Top 10 Favorite choral works (with or without orchestra)

[ritter]

Well, here are my two cents worth:

1) Monteverdi Vespro della Beata Vergine
2) Bach Johannes-Passion
3) Debussy Trois Chansons de Charles d'Orleans
4) Honegger Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher
5) Falla Atlántida
6) Dallapiccola Canti de Prigionia
7) Walton Coronation Te Deum
8 ) Krenek Lamentationes Jeremiae Prophetae
9) Stravinsky Requiem Canticles Canticum Sacrum
10) Cristóbal Halffter Preludio para Madrid 92

These are the first that sprung to mind, and I think that is a good indicator of the position of these works have in my "canon". I've deliberately excluded operas (if not, Parsifal and Meistersinger would both have appeared on the list) and symphonies (Mahler's Second would have made it as well).

Oddly enough, some composers who wouldn't usually appear in "favourites" lists of mine, do appear here..

[Karl Henning]

9) Stravinsky Requiem Canticles

I may just prefer Threni.

[ritter]

I may just prefer Threni.

Well, Threni is a major work, but I find it a tough nut to crack..."arid" is the word that comes to mind (but I do admit that the more I lsten to it, the more it "gets" to me)...

Having said this, I also realize just now that a work that I do love, and probably rate higher that the Requiem Canticles, is the Canticum Sacrum... I've editied my list accordingly...

[Ken B]

I've had the Faure requiem stuck in my head all day today for some reason.

Think of it as recompense for the Ligeti that used to be there. 

[Karl Henning]

Well, Threni is a major work, but I find it a tough nut to crack..."arid" is the word that comes to mind (but I do admiyt that the more I lsten to it, the more it "gets" to me)...

Having said this, I also realize just now that a work that I do love, and probably rate higher that the Requiem Canticles, is the Canticum Sacrum... I've editied my list accordingly...

The Canticum sacrum is a beauty, and thou art at liberty 

[North Star]

For anyone who wants to continue basking in the glories of choral works from Stravinsky's latter years, the fee can be paid by mailing me a few choice CD's. 
It's a while since I heard Threni - or any of the others - but they sure are some beautiful, and at times very tough, pieces..

[jochanaan]

In no particular order, except for the first which has been simply haunting me lately:

Bruckner: Mass in E minor.  Simply one of the most beautiful pieces of music.
Bruckner: Te Deum
Bach: B minor Mass
Mahler: Symphony #8
Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms
Mozart: Requiem
Carlo Gesualdo: Moro lasso
Brahms: German Requiem
Kodaly: Te Deum
And, despite anticipated accusations of being cheesy:
Handel: Messiah.  (If this weren't so overplayed, we might remember what a fine piece of music it is!)

[EigenUser]

In no particular order, except for the first which has been simply haunting me lately:

Bruckner: Mass in E minor.  Simply one of the most beautiful pieces of music.

Yesterday I watched a performance of the Bruckner F minor mass (No. 3) and really liked it. I shall like to hear the E minor. I have the score to both.

[jochanaan]

Yesterday I watched a performance of the Bruckner F minor mass (No. 3) and really liked it. I shall like to hear the E minor. I have the score to both.

The F minor is lovely too, but there's a timeless quality to the E minor that sends shivers through me every time!