Top Ten Pieces of Music Written Before 1900

Me ^ | 12-05-01 | Pharmboy

[Pharmboy]

Ask the question this way: If you were stranded on a desert island with a CD player and a good sound system, what ten pieces would you take with you that were written before the 20th Century?

My list:
1) Beethoven's Appassionata sonata for piano
2) Bach's Partita Number 2 for solo violin
3) Mozart's Symphony Number 41
4) Wagner's Overture to Tristan und Isolde
5) Beethoven's String Quartet Opus 131
6) Chopin's Ballade Number 4
7) Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto (IMO the only worthwhile thing he ever wrote)
8) Schubert's Impromptus (all of them)
9) Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata
and 10) Bach's Mass in B Minor

[freebilly]

But there are no Moslems, Sihks, or Hindus. And there are NO WOMEN! This music is racist, sexist, and specieist (i.e., NO ANIMALS are represented).

Vivaldi--The Four Seasons

[Aggie Mama]

The most beautiful music EVER written is Pachelbel's 'Canon in D'.

Ugh. Do you know how boring this is to play as a cellist? The same 8 notes over and over again. Yuck! Beautiful to hear, not very nice to play. On the other hand, Barber's Adagio is probably the most emotionally gut-wrenching piece I've ever played. That's the slow, mournful one that was in the movie Platoon.

[freebilly]

You ain't lived 'til you've heard that there Pachabel fella played on two banjos and a jew's harp.

[1 FELLOW FREEPER]

Pharmboy,when we have exhausted this excellent discussion, let's do one on the WORST pop songs ever written.I nominate Sugar Sugar, by the Archies.

[1 FELLOW FREEPER]

"Now wait just a guldurn minute here...I think this list is very multicultural. We have composers who were German, Austrian, British, French, Italian, etc. No one could tell us that the German kultur is the same as the Italian, now could they?"
Now, now, these are all Dead White Males! I can envision the P.C.Police on hundreds of college campuses hanging you in a figgie!! [

[freebilly]

In particular, there are no women of color on this list.

Tchaikovsky-- The Nutcracker, Suite

[Romulus]

How can you not like the Chaconne in D? For about 3 weeks now, I've been listening over and over to the same two CDs of Bach violin sonatas, partitas, etc. Even in this distinguished company the Chaconne towers over the rest.

[freebilly]

Great thread, in spite of my attempts to hijack it. I might have to do a thread on 20th century Classical music.

Mark O'Connor-- Midnight on the Water

O'Connor & Yo Yo Ma-- Appalachian Journey & Appalachian Waltz (for starters).

O'Connor is the real deal. He should be considered a national treasure.

[Aggie Mama]

Heh, heh, heh. =)

[Pharmboy]

Well, I've already bought 2 CDs because of this thread: Inspired Bach for Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring which, once I heard it I of course knew it well. I also ordered Haydn's The Creation from Amazon because of your recommendation.

Thanks phellow Phreepers!
Pharmboy

[Wm Bach]

How can you not like the Chaconne in D?

I love the Chaconne. I play the Busoni transcription all the time. I was making a failed attempt at humor relating to the ground base in the Pachelbel.

I've been listening over and over to the same two CDs of Bach violin sonatas, partitas, etc.

I bought the Lara St. Johns version, just for the CD cover.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I bought the Lara St. Johns version, just for the CD cover."

Hubba, hubba.

[KC Burke]

I didn't read every post but will add a couple:

Shubert, Death and the Maiden see the fine Tokyo String Quartet redidtion>
Mendalssohn's Scottish Symphony

[danneskjold]

Ralph Vaughan Williams - Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis

Absolutely the most moving piece of music I have ever heard.

[Romulus]

Oh. Duh.

(Your technical comments were way over my head.)

[Binghamton_native]

Virtually any music of the Baroque period, plus Mozart and Papa Haydn.

[Pharmboy]

My nomination for worst pop song ever is "Sususulia" or whatever the heck it was called. Yecchhh.

[Pharmboy]

I think a case can be made that those Bach works for solo violin (the sonatas and partitas) are the greatest pieces of pure unadulterated music ever put together by the human mind...and I'm a Beethoven nut.

[Romulus]

I OD'd on Beethoven as a high schhol kid, and as a result haven't been able to listen to him regularly since then. Once every 5 years or so, I listen to the 5th symphony, the Emperor concerto, and the Violin concerto, just to admire the carpentry.

Your list is pretty good, though I might want to substitute:

Vivaldi's concerto for 2 harpsicords
Mozart's Don Giovanni,
Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore,
Handel's Giulio Cesare, Deborah,or Solomon
Sibelius's Violin Concerto in D (yeah, I know it's 1903. So sue me)
Wagner's Ring
Albinoni Oboe Concertos

Overall, in middle age, I find I can do without the 19th century Romantics. I wonder if I'll ever come back.