Favourite Kind of Ending

[dyn]

Inspired by another post.

- Happy
Pretty straightforward. The music builds to a glorious climax and concludes in a paroxysm of clangorous chords. A "warm fuzzies" sort of ending that leaves you feeling spiritually uplifted. Examples include Brahms's First, Beethoven's Op. 110 and Messiaen's Turangalîla-Symphonie.

- Humorous
A conclusion that's not a glorious triumph over adversity but rather light-hearted and fun. Not usually as loud as a ending, and may even be quiet, but nonetheless puts a smile on your face. Examples include Beethoven's Op. 135 and 18 no. 3, and Shostakovich's Ninth.

- Sad
Again, pretty straightforward. The music sinks down and expires on a gloomy note of resignation, probably in a minor key, if it is in a key at all. One is left pensive and disinclined to break the spell with applause. Examples include Tchaikovsky's Sixth, Mahler's Ninth and quite a lot of Shostakovich.

- Angry
The piece goes out in a towering rage against the heavens, refusing to go gentle into that good night. This kind of ending sometimes undercuts itself to become sad, like in Mahler's Sixth, but more commonly ends with a bang like Beethoven's Appassionata, Brahms's Tragic Overture or Lutoslawski's Fourth.

0:) - Spiritually Transfigured
Like a clear-eyed version of the sad ending—indeed the music sometimes seems like it's about to end sadly but gains a cool, objective distance at the last minute, like a halo. Shostakovich's Fifteenth is a good example, likewise Brahms's Third. Others never came close to ending sadly in the first place, e.g. Vaughan Williams's Third.

- Ambiguous
The ending sends rather mixed messages, with commentators often finding multiple conflicting interpretations. These kinds of endings vary widely in character, from Tippett's First to Shostakovich's Fifth to Prokofiev's Sixth.

- Sarcastic
An ambiguous ending with less ambiguity. The end is overtly mocking or undercut in character. Sometimes this is achieved through tacking on a "happy" ending where none was needed or wanted (e.g. Wagner's Tristan und Isolde Act I finale), other times through more "naturalistic" means (e.g. Nielsen's Sixth, Mozart's A Musical Joke).

- What The Hell?
Seriously? WTF did i just listen to? Was that really the ending? Examples (though this is always subjective) include a lot of Kagel (Unguis incarnatus est came to mind), Ligeti's Chamber Concerto, Schnittke's First and so forth.

- No Ending
For whatever reason, instead of reaching a definitive conclusion, the music just

[ibanezmonster]

Interesting. Sad and ambiguous are my two favorites. In fact, those are the types of endings I have aimed for quite a bit when writing my music.

I feel like Shostakovich's 15th is another ambiguous one. It's a fine like between Ambiguous and WTH, at least.

Another good example for spiritually transfigured could be Mahler's 2nd...

if given a third option, I'd choose Angry; what I have in mind is the ending to the Schoenberg Variations for Orchestra or Varese's Ameriques. So metal.


(maybe I should have chosen Angry instead of ambiguous, oh well...)



oh, and I'm wondering if some of Xenakis' music that just cuts off would be considered no ending or

[Mirror Image]

I'm with Greg in that I like sad or ambiguous endings, but I realize this is quite limiting. I think the music should end the way the composer meant for it to end whether it ends resolved or not.

[dyn]

Interesting. Sad and ambiguous are my two favorites. In fact, those are the types of endings I have aimed for quite a bit when writing my music.

I feel like Shostakovich's 15th is another ambiguous one. It's a fine like between Ambiguous and WTH, at least.

Shosty 15 could go either way. i felt it was a spiritual successor to the Zhdanovshchina peaceful resignation ending "trope" of the 2nd Piano Trio, 8th Symphony and 3rd-7th String Quartets, but the percussion is from the rather ironic end of the 2nd movement of the 4th symphony. I suppose if people prefer to interpret it as i won't mind.

When i write i use 0:) a lot of the time but achieving the elusive  ending is an occasional goal.

Another good example for spiritually transfigured could be Mahler's 2nd...

i actually don't know that piece >.>

oh, and I'm wondering if some of Xenakis' music that just cuts off would be considered no ending or

A lot of Xenakis's music just s, probably because of the way he constructed his music, but often he's building towards a specific texture or otherwise creates a sense of finality it's hard to quantify in emotional terms. I suppose ambiguity comes closest.

[ibanezmonster]

i actually don't know that piece >.>

Oh boy, lucky you. It's my second favorite Mahler symphony after the 9th, so I'd say have fun getting to know it.

A lot of Xenakis's music just s, probably because of the way he constructed his music, but often he's building towards a specific texture or otherwise creates a sense of finality it's hard to quantify in emotional terms. I suppose ambiguity comes closest.

Yeah, I think you're right about it being the way he constructs his music. He usually composes in blocks, and I think once the final block is over, it's over.

[Brian]

- Humorous
A conclusion that's not a glorious triumph over adversity but rather light-hearted and fun. Not usually as loud as a ending, and may even be quiet, but nonetheless puts a smile on your face. Examples include Beethoven's Op. 135 and 18 no. 3, and Shostakovich's Ninth.

- What The Hell?
Seriously? WTF did i just listen to? Was that really the ending? Examples (though this is always subjective) include a lot of Kagel (Unguis incarnatus est came to mind), Ligeti's Chamber Concerto, Schnittke's First and so forth.

I will say that I love the convergency of these two ideas, Humorous and What The Hell, in the finale of Charles Ives' Symphony No. 2!

[Sef]

I'm with Greg in that I like sad or ambiguous endings, but I realize this is quite limiting. I think the music should end the way the composer meant for it to end whether it ends resolved or not.

Yes, but what the composer meant the ending to feel like can be very different from what the listener feels. It's often been said that Pettersson 7 for instance ends with peace and tranquility after the storm (Spiritually Transfigured?), but I hear the last breaths of life. Same thing in a Bruckner 9 or Shostakovich 4 for that matter. Perhaps I'm just morbid that way.

Another good example for spiritually transfigured could be Mahler's 2nd...

Hard to be anything but Spiritually uplifted by this, even as an atheist!  , but I find that this is an example that is an exception to the rule that I prefer endings that peter out. Weinberg 5 is another good example, akin to the Shostakovich 4.

[NorthNYMark]

How would most people characterize the ending to Brahms's Fourth Symphony, or Beethoven's Grosse Fugue?  I'm imagining it's either angry or ambiguous, but am curious as to what others may think. I guess I think of them as tense, which I see as different from "angry," and therefore lean toward "ambiguous."

[DavidW]

How would most people characterize the ending to Brahms's Fourth Symphony, or Beethoven's Grosse Fugue?  I'm imagining it's either angry or ambiguous, but am curious as to what others may think. I guess I think of them as tense, which I see as different from "angry," and therefore lean toward "ambiguous."

I wouldn't use any of those words.  Both of those pieces are classical, and their resolutions sound that way to my ears.  Aesthetically pleasing, dramatic but no emotional state applies except that felt by the audience.

[Brian]

How would most people characterize the ending to Brahms's Fourth Symphony,

tragic? unhappily resigned?

[Opus106]

tragic? unhappily resigned?

Fight or struggle against (I don't know what) unto death. Definitely not resigned.

[Rinaldo]

I like a healthy combination of  / 0:) and , e.g. Tabula Rasa.

[TheGSMoeller]

I'm always up for a good Philip Glass ending...

[Brian]

I'm always up for a good Philip Glass ending...

I laughed!

[madaboutmahler]

I'm always up for a good Philip Glass ending...

For me, definitely has to be spiritually transfigured.  0:)

My favourite symphonic endings are Mahler 9 and Elgar 2.

Ambiguous would be my second choice, and I think it goes well with  my first choice too. The example of Tippett you gave is one of my favourite symphonic endings too. As is the Shostakovich of course! 

[Dax]

The last couple of options need amplification e.g., LATERAL endings. QUESTION-MARK endings.

People don't always finish conversations by shaking hands and bidding each other goodnight.

Composers don't always want people to be made comfortable by the way things have gone.

I will Modulate in the last bar: why? Compare - Scriabin Prometheus: Busoni - Carmen Fantasy, Turandots Frauengemach: various Duke Ellington tracks.
I just ran out of manuscript paper - Pijper piano concerto
I'm just going to string you along and have a laff - Korngold left hand piano concerto
I'm not allowing a proper end - Alkan Fa

etc

[ibanezmonster]

I wish there were more voters in this poll.

[TheGSMoeller]

I wish there were more voters in this poll.

I would if I could vote for all of them, not to be a party pooper but I find all these endings appropriate, it just all depends on which one the preceding music requires.

[vandermolen]

Ok, rather than start another thread.
8 favourite endings to symphonies.
My choices:

Mahler Symphony 1 - I love the two emphatic notes at the end - Bernard Herrmann employs much the same thing at the end of his Symphony.

Shostakovich Symphony 4 - ends in the deepest gloom - I might have chosen his symphonies 10 (defiant assertion of the individual in the face of tyranny) or No.11 - just very exciting or No. 15 - heartbreaking and poignant.

Vaughan Williams: Symphony 6 - drifts around before ending on the 'wrong' chord - the up note which leaves a nihilistic sense of the unresolved - absolutely right for this symphony. It has been described as an 'amen' that goes nowhere. I could have chosen No.9 for the defiance in the face of death - that's how I read it anyway.

Tchaikovsky Symphony 6 'Pathetique' first symphony to end on the slow movement, ends in glowering darkness in the best performances.

I have chosen 8 but it is not the end of the world (as in several of the symphonies I mentioned) ( ) if you choose up to 10.

[Jo498]

How would most people characterize the ending to Brahms's Fourth Symphony, or Beethoven's Grosse Fugue?  I'm imagining it's either angry or ambiguous, but am curious as to what others may think. I guess I think of them as tense, which I see as different from "angry," and therefore lean toward "ambiguous."

There is not much ambiguity in the ending of Brahms 4th, I think. It's a "tragic"/"catastrophic" ending. Tovey writes something like "the hero dies fighting" which might be too explicit but it's dark and powerful without a resolution into triumph or resignation.

op.133 is triumphant for late Beethoven chamber music (that is rarely as explicit as e.g. middle Beethoven). The dense contrapuntal works give place to a joyful motive (derived from the dotted motive dominating the first, most "angular" fugue section) with rather simply accompaniment.

I like all kinds of endings. Brahms's 4th and LvB's op.133 are certainly among favorites but also the quiet transformation at the end of Brahms' 3rd or "traditional" triumphant endings (Beethoven's 5th might be a tad long, though).

Most problematic I find endings that don't seem to connect well to the proceedings before. E.g. the happy/humorous ending of LvB's op.95 feels almost "tacked on" (this being LvB it probably has a point somewhere, not simply clumsiness but still it feels far less organic than e.g. the finale of his op.132)