The most intense beginning in a piece of music

[Renfield]

Although there are obviously quite a few works to mention, the very first that came to mind was actually Nielsen's 3rd Symphony!

Somehow, it always manages to grip me from the get-go.

[Josquin des Prez]

They both just quoted the same plainchant dies irae theme I think (at least, I read somewhere that the Berlioz SF theme in question was a quote).

Well, i don't know the original chant but i doubt it sounds quite the same way as Berlioz's version in his requiem. Either way, Liszt's Totentanz does not merely uses the same melody, it's a direct paraphrase of the Berlioz piece, and thus, not an original work in it's own right.

[Kullervo]

Well, i don't know the original chant but i doubt it sounds quite the same way as Berlioz's version in his requiem. Either way, Liszt's Totentanz does not merely uses the same melody, it's a direct paraphrase of the Berlioz piece, and thus, not an original work in it's own right.

Eh — No, I'm not even going to waste my time.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

They both just quoted the same plainchant dies irae theme I think (at least, I read somewhere that the Berlioz SF theme in question was a quote).

Of course. And the Dies Irae theme was a life-long favourite of Rachmaninoff, too.

[Don]

Bloch's Piano Quintet No. 1 - primitive and vicious.

[Lethevich]

Wikipedia to the rescue! (Whether it's accurate or not, who knows, but it adds some weight)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totentanz_(Liszt)#Sources_of_Inspiration

It seems that having heard it in symphonic context did give him the inspiration. The mood in both pieces is quite different IMO though, Berlioz's is a lot more morbid and strange, Liszt's is more of a clinical showpiece.

[Don]

Any thoughts? Some that came up my mind instantly are:

Beethoven, "Hammerklavier" sonata, 3rd movement

Based on your own criteria, this one can't be included.

[not edward]

The opening of Hartmann's 1st symphony is astonishing--though I don't think the rest of the work measures up to it, I can't think of any more intense symphonic beginning.

[Marc]

Too many 'stunners' that caught my ear immediately in all those listening years ....

Examples:
Josquin Desprez: Missa de Beata Virgine.
Bach: Cantata Bleib bei uns, denn es will Abend werden, BWV 6.
Bach: Johannes-Passion, Matthäus-Passion.
Mozart: Kyrie in D minor, KV 341.
Mozart: Rondo of the Piano Concerto no. 20 in D minor, KV 466.
Mozart: Piano Concerto no. 24 in C minor, KV 491.
Mozart: Don Giovanni.
Schubert: Unvollendete, String Quartet Der Tod und das Mädchen, Quartettsatz in C minor.
Chopin: Piano Sonata no. 3 in B minor, op. 58.
Verdi: Rigoletto.
Wagner: Das Rheingold, Die Walküre.
Mahler: Second and Ninth symphony, Das Lied von der Erde.
Stravinsky: Elegia per viola sola.

Many many more. Apologies to all the masters I forgot.

[Josquin des Prez]

Eh — No, I'm not even going to waste my time.

For the record, i'm talking about the intro. I just re-read my post and the wording doesn't make this clear. I need to remind myself to get some sleep before posting anything.

[Joe Barron]

Well, since we're not limiting ourselves to orcestral music:

Elliott Carter, String Quartet No. 3.

[Maciek]

I've always felt that the beginning of Krzysztof Meyer's 1st Violin Concerto was pretty intense:

[mp3=200,20,0,left]http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/8/25/1381505/GMG%20samples%202/Meyer%20VC%20op12%20Introduzione%20Lasocki.mp3[/mp3]

[Saul]

Chopin's revolutionary etude and his third Scherzo.

[canninator]

As a guitarist, the Passacaglia of Britten's Nocturnal does it for me, especially the point at which the ground bass starts to mutate and fall apart, reaching for the tonality of the Come, Heavy Sleep (Dowland) coda.

Other than that, the Sanctus of De Machaut's Mass and any half-decent melismatic Alleluia can get me quite worked up (e.g. Chants of the Roman Church-Byzantine Period, Ensemble Organum-powerful stuff).

[mahler10th]

The opening to Bruckners 8th, Finale.  Love how this enters with such a gushing, violent fanfare.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQaFHakTrGY&feature=related
Sweeps you off your forgotten about feet, then settles down after a minuite.