most powerful climax in music history?

[stevie]

mahler 2nd symphony, in the middle of the 1st movement, before the return of the opening theme

nothing can beat that, surely!

[pita bread]

Prokofiev - Piano Concerto #2, Mvt. 1 Cadenza - Orchestra reentry
Ravel - La Valse, you know where.

[pita bread]

Webern - Passacaglia for Orchestra, all over the place.

[brewtality]

Rach 1 and Alkan Grande Sonata (the quasi faust). These are two which spring to mind.

[panic]

mahler 2nd symphony, in the middle of the 1st movement, before the return of the opening theme

nothing can beat that, surely!

?!?!!

THE VERY END, MAN! THE END OF THE FINALE!
(is the most powerful ending in all of music)

[crazy for ivan moravec]

how about rach 3rd concerto climaxes?

[kghayesh]

What about the climaxes in the 1st movement of the Tchaikovsky Bb minor piano concerto. I think it beats everything here

[mephisto]

Scrabin; 4th sonata at the end of the 2nd movement.

[brahmsian]

how about rach 3rd concerto climaxes?

Agreed. The ossia cadenza kills all.

[musik_man]

mahler 2nd symphony, in the middle of the 1st movement, before the return of the opening theme

nothing can beat that, surely!

I was thinking of that exact moment when this page was loading.

[thalbergmad]

The Wagner-Liszt-Tristan & Isolde is one huge musical orgasm.

[quantum]

Scrabin; 4th sonata at the end of the 2nd movement.

 

The entire sonata is one huge gradual climax. 

[panic]

Actually, an imcomparably powerful moment that comes to mind is in the third movement of Beethoven's op. 132 string quartet, about two minutes from the end, when all instruments are engaged in a heartfelt fortissimo passage. That is one of the most poignant passages I have ever heard.

The middle, D major section of the Bach-Busoni Chaconne is also pretty powerful.

[gorbee natcase]

Starwars 1st scene when the destroyer passes over the camera and gets bigger and bigger

[I Love Xenakis]

mahler 2nd symphony, in the middle of the 1st movement, before the return of the opening theme

nothing can beat that, surely!

When you were watching da NA's Chopin Competition videos

[tompilk]

Rach 3 cadenza in first movement... WOW!!! It has to be the Ossia version though... it makes me cry... as does the end of the piece...those octaves are amazing. I have learnt the last page of rach 2 (the easiest part actually! LOL!) ... now it is the rach 3 final page...
Talking about Rahc 3 cadenza Ossia... anybody got a good quality version? I got a really bad scan...

[musicsdarkangel]

when I think climax, I think Rachmaninoff


how about the 18th variation in the Rhapsody?

or basically half of the 3rd concerto?

and because I think Rachmaninoff, you know that this includes Tchaikovsky.

I think concertos usually have bigger climaxes, because there is a whole orchestra adding in as well.

The tremelos ascending in the Scarbo of Gaspard are also quite a climax.

[pita bread]

The repeated-chord climaxes in Sorabji Piano Sonata #1 get pretty massive.

[steveie986]

Beethoven's Grosse Fuge op. 133 is one unbearably beautiful climax.
Also Maurizio Pollini's interpretation of the third movement of Prokofiev's piano sonata no. 7.
Lang Lang's recording of the third movement of the Tchaikovsky's no. 1.

Also that love scene in The Red Violin.

[g_s_223]

Most of Scriabin's larger orchestral works seem to end in a pretty cosmic fashion...

Also I rather like Respighi's "The Pines of Rome" at the end as the victorious legions march imperiously down the Appian Way and into Rome in glorious procession.

Piano-wise, the climax of the Liszt Sonata is definitive.

[apion]

The climax to the development section of Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 when the piano utters the main theme after descending chords and a timpani roll. 

[pianistimo]

the goings on of the ending of the first movement of the waldstein (going into a fugue and then out) is somehow an endless climax of music to me.

maybe, also, the ending of the 1812 overture? 

or, the ending of beethoven's 9th (trite, i know, but i still like it)

or, the ending of mussorgsky's 'pics at an exhibition.'  i think it's the only piece that i've been highly excited by.  of course, it was the 1985? tchaikovsky competition with barry douglas playing it.

[pita bread]

Ending of Scriabin Prometheus.

[pianistimo]

where can i listen to the entire prometheus?  and possibly his fourth symphony (in C major) entitled 'poem of ecstasy'?  amazon has the beginning - but vladimir ashkenazy comes in later - and i wanted to hear the whole thing.

[Teddybear]

Also I rather like Respighi's "The Pines of Rome" at the end as the victorious legions march imperiously down the Appian Way and into Rome in glorious procession.

Me too!

[thalbergmad]

or, the ending of mussorgsky's 'pics at an exhibition.'  i think it's the only piece that i've been highly excited by.  of course, it was the 1985? tchaikovsky competition with barry douglas playing it.

I would submit you were more excited by Douglas than Mussorgsky.

[ryguillian]

Near the end of the Passacaglia from “Opus Clavicembalisticum” as played by John Ogdon.

—Ryan

[pianistimo]

dear thalbergmad,

i would say that you would be right, had they not shown video clips of various places around moscow - the people, the sites, etc. while he was playing.  then, of course, the gate of kiev.  it impressed me that an irishman could take on the 'russian' feel and outlook and even feel of the weather (so to speak) and transform the piece as if he were a full blooded russian.

of course, he's not bad looking - so that doesn't hurt.  if i did not know what he looked like - i would still like his playing.  what impresses me, too, is that he is an all around musician.  he composes, plays, and also now conducts.  ok.  this is in excess - but bringing music to ireland is an all consuming passion to him, too, and he's done much to improve the musical atmosphere there.

ps the only recording that reminds me of barry's interpretation is leopold stokowsky's - and it was for orchestra - so barry's interpretation for piano (to me) was very orchestrated in tone/timbre and palette of sounds.  whatever he did, it was as effective as using various instruments for interest.

 

[pita bread]

I'll upload the Prometheus once my internet stops acting up.

[shoenberg3]

Surely, the biggest climax is from Ravel's Bolero.

[I Love Xenakis]

This one where I was with four other dudes once...


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Corigliano Symphony No. 1 or maybe Busoni Concerto

[donjuan]

My vote is for Tchaikovsky's "Pathetique" Symphony No. 6 - 1st movement about 3/4 the way through in with that dark and thunderous trombone motif.  I heard this live! wow, my seat was literally shaking when that part came on. 

For piano music, I would say the final buildup and ending of Bach-Busoni: Chaconne in D minor.

donjuan

[apion]

Surely, the biggest climax is from Ravel's Bolero.

Biggest crescendo does not = Biggest Climax.  To me, a climax occurs when there is a definitive convergence of tensions which results in the unleashing of dramatic energy.

[mostlyclassical]

Schubert's 'Great' symphony, 1st movement's finale. (as performed by Muti + Wiener Phil.)

[panic]

I don't know about most powerful, but best climax ever is definitely the way end of the Ravel-Sorabji Feria. It sounds like a giant yellow happy face coming towards the screen and increasing in size and then knocking over the cameraman on the last chord. Or maybe I'm nuts.

[sevencircles]

i love xenakis: What´s the biggest climax in a Xenakis work?

The finale of Jonchaies and Pithoprakta comes to mind.

[lisztisforkids]

Beethovens 5th symphony 2 movement.

[panic]

Forgot to mention: the 1887 coda to Bruckner's 8th.

[finn magnus]

Tchaikovskys 4th symphony, 4th mvm, the ending. Here I just have to stand up and wave with my arms like a conductor  

Bruckners 2nd (I think it is the second but sure) symphony, the ending. It saw it in the movie "As it is in heaven"

The Tannhäuser overtyre, the transcription by Liszt.

[lazenca]

Here's a few ideas...

Chopin's 4th Ballade: The third theme leading to the finale, and of course the finale.
Chopin's 2nd Ballade: The finale
Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto: 2nd Movement -- two consecutive climactic phrases in the middle.
Alkan's Grande Sonate Les Quatre Ages: 1st Movement - Recap of lyric theme towards the end.
Franck's Symphony in D minor: 3rd Movement -- Recap of theme from 2nd movement variations.
Liszt's Sonata in B minor: 2nd movement -- Climax before transition to 3rd movement
Godowsky's Kunsterleben Paraphrase: Finale

There's much much more...but these are the most powerful climaxes I could think of...

[Ruro]

Prokofiev - Piano Concerto #2, Mvt. 1 Cadenza - Orchestra reentry

Most definately concured! That is friggin verging on chilling that is, what a master piece O_o

Rach 3 cadenza in first movement...

And again, completely agree, I noticed I was completely tense last time I heard this! I have yet to hear a better recording then that of Tamás Vásáry, I expected my favourite at the time (Ashkenazy) to hopefuly overthrow his amazing performance, but not even he could cut it, Vásáry really strikes the Cadenza good.

I would also almost say the Prokofiev's First Piano Concerto as well, despite the First and Third being quite climatic, it also seems... scuse the wording, but "Stereotypical" in design >_< Mind you, hearing the Prok 2's one makes me think of a movie theme when the orchestra rolls back in.

As for the Brahms PC1 comment, I have a recording by... Barenboim! But for some reason the whole performance, although varies in power, never seems to "Take off" enough, I hope I get to hear a recording where it is done more to my taste ^_^;;

I doubt I could add anything, although in the Liszt Concerti there are several moments of pure... "Musical Genious" that really strike me, kinda makes your heart skip a beat! One moment in the Totentanz too as well

[leonthewolf]

Does anyone know where on the internet it is possible to download the sheet music for Zoltan Koksis' transcription of the Meistersinger prelude?  POssibly nowhere since it would still be well within copyright.

I had the sheet music, legaly purchased, but it seems to have disappeared. 

I found it a difficult transcription and even Kocsis plays it rather slowly.  Nonetheless, it is a good, detailed transcription and, at least for me, a major pianistic/physical challenge.

Leon

[leonthewolf]

To me the final half of the Rachmaninoff Prelude Op 32 no 13 is one of the greatest climaxes in the musical literature. 

I read somewhere, and I noted it to be true when I played Op 32 No 13 that, in the final nine bars, there is a sequence of chords echoing pretty closely a sequence in the final six bars of Op 3 no 2 – the first prelude - and, hence, coming full circle.  Has anyone noted this or read it?

It completed a series of 24 preludes in all the keys like Bach and Chopin before him.   I seem to remember it was not the last thing he wrote for the piano, though, and that in fact this was the Variations on a theme of Corelli.  Is that true?

Leon

[superstition2]

Scriabin piano concerto, ending. (Not the Naxos disc! Try Chicago symph or Maazel.)

Scriabin 7th sonata, ending. (Not the way Hamelin played it! Try Glemser or even Laredo.)

Scriabin Poem of Ecstasy, ending. (Maazel, conductor.)

Rachmaninov 2nd sonata (unrevised), ending. (Ashkenazy, piano.)

Chordal version of Rachmaninov 3rd concerto cadenza. (Ashkenazy, piano. I haven't heard others'.)

Rachmaninov 4th concerto (final version), 1st movement, embedded climax. (Anievas, piano.)

Rachmaninov 2nd concerto, 2nd movement, embedded climax. (Rachmaninov, piano.)

Rachmaninov 1st symphony, ending. Truly demonic in the right hands, and so surprising after the formulaic-sounding march lulls listeners into complacency. However, I often wonder when I listen to it if he should not have repeated the same chord (in the brass) prior to the last two notes (which are also the same chord repeated). I would have probably gone up. That would, of course, require the final repeated two chords to go up, making the ending more stereotypical and major. hmm..

Prokofiev 2nd concerto, solo with orchestral entrance, 1st movement. (Ashkenazy, piano.)

3rd Myaskovsky sonata, from the hysterical staccato dance to the end. (Richter, piano.)

The Prokofiev 3rd concerto almost makes it, because of the brilliant scales right before the very end, but the repetitive ballet nature of the final bars is underwhelming.

[ahinton]

The Wagner-Liszt-Tristan & Isolde is one huge musical orgasm.

And the Wittgenstien transcription of it for left hand alone is - oh, never mind...

Best,

Alistair

[allchopin]

For piano literature, the middle of Ondine from Gaspard immediately comes to mind.

[jas]

For me, the climax in the 1st movement of Górecki's 3rd symphony (on my rec it's at 16:48). There's just this huge climax, which is especially great since it's so repetitive and chilled out until that point and it's just an enormous breaking of tension. Hasn't failed to give me goosebumps yet.

Jas

[jas]

Oops

[redbaron]

The 18th variation of the Paganini Rhapsody. Does it for me every time. Liszt's La Campanella also has a strange sense of slowly building up and up. Very pleasing. And of course there's that gradual build up in the 'thunderstorm' section of the Raindrop Prelude.

[dnephi]

And the Wittgenstien transcription of it for left hand alone is - oh, never mind...

Best,

Alistair

Is there a recording of this?