Final Compositions of Your Favorite Composers

[Mozart]

Let's see, Mozart wrote Die Zauberflote, one of the best operas ever, the clarinet concerto, the best wind concerto ever, and the requiem...I'd say he did pretty damn well!

[Mozart]

This topic is problematic for me, since my favorite composer hasn't written his last work yet. 

You do know that this is the good music guide don't you?

[Kullervo]

This topic is problematic for me, since my favorite composer hasn't written his last work yet. 

Carter?

[val]

I believe that most of composers did their best works towards the end of their careers.

Beethoven, with the last 4 piano Sonatas, the Diabelli Variations, the string Quartets 12 to 16, The Missa Solemnis.
Schubert with the 2nd piano Trio, the 9th Symphony, Winterreise, the Quartet in G major and the Quintet in C major.
Wagner with Tristan und Isolde, Meistersinger and Parsifal.
Verdi with Aida, Otello and Falstaff.
Bruckner with the last two Symphonies.
Schönberg with the piano concerto, the 4th Quartet, the string Trio.

Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Brahms, Webern kept an high level of quality all along their adult lives.

I would mention as exceptions Stravinsky (to me his best works are in general those composed until the WWII), Bartok (his greatest masterpieces were composed before he went to the USA) and, above all, Schumann (but in his case there was the obvious reason of his illness).

[Chaszz]

Richard Strauss' Four Last Songs.

[Topaz]

I believe that most of composers did their best works towards the end of their careers.

Beethoven, with the last 4 piano Sonatas, the Diabelli Variations, the string Quartets 12 to 16, The Missa Solemnis.

....

This judgement obviously depends on what one considers to be Beethoven's best works, but some would say that the following deserve consideration too:

- Symphony No. 3
- Symphony No. 5
- Symphony No. 6
- Symphony No. 7
- Piano Sonata No. 23 "Appassionata"
- Piano Sonata No. 14 "Moonlight"
- Piano Sonata No. 21 "Waldstein"
- Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor"
- Piano Concerto No. 4
- Violin Concerto in D major
- Piano Trio No. 6 "Archduke"
- Violin Sonata No. 9 "Kreutzer"
- Cello Sonata No. 3

The earliest of these was composed as early as 1801, when Beethoven was 31.  All the symphonies up to No 7 were finished by 1812.  The VC was finished in 1806, and all the PCs by 1809. Appasionata was completed in 1805, and the Cello Sonata No 3 in 1808.

Thus for some (myself included) Beethoven's best period was much earlier than his last years.

[The new erato]

Richard Strauss' Four Last Songs.

And Metamorphosen. And Capriccio. All among his very best.

[val]

Topaz
This judgement obviously depends on what one considers to be Beethoven's best works, but some would say that the following deserve consideration too:

- Symphony No. 3
- Symphony No. 5
- Symphony No. 6
- Symphony No. 7
- Piano Sonata No. 23 "Appassionata"
- Piano Sonata No. 14 "Moonlight"
- Piano Sonata No. 21 "Waldstein"
- Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor"
- Piano Concerto No. 4
- Violin Concerto in D major
- Piano Trio No. 6 "Archduke"
- Violin Sonata No. 9 "Kreutzer"
- Cello Sonata No. 3

I didn't say that those works - also inclunding the Trio opus 97, all the piano sonatas, the Quartets opus 59, 74 and 95, Fidelio, the 4th Symphony- were not extraordinary music.
But to me, as I said, the works of Beethoven's last period have another dimension. A supreme dimension. But that is just my perspective.

[marvinbrown]

   Just a few thoughts......

  I am not surprised as we have seen in this thread, that many composers have produced their best works during the last years of their lives.  I suspect that composers must feel the pressure of having to "live up to" the reputations that they have gained from their previous works.  No talented composer wants to become a "one hit" wonder so to speak. I am convinced at least that they must have felt competition from each other.  Beethoven from Mozart and Haydn, Brahms and Wagner from Beethoven and so on.  Competition usually brings out the best in people- I sense that every composer tries to outdo himself as well as the competition with each subsequent compostion.  The net result: the composer's output gets better with age.  One condition must exist though:  TALENT reinforced by experience!!!!


  marvin

[Topaz]

I didn't say that those works - also inclunding the Trio opus 97, all the piano sonatas, the Quartets opus 59, 74 and 95, Fidelio, the 4th Symphony- were not extraordinary music.
But to me, as I said, the works of Beethoven's last period have another dimension. A supreme dimension. But that is just my perspective.

I thought you said that Beethoven did his "best works" at the end of his career.  The late sonatas are indeed very good and special etc, but I don't think they outshine his mid-career achievements sufficiently to state that the best of Beethoven came at the end.  I would guess that the generality of classical music fans - as opposed to the hard-core afficionados who tend to dwell in places like this - would tend to agree that his earlier works are where Beethoven really scores.

[Topaz]

Was Die Taubenpost Schubert's last piece? I've seen yes and no.

Die Taubenpost, D 965a, was Schubert's last song, which he wrote in early October 1828.  Another song, written almost in parallel, was Der Hirt auf dem Felsen, D 965, which is more famous.  During October he was also working on a number of sacred pieces, e.g Tantum Ergo D 962, but I don't think the exact details on timing are clear enough to make conclusive judgements on exactly which work was his last.

His health took a serious downward lurch after 12 November, but he continued to work right up to the day before he died on 19 November, when he was revising parts of Winterreise.

His last really big work was the String Quintet, D 956, thought to be completed in September 1828, although it can't be sure as so much of his last output was simply placed to one side, and not discovered until years later.

[quintett op.57]

Regarding my favourite 5 :

Haydn : More and more innovative with the passing years. In the 1790's, he wrote only masterpieces in many genre : symphonies, quartets, trios, oratorios and masses.
It was a renewal for orchestration and expressiveness.

Beethoven : Marvellous again, especially his quartets and sonatas (to my ears). But I have  not a favourite Beethoven period.

Bruckner : I'll always regret he's not finished the job.

Strauss : I won't talk about objective quality. He's made great pieces at the end of his life, but my favourite works are his tone poems.

Shostakovich : It's probably his middle period that I prefer (quintet op.57-8th quartet-10th symphony). But all his music his great, he had not a weaker period.

[Gabriel]

Cherubini's D minor Requiem is a formidable work, and I don't know if he composed something after it (1836).

(But I guess I should let D minor look for the information... )

[Larry Rinkel]

I didn't say that those works - also inclunding the Trio opus 97, all the piano sonatas, the Quartets opus 59, 74 and 95, Fidelio, the 4th Symphony- were not extraordinary music.
But to me, as I said, the works of Beethoven's last period have another dimension. A supreme dimension. But that is just my perspective.

Not just yours.

[The Emperor]

The late chamber works of Shostakovich (quartets, violin + viola sonata) + 3 last symphonies are the composer at top of his form.

Have to agree, Shosty's Chamber music is where he was best.

[hornteacher]

Many texts claim Mendelssohn's early works outshine his later music, which might be somewhat true, but his Violin Concerto was written very late in his short life and is a favorite of many.

[johnshade]

Richard Strauss' Four Last Songs.

~
I agree with your choice, but there was one song written after Vier letzte Lieder. At the end of 1948 Strauss composed "Malven", a song for the soprano Maria Jeritza who had created some outstanding roles in his operas, and sent it to her with his dedication. This song only became available at her death in 1983. There is apparently no link between Malven and the Four Last Songs; this song in no way compares to the great beauty and inspiration of the Four Last Songs.

[Gabriel]

Many texts claim Mendelssohn's early works outshine his later music, which might be somewhat true, but his Violin Concerto was written very late in his short life and is a favorite of many.

And then you have the magnificent F minor string quartet, op. 80, one of the most tormented works of Mendelssohn, which shows all his pain after the death of his sister Fanny. I saw it included in a recent CD release named "Requiem for Fanny", what is not far away from reality.

His oratorio Christus wasn't completed either, and it is a major loss for music. Luckily he left two fragments (which have been wonderfully recorded by Frieder Bernius), of the greater importance in such an oratorio: the first is the birth of the Christ (Geburt Christi), and the second, the Passion (Leiden Christi). The music is excellent, with Mendelssohn really at his best. If he had completed it, I have the feeling it would have been the greatest oratorio in the whole nineteenth century.

[BachQ]

Cherubini's D minor Requiem is a formidable work, and I don't know if he composed something after it (1836).

(But I guess I should let D minor look for the information... )

You mention that the requiem in D Minor was composed in 1836, but other sources suggest the date was 1838.  In 1837, at the age of 76, he composed the String Quartet No.6 in a minor (1837) and the String Quintet (2 Vlns, Vla & 2 Vc) in e minor (1837).

[Gabriel]

You mention that the requiem in D Minor was composed in 1836, but other sources suggest the date was 1838.  In 1837, at the age of 76, he composed the String Quartet No.6 in a minor (1837) and the String Quintet (2 Vlns, Vla & 2 Vc) in e minor (1837).

In fact, it is possible I could be mistaken in one or two years about the date of composition of that Requiem. I have a recording of the 6th string quartet, but I don't have any of the quintet.