GMG Classical Music Forum

The Music Room => General Classical Music Discussion => Topic started by: westknife on June 03, 2011, 06:27:23 PM

Title: Shortest pieces?
Post by: westknife on June 03, 2011, 06:27:23 PM
I guess there are two questions here:

1) What is the shortest piece in standard repertoire, i.e. that you would normally expect to hear at a mainstream concert?

2) What is the shortest piece of all, counting the most obscure modernist composer or whatever


Score to beat for the first question, i.e. the shortest piece I know of, and the germ for this thread, is Beethoven's Bagatelle Op.119/10, which in my Kovacevich recording clocks in at 11 seconds. As for the second question I have no idea.
Title: Re: Shortest pieces?
Post by: Luke on June 03, 2011, 11:53:45 PM
possibly

http://www.johncage.info/workscage/000.html

Title: Re: Shortest pieces?
Post by: snyprrr on June 04, 2011, 07:30:56 AM
Quote from: James on June 04, 2011, 12:22:03 AM
He was meaning 'music' not bullshit Luke.

tee hee ;D
Title: Re: Shortest pieces?
Post by: Mirror Image on June 04, 2011, 07:43:45 AM
Quote from: James on June 04, 2011, 12:22:03 AM
He was meaning 'music' not bullshit Luke.

Yeah really.
Title: Re: Shortest pieces?
Post by: DavidW on June 04, 2011, 08:00:57 AM
There is a recitative in Bach's St. Matthew Passion that clocks in at only 3 seconds.  That is at least the shortest bit I have in my collection.
Title: Re: Shortest pieces?
Post by: Opus106 on June 04, 2011, 08:12:24 AM
Quote from: DavidW on June 04, 2011, 08:00:57 AM
There is a recitative in Bach's St. Matthew Passion that clocks in at only 3 seconds.  That is at least the shortest bit I have in my collection.

Which one is that?
Title: Re: Shortest pieces?
Post by: DavidW on June 04, 2011, 08:17:43 AM
Quote from: Opus106 on June 04, 2011, 08:12:24 AM
Which one is that?

Copying the title-- "St. Matthew Passion (Matthäuspassion), for soloists, double chorus & double orchestra, BWV 244 (BC D3b): 50a. Recitative -Evangelist: Sie schrieen aber noch mehr" which is on disc 3 of the recording I have Cleobury.
Title: Re: Shortest pieces?
Post by: Opus106 on June 04, 2011, 08:28:54 AM
Quote from: DavidW on June 04, 2011, 08:17:43 AM
Copying the title-- "St. Matthew Passion (Matthäuspassion), for soloists, double chorus & double orchestra, BWV 244 (BC D3b): 50a. Recitative -Evangelist: Sie schrieen aber noch mehr" which is on disc 3 of the recording I have Cleobury.

Thanks. It's combined with two other choral parts and two more Evangelist recitatives in one track lasting for 1:50 in the version I have. :)
Title: Re: Shortest pieces?
Post by: DavidW on June 04, 2011, 08:38:44 AM
Quote from: Opus106 on June 04, 2011, 08:28:54 AM
Thanks. It's combined with two other choral parts and two more Evangelist recitatives in one track lasting for 1:50 in the version I have. :)

That makes more sense, tracks by the seconds are to torture those that don't have gapless playback! :D
Title: Re: Shortest pieces?
Post by: Luke on June 04, 2011, 10:20:02 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on June 04, 2011, 07:43:45 AM
Yeah really.

For goodness sake, I answered the question, didn't I? It is (potentially) 'the shortest piece of all, counting the most obscure modernist composer or whatever' whether James-the-predictable or you or anyone else like it or not. No one said anything about quality.  ::)