work for clarinet. I've a lot to explore yet of his work though, having focused so far chiefly on the Requiem, Piano Concerto #2, and chamber music.

*Mahler*: He's wonderful, exciting, tragic, intense. Charming is not a word that comes to mind with Mahler. However, I think the brief 5th movement from symphony #3 with the boys' choir does in fact fit the bill.

*Mendelssohn*: almost the opposite of Mahler. I find quite a lot of his work charming, in fact why I can listen to him at almost any given moment. His concertos and chamber works especially.


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## Ondine (Aug 24, 2012)

Carpenoctem said:


> 3rd movement of Mozart' Piano concerto No.22 always puts a smile on my face, it's so damn charming!


Yes Carpenoctem! 

I will add this one:






and this...






Almost any of Morzart's makes me smile...


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## Hassid (Sep 29, 2012)

[email protected]: Tchaik.s.sextet: Leonid Kogan-Elizabeth Gilels Kogan- Mikhail Terian- Rudolf Barshai- Rostropovich-Knushevitsky (!!!!). An absolutely incredible version. No better exists IMO.


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## ProudSquire (Nov 30, 2011)

I suppose I ought to contribute something!

*Franz Schubert* - Notturno 
Sublime, charming, mesmeric, serene, one would run out of adjectives trying to describe music of such beauty!






*Mozart* Symphony No. 36 "Linz". Third Movement "Menuetto."






*Mozart* Serenata Notturna k. 239






Of course, Mozrat wrote plenty of charming music, but these ought to suffice for now!


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

For Bach I would say he was probably at his most charming in the _Brandenburg Concertos_, my other favorite composer Ravel's most charming work was possibly _Ma Mere L'oye_.


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## mud (May 17, 2012)

I would not claim to have a favorite composer, as none was a master at all of the various forms of composition that comprise classical music, but I think that most every composer who intends to charm the listener will be successful. While the musicians are largely responsible for being consistent with such intent in their interpretations.


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## SottoVoce (Jul 29, 2011)

or






or


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## Arsakes (Feb 20, 2012)

I try to keep them maximum as 5 pieces.

Brahms: 
- Piano Concerto No.1 - I. Mestoso
- Symphony No.3 - IV. Allegro
- Serenade No.1 - VI. Rondo: Allegro
- Piano Trio No.1 - First movement
- Ein Deutsches Requiem - Denn Alles Fleisch, Es Ist Wie Gras

Dvorak:
- Violin Concerto - II. Adagio ma non troppo
- Symphony No.6 - IV. Finale Allegro con spirit
- Piano Trio No.4 "Dumky": IV. Andante moderato
- String Quartet No.13 in G major - II. Adagio ma non troppo
- Piano Trio No.3 - IV. Finale Allegro con brio

Schumann:
- Symphony No. 3 'Rhenish' - I. Lebhaft
- Symphony No. 4 - III. Scherzo: Lebhaft
- Piano Quartet - III. Andante
- String Quartet No.3 - II. Assai agitato-Un poco adagio-Tempo risoluto
- Cello Concerto - 3rd movement
- Requiem fur Mignon
- Piano Concerto in A minor - I. Allegro Affettuoso

It takes much time! Praper yourself for my next marvelous post in the future!


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Sonata said:


> *Mahler*: He's wonderful, exciting, tragic, intense. Charming is not a word that comes to mind with Mahler.


I think Mahler could be plenty charming. Especially in his earlier symphonies. For example:

The 2nd movement of the 2nd symphony: 



The 2nd movement of the 3rd symphony: 



The trio of the 2nd movement of the 4th symphony: 



 (1:41 and 5:03 of this video)
the last movement of the 4th symphony (Maybe the most charming of all): 




The 3rd movement of Das Lied: 



The 4th movement too:


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## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

and






and this one:


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## jttoft (Apr 23, 2012)

The finale of Mozart's piano concerto no. 16 in D Major never fails to put a smile on my face.

That concerto is just so full of uninhibited simple joy!


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## BurningDesire (Jul 15, 2012)

There is amazing charm in the simplicity and innocence of pieces like "In a Landscape" and "Dream" and "Suite for Toy Piano" by John Cage. His "Child of Tree" also exudes charm. Alot of his music is pretty charming actually.


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## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

Wagner's "Siegfried Idyll" is pretty charming. Of my other favourites, Bruckner never composed a charming thing in his life, and when Mahler sounds charming, I always have a sneaking suspicion that he's just being ironic...


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## Ivanovich (Aug 12, 2012)




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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I am trying to resist the temptation of coming back to this site for the time being. And by the way, I'm a philosopher now. I put my faith in John Cage almost as much as *Ligeti* now.


I'm sure you have been sorely missed,it's been so quiet without you!


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

moody said:


> I'm sure you have been sorely missed,it's been so quiet without you!


That'll be the John Cage influence haha.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Manxfeeder said:


> I hope the young men around these parts are taking note of how to sweep you off your feet.
> 
> I've always thought this piece by Glazunov was charming. When my grandson was a few months old, I'd play this for him. It's a lovely memory.


Isn't that so cute???  When I saw that on youtube for the first time, I found it absolutely clever! Get young kids to listen to his music, and what do they come up with? Charming pictures! I love the one picture with the mouse holding a flute, it must likely was meant to represent the great piccolo part in that piece.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

The Adagio from Brahms' Violin Concerto is an unbelievably charming song.


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