Simply your favourite 30 works

[Teresa]

THIRTY favorite works -- well, at least there's room to actually make a fair representation of favorite stuff... I shall list one favorite per composer.

1. BELA BARTOK - Music for Strings Percussion and Celesta
2. ARTHUR HONEGGER - Pacific 231
3. MAURICE RAVEL - La Valse
4. OLIVIER MESSIAEN - Et Exspecto Resurrectionem Mortuorem
5. CHARLES IVES - Three Places in New England
6. HOWARD HANSON - Mosaics for orchestra
7. AKIRA IFUKUBE - Symphonic Fantasia #1
8. MORTON SUBOTNICK - The Key to Songs for ensemble and computer
9. STEVE REICH - Three Tales for ensemble and electronic samples
10. IANNIS XENAKIS - Terretektorh for orchestra scattered among the audience
11. KARLHEINZ STOCKHAUSEN - Stop und Start for ensemble
12. DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH - Symphony #13
13. AARON COPLAND - Symphony for Organ and Orchestra
14. CARL RUGGLES  - Sun-Treader for large orchestra
15. EDGARD VARESE - Ameriques for large orchestra
16. CHARLES WUORINEN - Genesis for orchestra and chorus
17. ERIC EWAZEN - Ballade, Pastorale and Dance for flute, horn and piano
18. ROBERTO GERHARD - Concerto for Orchestra
19. JENNIFER HIGDON - Concerto for Orchestra
20. PAUL MORAVEC - The Time Gallery for ensemble
21. SAMUEL JONES - Roundings for orchestra
22. IGOR STRAVINSKY - Les Noces for pianos and chorus
23. SERGEI PROKOFIEV - Scythian Suite
24. PHILIP GLASS - The Photographer
25. TERRY RILEY - In C
26. TAKASHI YOSHIMATSU - Symphony #4
27. YASUSHI AKUTAGAWA - Allora Symphony
28. ARNOLD SCHOENBERG - Ode to Napoleon
29. KRZYSZTOF PENDERECKI - Credo
30. MORTON FELDMAN - Piano and String Quartet

Great list! Nos. 1,2,3,5,12,13,14,15,19 and 23 are also favorites of mine.  Based on those I will be checking some of the items on your list I'm not heard yet.

[Teresa]

A few that I overlooked, even the second time:   

Avetissian, Oratorio in memoriam 1915
Bartók, Music for strings, percussion and celesta
Berkeley, Concerto for two pianos
Brian, Symphony 8
Britten, Four Sea Interludes & Passacaglia
Brouwer, Retrats Catalans
Cowell, Hymns and Fuguing Tunes
Ellington, Suite from The River
Englund, Symphony 4 `Nostalgic'
Erkin, Symphony 2
Gershwin, An American in Paris
Guridi, Diez melodias vascas
Hindemith, Fünf Stücke für Streichorchester
Ireland, Concertino Pastorale
Klami, Suites from `Pyörteitä'
Kodály, Theatre Overture
Langgaard, Symfonie nr. 4 `Løvfald'
Leifs, Saga Symphony
McPhee, Tabuh-tabuhan
Madetoja, Suite from `Okon Fuoko'
Martinů, The Parabels
Moeran, Symphony
Pierné, Divertissements sur un thème pastoral
Ponce, Concierto del sur
Raid, Symphony 1
Rawsthorne, Symphonic Studies
Revueltas, Sensemayá
Rubbra, Sinfonia da camara
Simpson, Symphony 9
Skalkottas, 36 Greek Dances
Szymanowski, Stabat Mater
Tailleferre, Concertino pour harpe et orchestre
Tsintsadze, Six Quartet Miniatures

Interesting choices, many I've not heard but based on the ones I've heard I will be checking out the others.

I also love Duke Ellington's The River but I like Harlem even better, have you heard it?  McPhee's Tabuh-tabuhan is also one of my favorites.

[Teresa]

28. Bernstein, West Side Story*

*West Side Story would be ranked higher, but I put it at the top of the list for fear somebody will claim it's not classical.

If it is the Symphonic Dances from West Side Story it a bonafide classical work however if it is the Soundtrack then it would be show music.

The Bernstein Piece I choose is perhaps even more borderline Prelude, Fugue and Riffs for Clarinet and Jazz Combo

[Brian]

If it is the Symphonic Dances from West Side Story it a bonafide classical work however if it is the Soundtrack then it would be show music.

Yes, I meant the full original musical.

Glad to see you list Antill's Corroboree, a favorite of mine, too!

[Brian]

Jeez that was tough to narrow it down to 30.

Top 30 Works

1 - Beethoven Symphony 7
3 - Beethoven Symphony 5
12 - Dvorak Cello Concerto
14 - Dvorak Symphony 8

Four of your top 15 are in my top 15. No wonder we get along!
I'm listening to the Beethoven quartets in order; still on No 1, but excited to get to Op 18 No 4 based on your ranking!

[hornteacher]

Four of your top 15 are in my top 15. No wonder we get along!
I'm listening to the Beethoven quartets in order; still on No 1, but excited to get to Op 18 No 4 based on your ranking!

I'm working through the Teaching Company lectures on the Beethoven SQs (it just came out a month or so ago).  Really helpful in analyzing the works.  Just finished Op 59 #3, headed to the Harp Quartet next.

Op 18 #4 isn't the most groundbreaking quartet Beethoven ever wrote, I just like it so much because its got a lot to latch onto, in c minor, dark, agitated, full of drive and energy.  Also, the second movement has some very close parallels to the second movement to Beethoven's first symphony (they were written around the same time).

[abidoful]

I try another one (the last was kind of chaotic)

1. J.S. Bach: ST MATTHEW PASSION

2. W.A. Mozart: DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE

3. LUDVIG VAN BEETHOVEN: MISSA SOLEMNIS

4. LUDVIG VAN BEETHOVEN: SYMPHONY 9

5. LUDVIG VAN BEETHOVEN: STRING QUARTE OP.127

6. FRANZ SCHUBERT: THE STRING QUINTET IN C

7. FREDERIC CHOPIN: CONCERTO IN E-MINOR OP.11 (PIANO-ORCHESTRA)

8. FREDERIC CHOPIN: THE CELLO SONATA

9.ANTON BRUCKNER: THE STRING QUINTET

10. RICHARD WAGNER: THE WESENDONC-LIEDER

11. JEAN SIBELIUS: KULLERVO, OP.7

12. TOIVO KUULA: "ORJAN POIKA". SYMPHONIC LEGEND FOR MIXED CHOIR, SOPRANO, BARITONE AND ORCHESTRA OP.14

13. CESAR FRANCK: THE VIOLIN SONATA

14. GABRIEL FAURE: TRIO FOR VIOLIN, CELLO AND PIANO

15. PJOTR ILJITSH TSHAIKOVSKI: JEVGENI ONEGIN

16. PJOTR ILJITSH TSHAIKOVSKI: SYMPHONY 6

17. PJOTR ILJITSH TSHAIKOVSKI: THE STRING SEXTET OP 70 " SOUVENIR DE FLORANCE"

18. FRANZ LISZT:  THE FAUST SYMPHONY

19. FRANZ LISZT: THREE CONCERT ETUDES (for piano); IL LAMENTO; LA LEGGIEREZZA; UN SOSPIRO

20. CLAUDE DEBUSSY: PELLEAS ET MELISANDE

21. KAROL SZYMANOWSKI: CONCERTO 1 OP 35 FOR VIOLIN AND ORCHESTRA

22. KAROL SZYMANOWSKI: SYMPHONY 1 OP 15 (1907)

23. KAROL SZYMANOWSKI: KROL ROGER

24. KAROL SZYMANOWSKI: THE VIOLIN SONATA

25. ARNOLD SCHÖNBERG: PELLEAS UND MELISANDE OP 5

26. ILMARI HANNIKAINEN: THE CONCERTO IN B-FLAT MINOR OP.7 FOR PIANO AND ORCHESTRA

27. HANS PFITZNER: THE VIOLIN SONATA

28. ALBAN BERG: WOZZECK

29. OLIVIER MESSIAEN: LE QUATOUR LE FIN DE TEMPS

30. KAIJA SAARIAHO: L AMOUR DE LOIN

[Maciek]

Aah! That's more like thirty! Nice list (all that Szymanowski! ), and has some stuff I haven't heard, which I'll add to my "to explore" list (e.g. HANNIKAINEN, KUULA, Pfitzner's Violin Sonata, Bruckner's Quintet, Faure wrote a trio? ).

[Maciek]

No, no, this is all very interesting, valuable stuff. I'm taking notes! I'll try to look around for some of the pieces you mention (Kuula has me really intrigued now).

[abidoful]

I modified my post a little- now it makes more sense

Haha  I just love Szymanowski!! I. Hannikainen was born in late 90ies, a harmonically exquisite and cultivated late -romantic. Quite limited output, solo works for piano (only two extended ones, a set of variations and a sonata), chamber music (a piano quartet) a "Singspiel" TALKOOTANSSIT, some  songs, and the Concerto op. 7 for piano and orchestra in b-flat minor (a great romantic concerto,has a maqnifiscent solo-part and kind of a "fin de siecle" feel in it. Was actually composed in st Petersburg in 1917). Hannikainen had some emotional problems, his death was surrounded by some shadyness. He was one of the greatist finnish pianists ever, a pupil of A. Siloti with whom he used to perform as a piano-duet.

As to  the Pfitzner sonata, it is just charming! Has  amazing melodies and little-bit Straussian  final movement!
Yeah, the Bruckner Quintet is great!The  2nd movement has some truly remarkable moments, and the slow movement is one of the most beautiful ever...
The Faure Trio is a late work and again, a piece with themes" right from the  heaven!"

And finally, Kuula. An amazing composer, a finnish late-romantic (b.1883 year after Szymanowski!) who was shot in 1918.  He was considered as the greatist Finnish composer since Sibelius. His music has has great intensity and depth, and he was a magnetic personality! He was one of the first in Finland, who was genuiely  interested in contemporary French music. He studied in Paris with Marcel Labay. He  has some great orchestral stuff. He was an important choral composer who in 1910 wrote a remarkable and passionate work for  a cappella mixed choir which lasted about 10 minutes and resembled more of a symphonic poem than a song. He wrote a Stabat Mater, a Symphonic Legend "Orjan Poika", two cantatas, two orchestral suites ("Ostrobothnian" )and few other orchestral works (a prelude and fugue,op10 and a festive march, op13). Two pieces for cello and orchestra op. 22, two extended works (Legends) for soprano and orchestra (original compositions scored for soprano and orchestra, not mere orchestral songs- little bit similar to the "Luonnotar" of Jean Sibelius or to the "Demeter" and"Agave" of Szymanowski!). Also important choral compositions, chamber works (a charming violin sonata and the  great Piano Trio which lasts about 55min. ), piano compositions and songs (songs are VERY popular in Finland!).


Sorry for this "quasi wikipedia" scribble

[Christo]

I also love Duke Ellington's The River but I like Harlem even better, have you heard it?  McPhee's Tabuh-tabuhan is also one of my favorites.

Yes, I know Harlem - but for sentimental reasons (as so often with our musical preferences) I opted for The River. In my turn, I'll listen to some of `your' pieces anew, as most are my personal favourites as well. Actually, there are two pieces in it that I don't know: Paul Chihara's ballet and Arthur Wills' piece for organ and brass. Good that you come up with Russo's `street music'  with the howling recorder intro - very much 1968  and almost as good as Gershwin.   

[vandermolen]

List No 4

Raid: Symphony 1
Berkeley L: Concerto for Two Pianos
Bliss: Things to Come Suite
Brian: Symphony 7
Rawsthorne: Symphonic Studies
Sainton: Nadir
Bax: Symphony 7
Miaskovsky: Symphony 16
Rootham: Symphony
Amirov: Shur
Alwyn: Odd Man Out Suite
Alfven: Symphony 4
Rosenberg: Symphony 2
Holmboe: Symphony 10
Vaughan Williams: Job
Simpson: Symphony 1
Prokofiev: Symphony 3
Hanson: Elegy for Koussevitsky
Bernstein: Jeremiah Symphony
Albert: River Run Symphony
Glazunov: Symphony 9 (fragment)
Pavel Haas: Symphony
Scott: Piano Concerto 1
Weinberg: Symphony 5
A J Potter: Symphony 'De Profundis'
Egg: Symphony
Novak: The Storm
Copland: Symphonic Ode
Hovhaness: Mount St Helens (Symphony 50)
Klami: Sea Pictures

[Teresa]

Yes, I know Harlem - but for sentimental reasons (as so often with our musical preferences) I opted for The River. In my turn, I'll listen to some of `your' pieces anew, as most are my personal favourites as well. Actually, there are two pieces in it that I don't know: Paul Chihara's ballet and Arthur Wills' piece for organ and brass. Good that you come up with Russo's `street music'  with the howling recorder intro - very much 1968  and almost as good as Gershwin.   

Christo, Paul Chihara's The Tempest and Arthur Wills' The Vikings (from Pomp and Pipes) are on Reference Recordings. You can hear sound samples at Amazon

Actually I listed William Russo's "Three Pieces for Blues Band and Orchestra" with the Siegel-Schwall Band and Seiji Ozawa conducting the San Francisco Symphony as one of my thirty.  I also really enjoy "Street Music" which is a Blues Concerto for Harmonica, Piano and Orchestra with Corky  Siegel, Seiji Ozawa & the San Francisco Symphony.  I also have Russo's The Carousel Suite with Dizzy Gillespie. 

Nice to meet someone with similar tastes in music!

[greg]

30. KAIJA SAARIAHO: L AMOUR DE LOIN

Nice to see this one being appreciated.

[mahler10th]

In no order except number one.

1.Hans Rott – Symphony 1
2.Mahler – Symphony 5
3.Martinu – Symphony 4
4.Respighi – The Birds
5.Sibelius – Symphony 7
6.Tchaikovsky – Symphony 4
7.Rangstrom – Symphony 1
8.Langgaard – Symphony 1
9.Beethoven – Symphony 9
10.Bruckner – Symphony 3
11.Vaughan Williams –  Thomas Tallis Theme
12.Rautavaara – Angels and Visitations
13.Hovhaness – Symphony 50
14.Pettersson – Symphony 7
15.Bax – Christmas Eve
16.Adams – Shaker Loops
17.Brian – Symphony 4
18.Atterberg – Symphony 5
19.Bartok – Music for Strings, Per., and Cel..,
20.Janacek – Sinfonietta
21.Dvorak – Symphony 8
22.Rossini – Stabat Mater
23.Stravinsky – Rite of Spring
24.Prokofiev – Alexander Nevsky
25.Strauss – AS Zarathustra
26.Walton – Symphony 1
27.Piston – Symphony 2
28.Maiskovsky – Symphony 6
29.Elgar – Cello Concerto
30.Mussorgsky – Pictures at an exhibition

[vandermolen]

In no order except number one.

1.Hans Rott – Symphony 1
2.Mahler – Symphony 5
3.Martinu – Symphony 4
4.Respighi – The Birds
5.Sibelius – Symphony 7
6.Tchaikovsky – Symphony 4
7.Rangstrom – Symphony 1
8.Langgaard – Symphony 1
9.Beethoven – Symphony 9
10.Bruckner – Symphony 3
11.Vaughan Williams –  Thomas Tallis Theme
12.Rautavaara – Angels and Visitations
13.Hovhaness – Symphony 50
14.Pettersson – Symphony 7
15.Bax – Christmas Eve
16.Adams – Shaker Loops
17.Brian – Symphony 4
18.Atterberg – Symphony 5
19.Bartok – Music for Strings, Per., and Cel..,
20.Janacek – Sinfonietta
21.Dvorak – Symphony 8
22.Rossini – Stabat Mater
23.Stravinsky – Rite of Spring
24.Prokofiev – Alexander Nevsky
25.Strauss – AS Zarathustra
26.Walton – Symphony 1
27.Piston – Symphony 2
28.Maiskovsky – Symphony 6
29.Elgar – Cello Concerto
30.Mussorgsky – Pictures at an exhibition

Interesting list - the vast majority of which I  share, although I prefer Respighi's 'Metamorphoseon' or 'Church Windows' to The Birds. I shall listen to Atterberg's Symphony 5 and to Langgaard's First Symphony as a result of your list. I have them both but don't really know them at all. Martinu Symphony 4 - now, there is a great work 

[greg]

In no order except number one.

1.Hans Rott – Symphony 1
2.Mahler – Symphony 5
3.Martinu – Symphony 4
4.Respighi – The Birds
5.Sibelius – Symphony 7
6.Tchaikovsky – Symphony 4
7.Rangstrom – Symphony 1
8.Langgaard – Symphony 1
9.Beethoven – Symphony 9
10.Bruckner – Symphony 3
11.Vaughan Williams –  Thomas Tallis Theme
12.Rautavaara – Angels and Visitations
13.Hovhaness – Symphony 50
14.Pettersson – Symphony 7
15.Bax – Christmas Eve
16.Adams – Shaker Loops
17.Brian – Symphony 4
18.Atterberg – Symphony 5
19.Bartok – Music for Strings, Per., and Cel..,
20.Janacek – Sinfonietta
21.Dvorak – Symphony 8
22.Rossini – Stabat Mater
23.Stravinsky – Rite of Spring
24.Prokofiev – Alexander Nevsky
25.Strauss – AS Zarathustra
26.Walton – Symphony 1
27.Piston – Symphony 2
28.Maiskovsky – Symphony 6
29.Elgar – Cello Concerto
30.Mussorgsky – Pictures at an exhibition

I would've thought the Mahler 10th or a couple of Lutoslawski works would be on here...

[mahler10th]

Interesting list - the vast majority of which I  share, although I prefer Respighi's 'Metamorphoseon' or 'Church Windows' to The Birds. I shall listen to Atterberg's Symphony 5 and to Langgaard's First Symphony as a result of your list. I have them both but don't really know them at all. Martinu Symphony 4 - now, there is a great work 

It is very interesting Jeffrey.  I read through your list  (and others) before embarking on my own, but I did think your list was very close to mine, except there are two or three composers on yours whom I've never heard.  But that's not the spooky part.  I refrained from  participating in another list thread (Other interests outside music) because, bar four, it also would have been extremely similar to yours!
  I thought people might think I was doing a bit of copying and pasting!

Hope you enjoy Atterberg 5, it is probably just what you expect it to be.   

Langgaards 1st was written when he was twenty-ish, I can't see why it was not thought of as groundbreaking - he should have taken the Nielsen mantle later in life, but even then he was an awkward so and so.

The wise student hears of the Tao and practices it diligently.
The average student hears of the Tao and gives it thought now and again.
The foolish student hears of the Tao and laughs aloud.
If there were no laughter, the Tao would not be what it is.

[schweitzeralan]

I'm curious.

Please, organize your post (by genre, by period, by composer... do what you want)

I'm really interested

Scriabin/Nempton: Mysterium
Debussy: Le Martyhr De Saint Sebastien
Ravel: Le Valle Des Cloches
Gliere: Ilya Muromitz
Egge: Piano Concerto
Sibelius: Tapiola
Madetoja: Symphony 2
Martinu: symphony 4
Marx: Nature Trilogy
Mennin: Symphony 6
Bartok:Cconcerto For Orchestra
Scott: Piano works
Howells: English Mass
Vaughn Williams : Symphonies 4 & 6
Krein: Symphony "After Scriabin"
Tchaikovsky: Manfred Symphony
Allwyn: Symphony 1
Klami: Symphonie Enfantine
Szymanowski: Myths
Novak: The Storm
Ireland: Piano Concerto
Englund: " Blackbird" Symphony
Wiren: Symphony 3
Nielson: Symphony 5
Rachmaninov: Symphonies 2-3; Concertos 2-4
McPhee:Symphony
Khachaturian:Piano Concerto
Wagner: Gotterdammurung
Ibert: Les Escales
Griffes: Notturno; Vale of Dreams

[Daverz]

The advantage of being late to the party is that I can steal from the other lists.  A lot of great ideas for listening and exploration on those lists.  (Though I'm a bit perplexed by the popularly of the Scythian Suite.  Maybe I should give it another listen.)

Janacek: Cunning Little Vixen
Stravinsky: Petrushka
Beethoven: Op. 132 Quartet
Nielsen: Sym 5
Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night's Dream Overture
Sibelius: Sym 5
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique
Tchaikovsky: Piano Trio
Prokofiev: VC 2
Braga Santos: Sym 4
Mahler 3
Tveitt: Prillar
Szymanowski: VC 1
Boccherini: String Quintet Op. 30 No. 6 "La musica notturna di Madrid", G324
Shostakovich Sym 10
Berwald: Sym 3
Bliss: Color Symphony
Ernesto Hallfter: Sinfonietta
Goldmark: Rustic Wedding Symphony
Honegger: Sym 1
Britten: Simple Symphony
Bruckner: Sym 9
Schubert: Piano Trio 2
Copland: Our Town
Geminiani/Corelli: La Folia
Bartok: MSCP
Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathrustra
Lajtha: Sym 5
Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time
Adams: Nixon in China