classical utopia

[kontseptsioon]

Lately I've stumbled on the definition utopia as such a lot and therefore as a big classical music listener started to think that utopia is seen as creating a perfect system and is found in literature (Thomas More) and film (Kubrick's 2001), but not so much in music. I suppose Wagner can come to mind in away. What do you think, in what ways does utopia exist in classical musicians works or visions?

[jochanaan]

Perhaps the works of Alexander Scriabin best embody the Utopian concept, especially The Poem of Ecstasy and Prometheus.  Charles Ives also may have had a somewhat Utopian vision.

[Lethevich]

Vaughan Williams' Sancta Civitas makes direct references to the holy (perfect) city, although as with this avenue of the composer's thought I suppose it's more about glimpsing or traveling towards than actually attaining.

[eyeresist]

Hindemith's Die Harmonie der Welt.

Late Bruckner.

[DavidW]

If it's about creating a perfect system... wouldn't serialism be it?

[petrarch]

"Hymunion in Harmondie under Pluramon" is a good one.

Also, some of Nono's later works come to mind (e.g. La Lontananza Nostalgica Utopica Futura).