Most obscure work by a major composer?

[Brian]

For some reason, whenever I see "Stravinsky's Violin Concerto" or "Beethoven's Mass in C," I always do a double-take and think, hang on, they wrote what?

I don't know that those works are necessarily obscure, but they are considerably more so than one would expect. The phrase "Stravinsky's Violin Concerto" seems to suggest a warhorse that gets played five times a year. Anybody else ever find themselves surprised in a similar manner?

[Brahmsian]

For some reason, whenever I see "Stravinsky's Violin Concerto" or "Beethoven's Mass in C," I always do a double-take and think, hang on, they wrote what?

I don't know that those works are necessarily obscure, but they are considerably more so than one would expect. The phrase "Stravinsky's Violin Concerto" seems to suggest a warhorse that gets played five times a year. Anybody else ever find themselves surprised in a similar manner?

Hmm, I would agree with the Beethoven Mass in C, but I had the feeling the Stravinsky Violin Concerto was very well known and performed.  It is certainly a piece I enjoy immensely.

Schumann's Violin Concerto.  A fantastic and beautiful work by a supposedly (at that time) insane composer. 

Verdi's String Quartet (obscure, compared to his operas), but an absolute gem!

[Karl Henning]

Interesting angle!  I should have to think a spell before trying to contribute.

Though maybe the sextet original of Souvenir de Florence qualifies. (Probably simply a matter of people — outside of Russia, though probably not a great deal even in his homeland — not thinking of Tchaikovsky as a chamber music composer.

[springrite]

How about Mahler's Piano Quartet?

[Florestan]

Interesting angle!  I should have to think a spell before trying to contribute.

Though maybe the sextet original of Souvenir de Florence qualifies. (Probably simply a matter of people — outside of Russia, though probably not a great deal even in his homeland — not thinking of Tchaikovsky as a chamber music composer.

The first thing that came in my mind when reading the OP was Tchaikovsky's The Seasons, piano suite op. 37a. 

[Karl Henning]

Better still, Andrei! — although the Souvenir de Florence deserves to be a concert staple. (Though, hey, perhaps you are staking such a claim for the Op.37a, as well . . . .)

[Florestan]

Better still, Andrei! — although the Souvenir de Florence deserves to be a concert staple. (Though, hey, perhaps you are staking such a claim for the Op.37a, as well . . . .)

A concert staple would be too much to claim, but any of those pieces would certainly make for an excellent encore outside the beaten tracks.

[Todd]

Though not truly obscure - there are multiple recordings - Richard Strauss' Violin Sonata is probably not the first, second, or third work most people think of when they think of Strauss.

[springrite]

Though not truly obscure - there are multiple recordings - Richard Strauss' Violin Sonata is probably not the first, second, or third work most people think of when they think of Strauss.

Or the slightly better known Cello Sonata.

[Daverz]

The Stravinsky VC is fairly popular, so I don't think it makes the cut.  The Beethoven Mass in C is hardly obscure, but there are 3 times as many recordings of the Missa Solemnis. 

If we are going for "unjustly neglected work of a major composer", I nominate Dvorak's American Suite in A major.  The Czech Suite in D major is also relatively neglected.
             

[TheGSMoeller]

How about a few more obscure Strauss pieces...

-Dance Suite for chamber orchestra after keyboard pieces by Couperin
-Wedding Prelude for two harmoniums

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

How about Mahler's Piano Quartet?

I wouldn't count that, since it's a teenage work written as an academic exercise.

Speaking of Beethoven, how about the oratorio Christ on the Mount of Olives? Or Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito? Do these mature-period works deserve their relative neglect?

[Sergeant Rock]

The Stravinsky VC is fairly popular, so I don't think it makes the cut.

I don't think it does either, not when you have recordings by violinists as famous as Stern, Oistrakh, Vengerov, Kogan, Mullova, Perlman, Mutter, Hahn, Chung.

Sarge

[mc ukrneal]

If Elgarian were here, he'd say the Spirit of England. It's rarely played with just three recordings.

[Opus106]

Nothing's really obscure in GMG. Thread closed.

[listener]

BEETHOVEN: Duet with 2 Eyeglasses for violin & cello

[Gurn Blanston]

BEETHOVEN: Duet with 2 Eyeglasses for violin & cello

I think the version for Viola & Cello is even more obscure that that!   Nice piece of music though, deserving of more playtime in recitals (WoO 32)

[Lisztianwagner]

Wagner's solo piano music, for example the Piano Sonata in B flat major. I was rather surprised when I discovered he wrote other compositions besides the operas and few famous orchestral works like Siegfried-Idyll, the Faust Ouverture and the Wesendonck-Lieder; especially this kind of compositions, for solo piano!

[Leo K.]

Wagner's solo piano music, for example the Piano Sonata in B flat major. I was rather surprised when I discovered he wrote other compositions besides the operas and few famous orchestral works like Siegfried-Idyll, the Faust Ouverture and the Wesendonck-Lieder; especially this kind of compositions, for solo piano!

I just got a set of Wagner's piano music some time ago, haven't listened yet but will have to soon

[Cato]

First thing I thought of:

[asin]B0000035OG[/asin]

His symphonies for some reason have occasionally invaded my brain in the past days! It must be time to revisit Robert Schumann!