The most intense beginning in a piece of music

[rappy]

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

Strauss, Rosenkavalier, overture to the first act
Brahms, 1st symphony, 1st movement
Brahms, 3rd symphony, 1st movement
Beethoven, "Hammerklavier" sonata, 3rd movement
Prokofiev, 2nd symphony, 1st movement
Tchaikovsky, serenade for strings, 1st movement

etc.

And just to prevent any arguments: the definition of intense is up to you, a strong beginning, an explosive one, one that captures your attention immediately and grabs it until the last note fades away....whatever!

Have fun.

[Opus106]

Brahms PC1  I

[david johnson]

Dohnanyi: Variations On A Nursery Song

and

Repighi: Michael from Church Windows


http://www.amazon.com/Ottorino-Respighi-Brazilian-Impressions-Festivals/dp/B000003CZV/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1212005768&sr=1-2

scroll down to #2.

wow!

dj

[ezodisy]

for piano not much beats Rachmaninoff's Sonata 2

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Beethoven 5th Symphony
Wagner 'Fliegende Holländer' (Overture)
Wagner 'Meistersinger' (Vorspiel)
Brahms 1st Symphony
Prokofiev 3rd Symphony
Scriabin 3rd Piano Sonata
Mahler 6th Symphony
Langgaard 10th Symphony
Brian 10th Symphony

et cetera

[PaulR]

Shostakovich 10 and 14
Brahms 1st PC.
Mozart Don Giovanni
Beethoven 9

[PSmith08]

Wagner: Das Rheingold and Tristan und Isolde
Bruckner: Symphony no. 7
Mahler: Symphony no. 2, Symphony no. 8, and Das Lied von der Erde
Nielsen: Symphony no. 4
Sibelius: Symphony no. 7
Boulez: Piano sonata no. 2

(i.a.)

[vandermolen]

Khachaturian Symphony 2 "The Bell"

Nielsen's "Inextinguishable Symphony"

Vaughan Williams Symphony 4/Symphony 6

[Kullervo]

Liszt - Totentanz
Xenakis - Ioolkos
Honegger - Symphony No. 5 "Di Tre Re"

[mikkeljs]

Bolero again - since the beginning takes 15 minuttes of suspence.

Ives: universe symphony
Sibelius: symphony no. 4
Sibelius: symphony no. 5, last movement

[Josquin des Prez]

The finale of Beethoven's Opus 131 quartet > all.

[Josquin des Prez]

Liszt - Totentanz

Not by Liszt though.  I believe the music is by Berlioz.

[quintett op.57]

 

[Wanderer]

for piano not much beats Rachmaninoff's Sonata 2

...as well as Schumann's Fantasie, Scriabin's First Sonata and Medtner's "Night Wind" Sonata.

[jwinter]

I'm surprised no one has said...

Holst - Mars from the Planets
Strauss - Also Sprach Zarathustra

[Lethevich]

Not by Liszt though.  I believe the music is by Berlioz.

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).

[Brian]

Sibelius' Violin Concerto, actually, would probably top my list.

[hornteacher]

Dvorak's Violin Concerto - 1st mvt

[PerfectWagnerite]

Dvorak's Violin Concerto - 1st mvt

Especially when play by Hilary Hahn.

[Bonehelm]

Mahler 2
Mahler 5
Mahler 3
Mahler 8
Mahler...

You get the idea.