composers that infuse the most emotion in the shortest time

[stevie]

i have always adored chopin's preludes, they are so short(most of them), and yet so incredibly vivid, a single second in these works has more rich beauty and emotion than most composers(i mean all composers, not great ones) can produce in a minute or a whole hour...

then i discovered SCRIABIN's preludes, particularly in the recordings by gavrilov, so much INTENSITY, such a vivid world created in such a short space of time, its fascinating.

does anyone agree with me? and what about other composers and compositions that you can say produce this kind of music?

[Skeptopotamus]

Alkan Preludes, Sorabji Transcendental Studies.

[stormx]

Schumann 

A short masterpieces's creator.

[the_ts]

My vote would go to Brahms.

[raffyplayspiano]

i second both the Brahms and the Schumann.

raffy

[Jacey1973]

When i saw the title "composers that infuse the most emotion in the shortest time" i immediately thought back to a University lecture given by a specialist of Leoš Janáček's (1854-1928) music last year.

The lecturer played us an extraordinary little piano piece by Janáček called Bratřím Mrštíkům [To the Mrštík brothers] - 2 brothers whom Janáček had known who had died. In the space of literally a few seconds (we were given a copy of the original score for this piece which consists of only 6 bars!) Janáček was able to express the deep sense of loss he felt for these 2 brothers.

Being able to produce such emotion in only a few bars is very distinctive of Janáček - it was also a modernist reaction to Mahler lengths.

Janáček was one of many fascinating composers i discovered during my time at University. Anyone ever played his more well known piano pieces V mlhách [In the mists] (1912)? There are some wonderful folksong-ish melodies in there, would love to learn them one day. I also enjoyed a performance of his opera Katya Kabanová (1921) given by Welsh National Opera during my 2nd year.

[apion]

Brahms' emotional injection is quick, complex, and deep; it is multi-layered and built upon the sturdiest of foundations . . . . . . . .

[donjuan]

you guys sound like your talking about drugs.. 

I would vote for Rachmaninoff and Scriabin, definitely though... a clean, mellow high

[hodi]

schumann
and just for example what schumann can do in a piece of about 50 seconds:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,11282.0.html

[fred smalls]

Rachmaninoff and Scriabin for sure....

[stevie]

Alkan Preludes, Sorabji Transcendental Studies.

the sorabji was sarcasm i take it?

but yes, alkan, i havent heard all the preludes, but of the ones i have heard i completely agree they are stunning.

but even greater , perhaps, are the esquisses(sketches), quite a few of them are mediocre, but even the mediocre ones are amusing and have humorous unexpected twists.
but the majority are very good , and some are absolutely incredible, great pieces.

[jeremyjchilds]

My vote would go to Brahms.

I don't know, maybe I have not heard enough Brahms, but I would think that the emotion of Brahms comes a little more subtly...after you have marinated 2/3rds of the way through...at least that's the way it is with me...It's like he always saves the best for last...

I would agree that the Chopin preludes are right there right away...

[tolkien]

Out of not obvious choices, I would mention Alkan (Preludes, Esquisses and Chants) and Medtner (Tales).

[stevie]

I don't know, maybe I have not heard enough Brahms, but I would think that the emotion of Brahms comes a little more subtly...after you have marinated 2/3rds of the way through...at least that's the way it is with me...It's like he always saves the best for last...

I would agree that the Chopin preludes are right there right away...

i think they mean that many of brahms' later piano opuses are collections of pretty short pieces, but are so incredibly rich and moving, that their emotional scope goes beyond the time that it takes to play them in.

[grazioso]

Yes i agree with tolkein. I think brahms can take you to another level before the first phrase is finished in his later works. op 118 springs to mind

[hannon_freek]

This may sound ridiculous but for me, it is Hanon that infuses the most emotion in the shortest time. Yes, I am talking about his excercises but I feel people do not take the time to properly associate human emotions with the notes. Just because they are arranged in a certain order to improve finger strength etc. it does not mean we should put up an 'emotive barrier'. I play these excercises with all my heart while thinking of soaring landscapes, or the loss of a dear friend...you'll be surprised at what a difference it makes.

Maybe I'm just being eccentric  but it's what I think.

[grazioso]

That is absolutley ridiculous!!!!!!!! but very funny! What does evryone else think about hanon evoking emotion!