Favorite Classical Music Pieces

[Jennerstein]

So, I spent my Sunday evening trying to catalogue some of my most favorite classical pieces for a random post request I found on the internet. Doing so brought back memories of four semesters of Music History (I was a music major). I have fond and not so fond memories of trying to memorize scores and pieces late into the night. So much fun when a piece is 30 minutes long and the professor can ask you to identify any section of the piece using a score or mp3. Once you get into 20th century music, it's hard to tell between the different pieces because they are not nearly as melodic. I think our teachers were trying to force us to like Schoenberg. Well it didn't work, but I do have an appreciation for his twelve-tone practices. Oh, the horrors of studying Hexachordal inversional combinatorialism.

Anyway, here are some of my favorites that I've collected over the years (either from my classes, or just listening in general). It was fun trying to pull melodies and movement names from the recesses of my mind. Youtube and iTunes were a big help.

Classical Period
Mozart - Symphony No. 41 in C Major K 551 (All movements. Known as the "Jupiter" symphony)
Mozart - Piano Concerto in D Major K107 (especially like the 1st movement, Allegro)
Mozart - Symphony No. 40 in G minor K550 (Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, one of his most famous)
Mozart - Piano Concerto in E-flat Major K. 271 (all movements)
Beethoven - Symphony No.3 (Known as "Eroica". All movements are fabulous, this might be my favorite Beethoven Symphony)
Beethoven - Symphony No. 6 in F Major (known as the "Pastoral" symphony)
Beethoven - Sonata No. 8 Pathetique (all movements. Movement no.2 is one of the most beautiful melodies ever composed, in my opinion)

Romantic Period
Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto in E Minor op. 64 (all movements!)
Brahms - Symphony #3 (especially Movement 3, it's one of my favorites)
Chopin - Nocturne in C Minor op. 48 no.1
Chopin - Nocturne in E flat Major Op.9 No.2 (one of Chopin's most famous pieces. I remember hearing it in The Incredible Machine software game)
Chopin - Prelude in E minor Op. 28 No 4.
Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 6 in B Minor op.74 Pathetique (all movements)
Dvorak - Symphony No.9 (known as "From the New World" You might be familiar with the 4th movement)
Mahler - Symphony No. 2 (known as the "Resurrection" symphony. The movements are quite transcendental in nature.)

Impressionist Period
Debussy - Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (one of my favorite pieces)
Debussy - Claire de Lune (famous piece. Played at the end of Ocean's Eleven)

20th Century
Gershwin - Piano Prelude No. 1 (nice and short but so awesome. Even though Gershwin is more of a Jazz composer, who cares, it deserves to be on this list)
Stravinsky - Petrushka (all movements, although I'm partial to movement 1)
Stravinsky - Rite of Spring (all movements, although most people know it for it's dissonance in the Sacrifice movement)
Copland - Appalchian Spring (One of his most famous works, a ballet score)

Hope you guys enjoy. What are some of your favorite pieces?

[FarrahWaters]

Originally Posted by Jennerstein

Once you get into 20th century music, it's hard to tell between the different pieces because they are not nearly as melodic. I think our teachers were trying to force us to like Schoenberg. Well it didn't work, but I do have an appreciation for his twelve-tone practices. Oh, the horrors of studying Hexachordal inversional combinatorialism.

I disagree, the 20th century music was the easiest to tell apart. It was so unique and individualized. It's harder to tell the difference between a Haydn and Mozart passage.

What years were you in the program? (BYU?) I was there 95-98.

[Jennerstein]

I was there from 2000 to 2005. I'd agree that on the listening exams, it was easy to tell the difference between the pieces. But there were a couple of tests that were just on Schoenberg, and that was difficult. I had a hard time differentiating between his pieces.

I actually found the classical period (semester 2) easier than 20th century. Haydn and Mozart sounded distinct to me, and there were certain instrumentations that Mozart preferred over Haydn.

[FarrahWaters]

Oh no. Another young one here to make me feel old.

Does Dr. Boren still teach that class? He was my favorite Music History prof. I was fascinated with the 20th century stuff. Once in awhile you'd hear something that was both cerebral and emotional.

To answer your original question, there are a few not on your list I'll mention quickly.

Bach- Goldberg Variations and the solo Violin partitas. His cello suite is nice too

Beethoven- Just about anything in his middle and late period

Chopin- Polonaise in A-flat (I think), all of his Ballades

Rachmaninoff- that g minor piano prelude, can't remember op. 28 or 32.

Ravel, and I also like that Gershwin piano Prelude you mentioned. It's a fun little piece.

I also tend to like music that pushes the bounds of tonality (but never quite leaves it), which I know is not in most people's taste. The Beethoven Grosse fugue of his late string quartet, a lot of Prokofiev sonatas and little pieces, Ginastera's Danzas Argentinas, Samuel Barber.

Sorry I'm being non specific in providing keys and opus numbers, I don't have time to look it up right now.

[Archaea]

What's the history of listing pieces by keys and Opus numbers? Do you know how and when that got started?

Will Mike continue to sponsor Farrah's greatest hits tours?