The Five Pieces You Never Want To Hear Again!

[Mirror Image]

But I'm a little sorry to read this anyway, especially if I think about Mozart and Beethoven; they are two of my absolute favourite composers.....

Luckily you didn't include Wagner in that Top 5 

Ha! I like Wagner a lot. I admire his music. The harmonic and melodic complexity was completely ahead of its time. One listen to Parsifal was all that I needed to come to the conclusion that he was an extraordinary composer.

[springrite]

Luckily you didn't include Wagner in that Top 5 

Are you sure you wants him to expand beyond top5? Don't risk it, although you got away with it this time.




(Now, ask him about Liszt...)

[Mirror Image]

Are you sure you wants him to expand beyond top5? Don't risk it, although you got away with it this time.




(Now, ask him about Liszt...)

Hehehe....

I like Liszt as well. Faust Symphony is still a favorite. The general problem I have with Liszt's orchestral music, though, is it does take him, not all the time, an awfully long time for the music to reach a climax. But like I said, not all his orchestral works are like this, but I can't remember what work it was by him but I actually fell asleep!

[Lisztianwagner]

Are you sure you wants him to expand beyond top5? Don't risk it, although you got away with it this time.


(Now, ask him about Liszt...)

All right 

Oh no, it would be terrible to see Liszt in this top 5 as well, I'm a great lover of his music!!

[Cato]

I see that this topic began over 4 years ago!   

Back then, I wrote about my severe distaste for "works" by Ferde Grofe'.   

Somebody begged to differ, citing that e.g. Bernstein and Fiedler had decided the works were good enough to play and record!  My dislike was therefore irrelevant.

Should I respond?  Does it matter?   

[madaboutmahler]

I might agree with you about Rossini, except for "The Barber of Seville"; but Bach, Händel, Mozart and Beethoven were certainly geniuses, what a pity you don't like their music.

I have to agree with Ilaria! I am still amazed, John, that you hate these composers so much! Rossini, maybe... but the others are some of the greatest geniuses ever! Surely you must enjoy some of their music.....

My response to this thread...

1. Ligeti Mysteries of the Macabre, plus much more of his music
2. anything of John Cage.... I don't mind sitting in a room being silent for 4'33 really, but it's just not really music!
3. Paganini Caprices
4. Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik!
5. Boulez ...explosante-fixe...

Many other pieces I can mention as well, I would happily add Berio, and a fair bit of the Waltz Strauss's as well (sorry Ilaria! )

[Lisztianwagner]

Many other pieces I can mention as well, I would happily add Berio, and a fair bit of the Waltz Strauss's as well (sorry Ilaria! )

No problem Daniel  Which Strauss' Waltzes if I may ask?
I'm also a little amazed you include Paganini's Caprices; instead I like them a lot.

My list could be:

1. anything by Verdi, apart from the Requiem
2. Rossini, Semiramide
3. Donizetti, Lucia di Lammermoor
4. Stockhausen, Telemusik
5. Suppé, Leichte Kavallerie

[Daverz]

2. anything of John Cage.... I don't mind sitting in a room being silent for 4'33 really, but it's just not really music!

Oh, hee hee hee, 4'33.  You don't know any of his other music at all, do you?

[Brahmsian]

Oh, hee hee hee, 4'33.  You don't know any of his other music at all, do you?

What an incredibly asinine assumption on your part.   

[madaboutmahler]

No problem Daniel  Which Strauss' Waltzes if I may ask?
I'm also a little amazed you include Paganini's Caprices; instead I like them a lot.

My list could be:

1. anything by Verdi, apart from the Requiem
2. Rossini, Semiramide
3. Donizetti, Lucia di Lammermoor
4. Stockhausen, Telemusik
5. Suppé, Leichte Kavallerie

Quite a few of them! Sorry, they are just too "light" for me, and do not express much emotion at all in my opinion. For the same reason, I would agree with the Suppe that you included on your list! And also a lot of Offenbach, etc.
I just find Paganini's Caprices nothing more than technically interesting showpieces. Sorry again!

Oh, hee hee hee, 4'33.  You don't know any of his other music at all, do you?

I do. 4'33 is just a perfect example of how Cage's "music" can be complete and utter nonsense. I hate pretty much everthing he wrote, although understand that his style is fascinating (but nothing more to me...) and highly influential to many other composers who followed (many of whom I dislike also).
Thank you Ray for the backup! I am sure John (MI) would happily back me up on this one as well!

[Amfortas]

Schubert: The Wanderer Fantasy (I loathe the insipid main theme)

Liszt: both piano concerti (they sound like flashy, empty nonsense to me)

Paganini: Caprices (or anything by any composer for solo violin)

Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (absolutely hate this piece)

[madaboutmahler and I have some hatreds in common!) 

[canninator]

I do. 4'33 is just a perfect example of how Cage's "music" can be complete and utter nonsense. I hate pretty much everthing he wrote, although understand that his style is fascinating (but nothing more to me...) and highly influential to many other composers who followed (many of whom I dislike also).
Thank you Ray for the backup! I am sure John (MI) would happily back me up on this one as well!

While I agree that some of his stuff just doesn't pass muster (cough 'Music for Piano [1953]' cough), I have always found the Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano one of the most engaging and original pieces for the piano in the 20th century. That's just me of course but this is music that is meticulously planned and incredible in its search for new sonorities. I would thoroughly recommend having a listen if you haven't, just for the experience of wishing an hour of your life back if nothing else  . There are plenty of versions around but I would recommend John Tilbury who takes the whole thing at a slightly faster clip giving it a stronger rhythmic edge than found in some recordings (Schleiermacher and Fremy for example).

Boris Berman's recording is available in its entirety on youtube. Here's the first part, it's an all round excellent recording also.

http://www.youtube.com/v/8fPSz-o4zzY

[Grazioso]

Schubert: The Wanderer Fantasy (I loathe the insipid main theme)

Liszt: both piano concerti (they sound like flashy, empty nonsense to me)

Paganini: Caprices (or anything by any composer for solo violin) Bach too?

Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (absolutely hate this piece) ouch! Sure, the first movement's main theme is way too familiar, but you hate all of it?

[madaboutmahler and I have some hatreds in common!) 

[madaboutmahler]

You might want to try his works written before 1950 — they are more traditionally musical and often have a beautiful simplicity:

http://www.youtube.com/v/XF1DoVdHM9M

I have to admit that I find this a lovely piece!
So I change my previous statement to:
"anything of John Cage.... apart from "In a Landscape"

While I agree that some of his stuff just doesn't pass muster (cough 'Music for Piano [1953]' cough), I have always found the Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano one of the most engaging and original pieces for the piano in the 20th century. That's just me of course but this is music that is meticulously planned and incredible in its search for new sonorities. I would thoroughly recommend having a listen if you haven't, just for the experience of wishing an hour of your life back if nothing else  . There are plenty of versions around but I would recommend John Tilbury who takes the whole thing at a slightly faster clip giving it a stronger rhythmic edge than found in some recordings (Schleiermacher and Fremy for example).

Boris Berman's recording is available in its entirety on youtube. Here's the first part, it's an all round excellent recording also.

http://www.youtube.com/v/8fPSz-o4zzY

I certainly cannot argue that Cage's music is highly original. I just personally don't see much more merit in much of his output than it's originality though. I am fascinated when I listen to it, but I do not connect with it at all, it triggers no emotional response from me. For me, that is what music is about, triggering an emotional response from the listener. That can be enjoyment, joy, depression and so on...
The prepared piano pieces are for me a perfect example of why as I see Cage's music as nonsense, sorry!
John, get here quick and back me up!

[madaboutmahler and I have some hatreds in common!) 

[Amfortas]

Paganini: Caprices (or anything by any composer for solo violin) Bach too?

Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (absolutely hate this piece) ouch! Sure, the first movement's main theme is way too familiar, but you hate all of it?

Bach too, anything for solo string bores me to death, even my beloved Bartok

Eine Kleine is just too overplayed. If you only heard it every 10 years, it would be alright. (I'd sooner hear Vivaldi's Four Seasons for the umpteenth time)
I think Mozart is way overrated anyway. Most of his piano concerti put me into a deep slumber

[I could easily throw John Cage in there too. He's a very interesting person with important ideas and influence. But his own music (I have heard lots of it, including an entire live concert, early and late works) does exactly nothing for me. But since this thread is about works we don't want to hear again, I can hardly begin to name one of his that I disliked more than any other.]

[Lisztianwagner]

Quite a few of them! Sorry, they are just too "light" for me, and do not express much emotion at all in my opinion. For the same reason, I would agree with the Suppe that you included on your list! And also a lot of Offenbach, etc.

Yes, that one is a rather common opinion about Strauss' music, that is too "light"; on the contrary, I've always been struck by extreme beauty and vitality his works expresses, especially the waltzes.
I would agree about Offenbach, I don't find his operettas particularly involving.

 

[Mirror Image]

Yes, I agree with our friend Daniel (MadaboutMahler) when it comes to John Cage. I think he had the ability and the means to compose a work that was direct, but he chose novelty over making a connection with the listener. There are those who will argue to the death about the validity of Cage's music and I say let them argue. I respect the fact he forged his own path, but I don't enjoy his music. That's all I'll say.

[The new erato]

Yes, I agree with our friend Daniel (MadaboutMahler) when it comes to John Cage. I think he had the ability and the means to compose a work that was direct, but he chose novelty over making a connection with the listener. There are those who will argue to the death about the validity of Cage's music and I say let them argue. I respect the fact he forged his own path, but I don't enjoy his music. That's all I'll say.

I don't think he chose novelty, as in novelty for it own sake. I think he chose to explore the limits of music (as in Duchamps "what is an artistic object"). Novelty has never been threatening in the artistic world. What is threateing however, is if someone questions the very norms of what someone else helds dear. That's the only explanation why he succeeded in pissing so many people off. Me, I don't care. It's only music.

[listener]

Barbara PENTLAND  Symphony in Ten Parts
Don BANKS  Horn Concerto
Murray SCHAFER:  Son of Heldenleben
MAXWELL DAVIES Tavener (or was it Taverner?  I fell asleep)
MESSIAEN  Quartet for the End of Time  (the only one I've not heard live, I had the Tashi recording, gave it away).

[starrynight]

I'm amazed that you've heard the entire oeuvre of five composers!

I think I'd heard all of JS Bach, Beethoven and Mozart by 2000 or so, doesn't stop me wanting to listen to them again though.  I always like to listen to music that is new to me too.  Ultimately there isn't the time to hear all the music you want to.