Six great endings in music.

[Lisztianwagner]

Yes, I suppose I should have started with Das Rheingold... But I so desperately wanted to hear Gotterdammerung after being amazed by the excerpts I had heard, such as the Immolation Scene! I shall start from the beggining next time

Karajan, Solti and Barenboim are the three I am considering at the moment - if you had to pick one, Ilaria, which one would it be?

I think the answer is expected, of course it would be Karajan

I can share the feeling, Gotterdammerung is absolutely poetic and powerful, with that sublime, passionate finale (indeed, my favourite Ring opera alongside Siegfried)......but I think if you start from Das Rheingold and continue listening to the whole cycle, at the end you'll be more thouched and involved by the extreme beauty of Gotterdammerung

[Octo_Russ]

Holst The Planets, Neptune, what a way to end a work!, a female chorus that ends in eerie nothingness.

[Cato]

Dudes!  Dudettes!

I have just skimmed the pages, and must agree with the choices, with which I am acquainted (except for Prokofiev's Seventh Symphony, for which I have a blind ear, but that is another story.)

I am amazed, however, that the name Arnold Schoenberg has not yet appeared!  (Unless my skimming eyes missed it!)

Allow me to offer for your consideration the endings of:

Arnold Schoenberg: Verklärte Nacht


Arnold Schoenberg: Pelleas und Melisande


Arnold Schoenberg: Erwartung

and possibly the most amazing ending in opera:

Arnold Schoenberg: Moses und Aron

and possibly the most amazing and beatific ending in a cantata:

Arnold Schoenberg: Jakobsleiter

[madaboutmahler]

I think the answer is expected, of course it would be Karajan

I can share the feeling, Gotterdammerung is absolutely poetic and powerful, with that sublime, passionate finale (indeed, my favourite Ring opera alongside Siegfried)......but I think if you start from Das Rheingold and continue listening to the whole cycle, at the end you'll be more thouched and involved by the extreme beauty of Gotterdammerung

Oh, of course How silly of me to even doubt it would be anyone apart from Karajan!

I see what you mean, I can understand that the finale to Gotterdammerung would be even more touching after listening to the whole cycle!

Hope you are well Ilaria!

Holst The Planets, Neptune, what a way to end a work!, a female chorus that ends in eerie nothingness.

Certainly agree... perfect, magical ending.

I am amazed, however, that the name Arnold Schoenberg has not yet appeared!  (Unless my skimming eyes missed it!)

and possibly the most amazing ending in opera:

Arnold Schoenberg: Moses und Aron

Certainly, Schoenberg did write many great endings. Pelleas und Melisande and Verklarkte Nacht in particular for me, as you mention.
Although surely the most amazing ending in opera has to go to Gotterdammerung?!

[Lisztianwagner]

Oh, of course How silly of me to even doubt it would be anyone apart from Karajan!

I see what you mean, I can understand that the finale to Gotterdammerung would be even more touching after listening to the whole cycle!

Hope you are well Ilaria!
Certainly agree... perfect, magical ending.

Certainly, Schoenberg did write many great endings. Pelleas und Melisande and Verklarkte Nacht in particular for me, as you mention.
Although surely the most amazing ending in opera has to go to Gotterdammerung?!

I'm fine, thank you, hope you're well too I suppose you're very excited for the concert this Saturday, I wish you all the best 

I agree about Neptune as well, what a sublime ending, so evocative and mysterious!

Well, if it couldn't go to Gotterdammerung, Tristan und Isolde would certainly have the most beautiful ending in opera, haha

[jowcol]

Holst The Planets, Neptune, what a way to end a work!, a female chorus that ends in eerie nothingness.

If you like that, I'd suggest Debussy's Nocturnes (which I've always liked better than La Mer).

Similar eerie ending-- sans chorus, would be RVW's 6th.

[TheGSMoeller]

If you like that, I'd suggest Debussy's Nocturnes (which I've always liked better than La Mer).

This. 

[madaboutmahler]

I'm fine, thank you, hope you're well too I suppose you're very excited for the concert this Saturday, I wish you all the best 

I agree about Neptune as well, what a sublime ending, so evocative and mysterious!

Well, if it couldn't go to Gotterdammerung, Tristan und Isolde would certainly have the most beautiful ending in opera, haha

Glad you are well! I am rather happy as well, thank you! Yes, very excited about the concert on Saturday - although a little nervous about what the response from the audience will be! I hope they will like it! Also happy because of A. (see facebook! ) Thank you Ilaria!

Another great ending! Other amazing operatic endings would be those of Strauss!

[Cato]

Glad you are well! I am rather happy as well, thank you! Yes, very excited about the concert on Saturday - although a little nervous about what the response from the audience will be! I hope they will like it! Also happy because of A. (see facebook! ) Thank you Ilaria!

Another great ending! Other amazing operatic endings would be those of Strauss!

And specifically the ending to Elektra!   0:)

[Wanderer]

And specifically the ending to Elektra!   0:)

Oh, yes! And Salome.



Three more exquisite (the last one, brilliantly understated) operatic endings off the top of my head: Schreker's Die Gezeichneten, Zemlinsky's Eine florentinische Tragödie and Schoeck's Penthesilea.

[madaboutmahler]

And specifically the ending to Elektra!   0:)

Definitely!

Oh, yes! And Salome.

Definitely again!

[Lisztianwagner]

And why not also Die Frau ohne Schatten?

[madaboutmahler]

And why not also Die Frau ohne Schatten?

Definitely again!  That would certainly be one of my all time favourite operatic endings!

[Lisztianwagner]

Definitely again!  That would certainly be one of my all time favourite operatic endings!

It would be one of my favourites too, and moreover, absolutely my favourite Strausses opera

[madaboutmahler]

It would be one of my favourites too, and moreover, absolutely my favourite Strausses opera

Would be hard for me to pick an absolute favourite Strauss opera! Love them all so much!