The most profound piece of classical music is...?

[MN Dave]

Indeed, simply Earth-shattering & remarkable depth.

You can do better than that.

[bhodges]

What's a good recording of these?

For Atmosphères, the recent Jonathan Nott/Berlin (part of the big Ligeti Project series) is excellent, and I like the live Abbado/Vienna version a lot.  I haven't heard this Bernstein/NYPO CD.  You might want to examine the couplings to see which you might prefer.  

For Lux Aeterna, again the Ligeti Project CD is excellent, or one with the Hamburg Radio Choir, although the latter may be hard to find at a decent price.

--Bruce

[MN Dave]

For Atmosphères, the recent Jonathan Nott/Berlin (part of the big Ligeti Project series) is excellent, and I like the live Abbado/Vienna version a lot.  I haven't heard this Bernstein/NYPO CD.  You might want to examine the couplings to see which you might prefer.  

For Lux Aeterna, again the Ligeti Project CD is excellent, or one with the Hamburg Radio Choir, although the latter may be hard to find at a decent price.

--Bruce

Thanks for the recs. I know these pieces from the movie, but don't have a decent recording.

[bhodges]

A pleasure!  And...although I haven't heard the Bernstein, the other two are in really superb sound, which is almost essential in making the otherworldly instrumental effects "work" properly.  (Plus, much of Atmosphères is very quiet.)

--Bruce

[Ephemerid]

Thanks for the recs. I know these pieces from the movie, but don't have a decent recording.

FYI, I can personally vouch for the first of those two CDs, Dave-- its an excellent disc (the Ligeti Project)! --I seem to recall is was Bruce who pointed me in the right direction several weeks ago...  

[MN Dave]

FYI, I can personally vouch for the first of those two CDs, Dave-- its an excellent disc (the Ligeti Project)! --I seem to recall is was Bruce who pointed me in the right direction several weeks ago...  

Good deal. Thanks for the affirmation.

[Tapio Dmitriyevich]

Bolero! 

BTW, I listened to it last month for the first and last time. The most boring piece of music I know.

[pjme]

***shakes fist ****

Come on... one can listen to it as some kind of "small Concerto for orchestra" - the orchestration is really remarkable ( combination of flute, cello and celesta, the sax and trombone soli! the fantastic end ( bass drum, cymbals,tamtam). Sure, it has been played to death and associated with all the wrong stuff.
Take Pierre Monteux' ca 1963 performance with the LSO : simple yet noble, full of tension and, indeed, grand. No cheap tricks - just music.

Peter

[bhodges]

I'm a huge fan of Boléro, too, and I could also see it being someone's choice for "most profound," believe it or not.  It must be one of the first Western examples of minimalism (aside from say, Bruckner), and I agree with you, Peter, the orchestration is magnificent.  An interesting idea, viewing it as a "small Concerto for orchestra"--I like that.

--Bruce

[Varg]

There are plenty of works that comes to mind, so naming only one is really a pain in the ass.

Mozart's Requiem, but only under Celibidache.

[Symphonien]

Hypothetically, Scriabin's Mysterium. I don't think anything could be more profound than Scriabin's description "There will not be a single spectator. All will be participants. The work requires special people, special artists and a completely new culture. The cast of performers includes an orchestra, a large mixed choir, an instrument with visual effects, dancers, a procession, incense, and rhythmic textural articulation. The cathedral in which it will take place will not be of one single type of stone but will continually change with the atmosphere and motion of the Mysterium. This will be done with the aid of mists and lights, which will modify the architectural contours."  Later he added that after the grand performance the world would come to an end with the human race replaced by "nobler beings."

Theoretically, Mahler's 9 Symphonies listened to back-to-back. I'm not sure if this is actually humanly possible though and would likely have extremely dangerous consequences for the health of any individual trying it.

Practically though, there are many pieces depending on the type of profundity desired. Here are a few that are equally profound in different ways:

Bach - The Art of Fugue
Beethoven - Symphony No. 9
Brahms - Symphony No. 4
Sibelius - Symphony No. 7
Messiaen - Quartet for the End of Time
Penderecki - Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima
Pärt - Fratres
Górecki - Symphony No. 3
Nørgård - Symphony No. 3

[Renfield]

The immediate answer that comes to mind, as a "personal answer", is Mahler's 9th Symphony (of course).


But if Bruckner had finished his own 9th, even I dare admit it might have the edge. And of course, my listening experience with Bach is as minuscule as to prevent me from having proper reference material for even such an ad hoc comparison of "profundity".

Next thread please!

[MN Dave]

Very nice answers, though I am sorry about Varg's ass. 

[Kullervo]

Ferde Grofé's Grand Canyon Suite. I mean, the Grand Canyon is pretty deep.

[pjme]

Lily Boulanger's "Du fond de l'abime" might even be deeper....Out of the depths have I cried ....

[FideLeo]

4' 33"

[Kullervo]

Lily Boulanger's "Du fond de l'abime" might even be deeper....Out of the depths have I cried ....

Or any setting of the "De Profundis" lament.

[DavidW]

By definition profundity is extremely subjective, it would be wrong headed to speculate that there would be anything remotely close to a universely profound.  That's even obvious on our forum where personal taste varies dramatically from poster to poster.

[MN Dave]

By definition profundity is extremely subjective, it would be wrong headed to speculate that there would be anything remotely close to a universely profound.  That's even obvious on our forum where personal taste varies dramatically from poster to poster.

The subjectivity is implied by the very nature of message boards. Man, did you get up on the wrong side of the bed today? 

[pjme]

4' 33"

All the people who mention Cage's 4'33'' ( for whatever reason)  will, from this very moment on,  suffer under a terrible voodoo spell. You're warned!