What Is the Greatest Musical Work of All Time?

3/1/2006 | Reaganesque

[Reaganesque]

I was sitting here tonight listening to Mozart's Requiem and I got to thinking: what do I consider to be the best work of music ever? For my part, Mozart's work really does the trick for me when I need to be re-energized. Therefore, I believe that his Requiem is the greatest work of all time. There just isn't another work that is as powerful and passionate. When the chorus sings the final "Amen" at the end of "Lacrimosa" I get the feeling that he knew it was the last thing he would ever write. It gives me chills at times.

Other favorites are:

Handel's Messiah

The 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky

[freepatriot32]

The Ramones rocket to russia it pretty much launched the punk rock era

[luvbach1]

How about Paul Anka's "Having my Baby?" The ladies loved it.......not.

[luvbach1]

The Brandenburgs are food for the mind and soul. They construct a universe of perfect harmony! Their perfection is nigh inexpressible!

[Swordmaker]

I'm torn between the sacred and profane...

Either : Handel's "Messiah" or Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana"...

[freepatriot32]

oops iwas goingot put both of these in my frst responce as far as classical music goes the only classical song i like is Carmina Burana that song gives me chills everytime i hear it

[GretchenM]

For secular music, I consider Pachelbel's Canon in D to be the most perfect composition of all. And I am a Mozart lover, if that says anything.

[Swordmaker]

How about the Ballad of Bilbo Baggins sung by Leonard Nimoy?

[Nik Naym]

It occurs to me that whatever it is, so far no one has said "but it needs more cowbell".

Nik

[beaver fever]

Sorry I'm a sucker for Medieval Music.

Part of my fascination is that the instruments like the harpsichord and the clavichord are not suited to large open venues. There is an intimacy in Medieval music that is lost in the public performances of the classical period.

The movie Queen Margo has an excellent score by a French Music group who specialize in early pre classical folk music.

The closing song is a french folk song in old French Scored by Patrice Chéreau and sung by Ofra Haza. Breathtaking.

[parisa]

Abbey Road, yes! And so let's add Pink Floyd, The Wall.

Also a set as part of the String Quartet by Puccini called Crisantemi.

[albyjimc2]

The greatest? My greatest would be Dream Theater's 1999 album "Scenes From A Memory." Absolutely incredible album from the band that signifies everything great about rock music.

Who is John Petrucci? Only one of the greatest guitar players ever to grace the Planet Earth.

[parisa]

Or rather Dark Side of the Moon!

[Swordmaker]

I love to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing their version of "Battlehymn of the Republic." Powerful stuff!

That was arranged, as were many of the best Choral arrangements, by Carmen Dragon (Composer, Conductor, and father of Daryl Dragon - The Captain of The Captain and Tennille) for his favorite large Chorale group. That group performed many times with his Glendale Symphony Orchestra both in Glendale and in their home city...

The Stockton Chorale put on a memorial concert for Carmen a year after his death which was attended and performed in by both Daryl and Carmen's daughter, also named Carmen, who is a gifted harpist.

He also arranged the most performed version of "God Bless America" ...

I sang in that concert as Bass Section Leader...

[beaver fever]

And Keith Jarret's grunting and using the mute pedal like it was an extra key.

Keith to Keith: "You are so deep man."

Keith back to Keith: "Your right man I am very deep and handsome too. I'm am such a genius I scare myself."

In defense of Gould the variations are exercises which he took seriously as music in their own right. BR>
Maybe the humming is a note of irony. On the other hand I heard he hummed through all his performances although I saw a few early CBC TV shows where he played straight without histrionics.

So who knows? BR>
But he was the genuine article. Immensely Knowledgeable concerning Bach and a very skilled pianist.

[Maven]

Beethoven's Ninth Symphony
Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D major
Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major
Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez
Mason Williams' Classical Gas
Jim Steinman's Bat Out of Hell
Rodrigo's Fantasia Para un Gentilhombre
Eagles' Hotel California

Maven

[Swordmaker]

Amazing Grace, I don't care who sings it, the song moves me every time I hear it. The lyrics dont even have to be there, it's a very moving song played on a bugle, bagpipes, even on harmonica.

It's particularly poignant when you learn that its author, John Newton, was the captain of a slave ship... and the hymn is autobiographical.

[Swordmaker]

I'll see your

My bologna has a first name...

and raise you

"It's a small, small, world"

[Swordmaker]

well, when you posted that, all I can see/hear is Somewhere in Time... Christopher Reeve! Great music, handsome actor

Filmed on Macinac Island (which, believe it or not, has its own movie sound stage) and the theater where his lady love performed was the theater I was once in charge of when I was in college.

[DollyCali]

wow, it was beautiful. I have never been there but it reminded me of Grove Park Inn (Asheville, NC) google it.. I am too, too, too tired to look up/post link (and lazy).. lucky you!

[Swordmaker]

For those people who feel that any music should involve both an accordion and a clarinet, I nominate "The Beer Barrel Polka".

With the proper Accordion, accordion players don't need no stinkin' licorice stick... just switch one of the registers and play the clarinet part!

Full disclosure: 22 years of Accordion lessons (including a few from Myron Florin's sister), performed with symphony orchestras and before a crowd of 18,000, and numerous smaller groups... and haven't touched my accordion in 25 years (my wife of 32 years has heard me play it twice).