What sort of musical piece do you like best?

[monafam]

I know I'm starting very broad, but I'm broadening (I swear I didn't intend this to get so punny early on) my own musical tastes.  I've tended to be of the mindset that if the symphony is the be-all-end-all of a composer's strength.   Something struck me in another post when someone said that the composer's piano concertos were his strengths.

I'd love to know what/why you tend to gravitate towards a particular piece of music.

Also, any "unsung" suggestions would be most appreciated!

[Kevin Pearson]

Something struck me in another post when someone said that the composer's piano concertos were his strengths.

I wouldn't know, without seeing the context, what you the poster you referred to meant but I would assume that he meant that particular composer's strength was piano concertos. I doubt he meant it as a general statement of fact.

Each composer has their particular strengths and weaknesses. Very few composers are gifted in all areas of composition. I also suppose a composers strengths generally lie with the instruments he knows best. Beethoven for instance was quite adept at playing the piano and knew how to write for it. His piano sonatas and piano concertos are some of the best ever written. His operas, on the other hand, are fine but, in my opinion, not the best of his work, outside of maybe Fidelio. Anyway, I think you get the idea.

As to why I gravitate to particular pieces of music is almost anybodies guess but I suppose mostly it has to do with melody, but not exclusively. Some of my favorite pieces may not offer much in the way of melody but are interesting to listen to none the less. Also, mood has a lot to do with influencing what I like and what I want to listen to. In my discovery of classical music I have gone through phases of interest. I might be really into symphonies for a while or even narrow it to modern or American symphonies. I go through periods where I won't listen to symphonies for months at a stretch but will listen regularly to piano sonatas and chamber music. I might dwell for periods on a particular composer's work or a particular artist or conductor. There is so much to explore in classical music the fields of inquiry and interest are indeed endless. I have been listening to classical music since I was 16 and that was 37 years ago now and I am still a learner. 

Kevin

[TerraEpon]

His operas, on the other hand, are fine but, in my opinion, not the best of his work, outside of maybe Fidelio.

And what other operas have you heard by him? o.O

[Kevin Pearson]

And what other operas have you heard by him? o.O

There I go! Showing my ignorance again!  I hate opera so I know little about it and I was sure that Beethoven had written more than one. Oh well....

Kevin

[Alan Howe]

The answer for me is probably the symphony, which I do regard as the ultimate form of musical expression.

However, Verdi's Otello is great music, as are Raff's Piano Quartets. And now I have discovered Klughardt's wonderful Violin Concerto, so, much as I think the symphony is the ultimate, I could not possibly limit myself to a particular form as the one I like best. Great music is great music, whatever form it takes, and in the end that is what I like best.

[monafam]

Thanks for the replies up to this point!

I probably should have clarified that the other posts was referring to a specific composer being more adept (or producing better) piano concertos than symphonies.  I don’t believe it was piece vs piece in the grand scheme of things.

That being said, maybe that’s part of my issue.  It’s not like my collection is deplete of non-symphonic work, but those are the ones that catch my eye.   Since I will normally gravitate towards symphonic work, I could be missing out on a composer’s strengths?   Maybe that is precisely the sorts of things I can ask this group. 

Kevin mentioned not liking opera – this is a form of classical music I have never fully appreciated.  The only full “opera” I have is Philip Glass’ “La Belle et la Bête”, which certainly doesn’t fit the normal operatic mold.  Anything else I have are just highlights (Dvorak’s Rusalka is an example, but I only listen to one of the instrumental pieces).   I think I’ve never appreciated the vocals in opera – maybe I need to expand in that area – plus they tend to be longer and possibly more expensive (?).

Alan is right though that great music is great music! 

[FBerwald]

Symphony as the ultimate form of expression is valid.... if we are talking about ... say Beethoven or Schubert or Dvorak. But there are others who excelled in other forms of music. R. Strauss eg. was his best in Symphonic poems, Grieg in miniature piano pieces. Some composers weren't comfortable in the Symphonic medium or were simply couldn't get out of Beetoven's shadow... Brahms for eg. finished his 1st symphony much later in his career (although personaly I'm not a fan of his symphonies [Brahms fans sorry] I find the orchestration too thick except in the beautiful pastoral 2nd!). Even Schumann's symphonies sound a little muddy at times to me. They were simply good at other things. eg. Its interesting to speculate how a Debussy Symphony would sound (A never ending Monet dream???) but the fact still remains He DID NOT compose one; just shows each composer has his own medium of expression.

Interestingly Russian composers seem to be born orchestrators. Take some of the symphonies of Borodine, Kallinikov, Rimsky-Korsakov, Glazunov ,Tchaikovsky, Lyapunov....

[Peter1953]

Interestingly Russian composers seem to be born orchestrators. Take some of the symphonies of Borodine, Kallinikov, Rimsky-Korsakov, Glazunov ,Tchaikovsky, Lyapunov....

…… and all the 6 symphonies by Anton Rubinstein…… although these are not as good as the heavenly 4 Brahms’s masterpieces…… 

Back to more serious talk. In my opinion the symphony is the most complete musical expression, followed by the concerto for one (or more) solo instruments and orchestra. However, listening to a symphony by Rufinatscha gives me a happy feeling, but after the coda of Tchaikovski’s Pathétique I’m not in a joyous mood, although I find this one of the greatest symphonies ever written. Some music lovers think that the string quartet is the most intimate musical form, and I can go along with that. If I had a tough working day, with a lot of people keeping me busy, and I get home and want to relax, I love to listen to smooth piano music, and Xaver Scharwenka can be my choice. If I want to get into a sad mood (don’t ask me why), I might listen to Strauss’s Vier letzte Lieder (I’d better say, these songs, especially Im Abendrot, make me sad). If I’m busy at home, but like to listen to easy classical background music, it can be short piano pieces by Heller. In wintertime, sitting near the fire with a nice bottle of bordeaux, I love chamber music e.g. Raff’s piano trios. Dreaming away is good possible while listening to something like the Siegfried-Idyll. A piano concerto like the Henselt certainly keeps me awake. So it also depends on the situation.
Summa summarum, like Alan says, “great music is great music, whatever form it takes”. And I fully agree on that. No art influences my mood more than music.

[mbhaub]

The symphony --- no question. In particular the symphonies written from say 1875 to 1925? I like the big orchestral sound of the late romantics and the colorful writing of the nationalists from Russia, Poland, and elsewhere. There's a lot of it that may not be great music in the Mozartian/Beethoven sense, and some it may be quite shallow, but I just love the infinitely varying sounds composers could draw from a large orchestra. Also, the symphony allows a composer to display many different moods if you will in one large composition. I'll take a Balakirev 1, Bloch C# minor, Atterberg 6, Schmidt 4 any day over anything by Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Schumann et al.

[John H White]

I would agree with the majority on this forum in that I find the symphony the most satisfying musical form. From the age of 12 when I discovered those of Haydn and Mozart I was hooked. I later found out about sonata form from a BBC educational program for children. I still take the later Haydn and Mozart symphonies as a yardstick by which to judge other works in the same genre. However, I'm also inclined to agree with those who regard Beethoven's last few quartets as his greatest masterpieces. I tend to think of music for strings alone or for keyboard alone as being in monochrome whereas music written for full orchestra or a mixed chamber combination as being in full colour.

[JimL]

I'm just an old concertohead!   Love symphonies, but concertante works, especially for my first love, the piano, are my thing.  Of course, I'll never turn down solo or chamber music either, but concertos top my list, along with brown paper packages tied up with strings...

[monafam]

It's nice to know I'm not alone with my symphonial (spell check tells me this isn't a word...but I like the way it sounds) tastes.   That being said, I do think I will do what I can to go after other instrumental pieces.  I am going to need some help appreciating opera or other vocal (although I am usually open to religious vocal works) music.

[JimL]

There's no such word as "symphonial".  "Symphonic" would be appropriate.  However, if there were such a word as symphonial, well, then I guess you spelled it correctly!

[monafam]

There's no such word as "symphonial".  "Symphonic" would be appropriate.  However, if there were such a word as symphonial, well, then I guess you spelled it correctly!

"Symphonic" certainly is the more appropriate choice.  I was at work and my mind was clearly not working!

[Kevin Pearson]

There's no such word as "symphonial".  "Symphonic" would be appropriate.  However, if there were such a word as symphonial, well, then I guess you spelled it correctly!

Symphonial may not be a "proper" word but monafam certainly was not the first one to ever use it. I think I'll go open a bottle of Symphonial wine!

Kevin