Through dogged questioning of my experts I managed to wrangle out the
beginnings of a rough consensus on ten of the greatest works from the
classical canon. Listen to them and decide for yourself.
1. Bach: Mass in B Minor
Profundity of spirit and joyous celebration in one of the most stirring works in the history
of sacred music.
2. Beethoven: Symphony #9
Transformation of darkness to light with a spectacular finale; Beethoven’s setting of
Schiller’s text celebrating the brotherhood of man is awe-inspiring.
3. Mozart: Requiem
Considered by most to be the supreme work for chorus and orchestra. Ironically, the
Requiem was finished by Mozart’s student due to his untimely death.
4. Chopin: Nocturnes
These intimate piano compositions will suffuse your soul with moonlight. (Try to find the
heavenly recording by pianist Arthur Rubinstein.)
5. Brahms: German Requiem
The scope of expression ranges from monumental echoes of the eternal to extremely
personal and comforting.
6. Mahler: Symphony #6
Exploring the depths of emotion as only Mahler can, this symphony celebrates the
triumph of hope over despair.
7. R. Strauss: Four Last Songs
These pieces for soprano and orchestra are settings of poems by Hermann Hesse and
Joseph von Eichendorff. The lush orchestration forms a rich backdrop for the soprano’s
soaring melodies. Strauss’s depiction of the soul taking flight in “Beim Schlafengehen”
is one of the most extraordinary moments in all of Western music.
8. Debussy: Preludes
Each of these jewel-tike piano pieces is a unique miniature characterization in an
impressionistic style.
9. Stravinsky: “The Rite of Spring”
Explosive, incendiary, and compellingly rhythmic, the audience rioted at its premiere.
10. (tie) Verdi: Aida and Puccini: La Bohème
Everyone agreed that an operatic composition deserved a place in the top ten; but we
could not agree on which one. So it’s a tie. In live performance, Verdi’s Aida will give you
an unforgettable experience of the opera. For recorded listening, Puccini’s La Bohème
is hard to beat. His beautiful melodies capture the essence of romance. (All of the
experts emphasized the importance of seeking out the highest quality recordings by the
finest performers and conductors.)
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