# Best Opus 1's?



## musicrom (Dec 29, 2013)

I recently listened to Edgard Varese's _Ameriques_ and was pretty impressed by it; I later learned that it was actually his first opus (although not necessarily the first piece he wrote). That got me wondering, are there any Op. 1's that are surprisingly outstanding?

I do also really like Webern's Passacaglia, Op. 1. I'm sure there are others that I know of, but since I can't find any good website that lists composers' first compositions, the only way to figure them out is to search for composers individually, but perhaps some of you know of other examples.

(also, it might also be interesting to discuss final opuses, if first opuses isn't enough)

EDIT: Oh, apparently Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's first opus is his first symphony. That must be among my favorite first opuses!

EDIT 2: Oops, it looks like this thread has actually been done already. My searching skills are terrible...


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## Dim7 (Apr 24, 2009)

Webern's Passacaglia Webern's Passacaglia Webern's Passacaglia Webern's Passacaglia


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## isorhythm (Jan 2, 2015)

Agree with Webern, also Berg's piano sonata.

Bonus WORST opus 1 from a major composer: Brahms' first piano sonata. Zzzzzzzzzzz


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

I second, third, and fourth the op1's of Webern and Berg.

Rachmaninov Op. 1: His first piano concerto. Not the greatest work, but a great kick-down-the-doors-I'm-here kind of piece to introduce yourself to the world.


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## Heliogabo (Dec 29, 2014)

Korngold's piano trio Op 1.
He was 13 years old when compose this terrific chamber piece.


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## Guest (May 15, 2015)

Enescu's Romanian Poem Op.1 is very impressive.
Dohnanyi's Piano Quintet #1 was a solid debut.
Thuille's Violin Sonata #1 also good.
Taneyev's Saint John of Damascus ?

Balakirev's Piano Concerto #1 was his Opus 1, but his Grand Fantaisie on Russian Folksongs Op.4 was written 4 years earlier, at age 16.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Heliogabo said:


> Korngold's piano trio Op 1.
> He was 13 years old when compose this terrific chamber piece.


Seconded. I would also include Britten's Sinfonietta.


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Maybe this?


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Yes. Another vote here for Berg's Piano Sonata.


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## Tristan (Jan 5, 2013)

Agree with the Rachmaninov and Balakirev Piano Concertos; those are great Opus 1's.


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## QuietGuy (Mar 1, 2014)

I like Stravinsky's Symphony in E Flat, Opus 1.


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## MoonlightSonata (Mar 29, 2014)

Berg's Piano Sonata was Op. 1?!


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

A lot of composers have gotten mileage (inspiration) from the great Opus 1 of Niccolò Paganini: the Caprices (24) for solo violin, Op. 1.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Mahler's _Das Klagende Lied._


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

Woodduck said:


> Mahler's _Das Klagende Lied. _


Now that's a hard act to follow.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Marschallin Blair said:


> Now that's a hard act to follow.


He tried. Did a fair job too.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Locatelli, opus 1. This is true music.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Some of the better Nordic ones are

- Stenhammar Piano Concerto no.1
- Nielsen Little Suite for Strings
- Gade Ossian Ouverture
- Valen Legende for piano


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

joen_cph said:


> Some of the better Nordic ones are
> 
> - Stenhammar Piano Concerto no.1
> - Nielsen Little Suite for Strings
> ...


And I would add Atterberg's Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra on that nice Nordic list. Who knew that he would have come up with such a masterful work just two opuses later, namely his First Symphony. Goodness.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

I think I may have mentioned this in that 'done before' thread (how did you find it in the search morass?): Brahms' Opus 1 generates atmosphere nearly as well as those 'autumnal' piano pieces; it isn't performed often enough.


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

Niels Gade: Efterklange af Ossian, the twin sister of Mendelssohn's Hebrides...


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## musicrom (Dec 29, 2013)

Ukko said:


> I think I may have mentioned this in that 'done before' thread (*how did you find it in the search morass?*): Brahms' Opus 1 generates atmosphere nearly as well as those 'autumnal' piano pieces; it isn't performed often enough.


I couldn't find it with the search, but it appears under the "Similar Threads" on the bottom of this page.


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## Vesteralen (Jul 14, 2011)

I don't know about best, but my favorite is Schumann's ABEGG Variations (but I also love the Korngold, Brahms and Nielsen Op 1s already mentioned)


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## isorhythm (Jan 2, 2015)

Ukko said:


> I think I may have mentioned this in that 'done before' thread (how did you find it in the search morass?): Brahms' Opus 1 generates atmosphere nearly as well as those 'autumnal' piano pieces; it isn't performed often enough.


Maybe I should give it another try. As I remember it, the beginning sounds like a Hammerklavier ripoff and most of the rest sounds like second-rate Schumann. But I'll put on my Katchen recording tonight.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

On a chamber music scale, Corelli's opus 1 is also excellent.


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## echmain (Jan 18, 2013)

I might opt for this one:


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

Just remembered: Vivaldi's Op. 1, 12 trio sonatas. 
No. 12 in d minor caught my attention. What can I say? I'm a sucker for La Folia


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## pjang23 (Oct 8, 2009)

Faure wrote a very cute Op.1 No.1 "Le papillon et la fleur", which references Schumann's Papillons

https://app.box.com/s/0r1z1i1wdbhvf5jnpd8zr4jyl765k9uu


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

echmain said:


> I might opt for this one:
> 
> View attachment 69746


2010 is a bit young yet, but supposedly a great vintage.


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## Guest (May 17, 2015)

I listened to Beethoven's Opus 1 this morning: 3 Trio Sonatas in Eb, G and c. They are probably not the best Op. 1 of all time, but they immediately showed that Ludwig was destined for greatness.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

isorhythm said:


> Maybe I should give it another try. As I remember it, the beginning sounds like a Hammerklavier ripoff and most of the rest sounds like second-rate Schumann. But I'll put on my Katchen recording tonight.


Your words suggest that you were thinking instead of listening. Stop that!


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

I doubt that in any of the aforementioned cases Op 1 was the first thing the composer wrote, but the first thing she/he (or their publisher) numbered! Name one composer of note with whom the first thing written is also the first Op No! (With a irrefutable source!) .. Sorry to be the dark rain foreboding cloud in this sunshinest of games... :devil:

/ptr


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## musicrom (Dec 29, 2013)

ptr said:


> I doubt that in any of the aforementioned cases Op 1 was the first thing the composer wrote, but the first thing she/he (or their publisher) numbered!* Name one composer of note with whom the first thing written is also the first Op No!* (With a irrefutable source!) .. Sorry to be the dark rain foreboding cloud in this sunshinest of games... :devil:
> 
> /ptr


For sure, most of these Op. 1's aren't actually their composers' first pieces - who writes a 30 minute piece as their first piece of music? Apparently many composers, as one might assume from this thread. 

Well anyways... here's what Wikipedia says about Mozart's Op. 1 (KV 1a):


> There is some scholarly debate of whether Mozart was four or five years old when he created his first musical compositions, though there is little doubt that Mozart composed his first three pieces of music within a few weeks of each other: KVs 1a,[11] 1b[12] and 1c[13]


And here's the nice little piece from Mozart:






I find this a little bit more believable.


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## isorhythm (Jan 2, 2015)

I guess this is not surprising given that it's Mozart, but that 30-second piece is really remarkable for something by a four- or five-year-old. It has a subtlety and balance to it.

It puts another purported child prodigy sometimes discussed on this forum in perspective.


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