Poll
Question:
Pick your top 5 from Opp 1-31
Option 1: Op. 1, Passacaglia for orchestra (1908)
votes: 7
Option 2: Op. 2, Entflieht auf leichten Kähnen for a cappella choir, on a poem by Stefan George (1908)
votes: 0
Option 3: Op. 3, Fünf Lieder (Five Songs) for voice and piano, on Der Siebente Ring by Stefan George (1907–08)
votes: 0
Option 4: Op. 4, Fünf Lieder for voice and piano, poems by Stefan George (1908–09)
votes: 1
Option 5: Op. 5, Five Movements for string quartet (1909); version for string orchestra (1929)
votes: 6
Option 6: Op. 6, Six Pieces for large orchestra (1909–10, revised 1928)
votes: 9
Option 7: Op. 7, Four Pieces for violin and piano (1910)
votes: 0
Option 8: Op. 8, Zwei Lieder (Two Songs) for voice and 8 instruments, on poems by Rainer Maria Rilke (1910)
votes: 0
Option 9: Op. 9, Six Bagatelles for string quartet (1913)
votes: 2
Option 10: Op. 10, Five Pieces for orchestra (1911–13)
votes: 12
Option 11: Op. 11, Three Little Pieces for cello and piano (1914)
votes: 0
Option 12: Op. 12, Vier Lieder (Four Songs) for voice and piano (1915–17)
votes: 1
Option 13: Op. 13, Vier Lieder for voice and orchestra (1914–18)
votes: 0
Option 14: Op. 14, Sechs Lieder (Six Songs) for voice, clarinet, bass clarinet, violin and cello on poems by Georg Trakl (1917–21)
votes: 0
Option 15: Op. 15, Five Sacred Songs for voice and small ensemble (1917–22)
votes: 0
Option 16: Op. 16, Five Canons for high soprano, clarinet and bass clarinet (1923–24)
votes: 2
Option 17: Op. 17, Three Traditional Rhymes for voice, violin (doubling viola), clarinet and bass clarinet (1924–25)
votes: 0
Option 18: Op. 18, Drei Lieder (Three Songs) for voice, E-flat clarinet and guitar (1925)
votes: 2
Option 19: Op. 19, Zwei Lieder, for mixed choir, celesta, guitar, violin, clarinet and bass clarinet, on poems by Johann Wolfgang Goethe (1926)
votes: 0
Option 20: Op. 20, String Trio (1927)
votes: 6
Option 21: Op. 21, Symphony (1928)
votes: 15
Option 22: Op. 22, Quartet for violin, clarinet, tenor saxophone and piano (1930)
votes: 3
Option 23: Op. 23, Drei Lieder for voice and piano, on Hildegard Jone's Viae inviae (1934)
votes: 0
Option 24: Op. 24, Concerto for Nine Instruments (1934)
votes: 6
Option 25: Op. 25, Drei Lieder for voice and piano, on poems by Hildegard Jone (1934–35)
votes: 0
Option 26: Op. 26, Das Augenlicht for mixed choir and orchestra, on a poem by Hildegard Jone (1935)
votes: 2
Option 27: Op. 27, Variations for piano (1936)
votes: 5
Option 28: Op. 28, String Quartet (1937–38)
votes: 8
Option 29: Op. 29, Cantata No. 1 for soprano, mixed choir and orchestra, on a poem by Hildegard Jone (1938–39)
votes: 2
Option 30: Op. 30, Variations for orchestra (1940)
votes: 7
Option 31: Op. 31, Cantata No. 2 for soprano, bass, choir and orchestra, on a poem by Hildegard Jone (1941–43)
votes: 4
A poll dedicated to one of the 20th century's greatest composers. The works with opus numbers are the ones that Webern saw fit to have published in his own lifetime, plus a few late works published after his death. They constitute the main body of his work, from Opp 1-31, which are your top 5?
http://www.antonwebern.com/
For me, Op. 6, 20, 22, 29, & 31.
Everything is good but my fave Webern is perhaps his smaller ensemble works for diverse instruments, tops probably being the op.22 w/ tenor saxophone.
1, 6, 21, 30, 31
Haven't listened to all the complete works yet. I do enjoy very much what I've heard thus far.
Most of my favorite Webern are the atonal works composed prior to op.17 (his first serial composition). Also love the early Romantic works (without opus numbers, like Im Sommerwind, 2 Pieces for Cello and Piano, and the Piano Quintet). My choices:
Op.6 6 Pieces for Orchestra
Op.9 6 Bagatelles for String Quartet
Op.10 5 Pieces for Orchestra
Op.16 5 Canons for soprano, clarinet, bass clarinet
Op.26 Das Augenlicht for mixed chorus and orchestra
Sarge
From memory, I went with 5, 20, 21, 24, on the apparent misapprehension that it was possibly to add/modify votes at a later time. >:( I'm certain I stand by 5, 21, 24, less so about 20 (haven't checked yet), and would obviously have selected a fifth option; Webern is the guy who in the first place got me into modernist stuff from the notational side of music (as opposed to "weird" stuff from the performer-centred part of the biz), and to me an utterly singular phenomenon.
As an aside, I've always had trouble getting into the songs of the 2WS. I've had an idea about why, but I'm not sure: On the face of it, one might expect that poems and music from the same intellectual climate, so to speak, might appeal in a similar way. Not so for me for this crowd. Of course, this should only be an issue if the words significantly modify how the music turns out -- this seems kind of reasonable, but I guess I'll have to check it out in more depth (in Webern particularly).
The 2 cantatas are magnificent. I love the Variations for orchestra because I can recognize almost all variations. The Symphony is beautiful, the Concerto is great. I like the songs also. The last 2 song is full of emotion. I'm always watching the theme variations in Webern's music; it is full of surprises and mystery.
Quote from: San Antone on November 04, 2012, 03:52:36 AM
I love Webern's works for orchestra, that's first - but I do not like his vocal/choral music (but that is true for all "atonal" music) - so my votes would have reflected this bias, except I somehow voted for a work I've never heard. Op. 12?
I really enjoy Webern's lieder. Has your opinion changed at all, San Antone? I realize this post of yours was from 8 years ago.
I just looked through the list. Webern wrote a lot of vocal and choral music.
I now feel like I've been cheating myself. I certainly am going to be rectifying that situation forthwith. Plus, I'm gonna listen to Webern's vocal music now. :-)
Quote from: some guy on February 12, 2020, 11:44:52 AM
I just looked through the list. Webern wrote a lot of vocal and choral music.
I now feel like I've been cheating myself. I certainly am going to be rectifying that situation forthwith. Plus, I'm gonna listen to Webern's vocal music now. :-)
I'd jump right to the
Cantatas, if I were you.
OK. That's what I'll do. :)
Two of the most colourful pieces in the repertoire
Op. 6, Six Pieces for large orchestra
Op. 10, Five Pieces for orchestra
Three intimate and beautiful chamber works.
Op. 20, String Trio
Op. 21, Symphony
Op. 22, Quartet for violin, clarinet, tenor saxophone and piano