Each composer's greatest piece

[eddie92099]

Which single piece would you say is at the height of each of the great composer's output?

Liszt: Sonata in B minor
Chopin: Fantasie in F minor

&c.,
Ed

[Noah]

Mozart - Die Zauberflöte
Shostakovich - Symphony n.5
Brahms - Violin concerto, piano concerto n.2
Schubert - Sonata in Bb D.960
Bach - Goldberg Variations, Johannes-Passion
Prokofiev - Piano concerto n.2
Bartok - Piano concerto n.3, Violin concerto n.2
Beethoven - Piano sonata n.32, Op.111

[guven]

Bach - Chaconne
Mozart - Requiem
Beethoven - Sonata Op.111
Schubert - Arpeggione ..
Chopin - Sonata B flat
Debussy - L'isle Joyeuse
Ravel - 2nd mov. from Gaspard de la Nuit
Prokofiev - (hard to pick only one but) 3rd Concerto in C
Shostakovich - 1st Concerto
Mahler - 2nd Symphony

..what just drops in my mind at first.

[shatteringpulse]

Beethoven: Sonata 23, op. 57
Chopin: 4th Ballade, op. 52
Debussy: Douze Etudes
Prokofiev: 2nd Concerto
Rachmaninoff: 3rd Concerto
Liszt: Sonata in B Minor
Mahler: 9th Symphony

But what is the ULTIMATE, the PINNACLE contribution to the piano repertoire of ANY composer of ANY time period?

[eddie92099]

But what is the ULTIMATE, the PINNACLE contribution to the piano repertoire of ANY composer of ANY time period?

The Liszt Sonata in B minor,
Ed

[Daevren]

Ok, I am not a classical pianist like most of you here so don't disagree with me too hard.

J.S. Bach - Goldberg Vars.
Beethoven - The 8th or 9th Symphony, I am not sure.
Paganini - Violin Concerto No. 4
Scriabin - Sonata No. 10
Alkan - Concerto For Solo Piano
Liszt - Sonata in B minor
Lane - Piano Concertino No. 1
Góreck - Symphony No. 3
Ravel - Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2

[Derek]

well this is incredibly subjective based not on any knowledge of music theory or accomplishment but only on how powerfully I react to each piece (intellectually and emotionally):

Bach - Organ works (particularly passacaglia and fugue in c minor)
Beethoven - Symphony #7 hands down! GOD I love that piece
Chopin - Scherzo in B flat minor.
Rachmaninov - Prelude no. 10 in B minor opus 32.
Brahms - Rhapsody No. 2 in G minor
Ravel - Gaspard de la Nuit
Liszt - Un Sospiro concert etude
Scarlatti - some harpsichord sonata I heard that freakin rules
Vivaldi - Summer third movement
Mozart - Symphony no. 25
Scriabin - etude opus 8 no 12 in D# minor.
Schumann - Fantasia in C Major 1st and 3rd movements
Schubert - impromptu in  G flat

dear me most of that is piano music I should listen to more orchestral music soon....I haven't heard that many concertos! I do love beethoven's fifth piano concerto though.

[DarkWind]

(hey, this topic is months old!)

Ravel- Jeux D'eau

The first truly impressionistic piece. So I disagree with Gaspard de la Nuit, it's a great immense piece, but Jeux D'eau was the first true piece of impressionism, which is a much more important milestone. Oh and guven, why the Le Gibet?
Gaspard de la Nuit was shaped in the form of a Sonata, in case you have never noticed. Although it is usually known as a suite. I would say Daphnis et Chloe as his greatest orchestral work, however.

Debussy- La Mer

Large orchestral piece, took a lot of work, very immense piece.

Beethoven- The Hammerklavier Sonata

His favorite of the sonatas, the lengthiest if I remember correctly. Incredible work. At least, that's his greatest piano work. I'd say the 9th symphony for orchestral literature.


Well, I'll add more later.

[klavierkonzerte]

bach          everything  
(st.mathews passion-violin partita no2 are my favorite)

barber    violin concerto
(the most preformed concerto of the 20th centry)

berg          violin concerto
brahms      piano concerto no2
bartok       violin concerto no 2
bruch         violin concerto no1
chopin        impromptu    in C#
prokofiev    violin concerto no1
elgar           cello concerto
dvorak         cello concerto
sibelius       violin concerto
verdi            requiem
ysaye          violin sonata  no3
vivaldi          the four seasons

[rohansahai]

Bach- Toccata and fugue in D minor
Beethoven- Symphony no. 9
Mozart- Symphony in G minor no. 40
Schubert- Unfinished Symphony
Schumann- Fantasia in C
Chopin- Fantasy in F minor
Liszt- Sonata in B minor
Brahms- Concerto no. 2
Tchaikovsky- Concerto no. 1
Rachmaninoff- Concerto no. 2
Scriabin- 5th Sonata
Prokofiev- 8th Sonata

[Tash]

STRAVINSKY SYMPHONY OF PSALMS

i LOVE this piece like nothing else it is seriously the greatest work of the 20th century my god i love the whole thing it's briliant!

[PL]

Mozart: Requiem.
Beethoven: the greatest simphonyes taht all world agree they are..
Ravel: concerto pour piano et orchestre en sol majeur.
Moussorgsky: pictures at an exibithion (orchestration by Rimsky-Korsakov and Ravel is very cool).

[rhapsody7900]

Brahms: Paganini Variations Book 1 & 2
Chopin: F Minor Ballade / Etude op.25 no.12 / Grand Polonaise
Dvorak: 9th Symphony / Cello Concerto
Gershwin: Porgy and Bess
Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini
Ravel: La Valse
Saint-Saens: Carnival of the Animals
Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture / Violin Concerto
Wagner: Ring Cycle

[pseudopianist]

Bach - Goldberg Variations and St Matthew Passion
Chopin - Ballade in G minor and F minor concerto
Debussy: Reverie (spelling?)
Liszt - Un Sospiro
Mozart - Requiem
Scriabin - Etude in C# Op2 or Prelude in C Op11

[thracozaag]

Bach - Goldberg Variations and St Matthew Passion
Chopin - Ballade in G minor and F minor concerto
Debussy: Reverie (spelling?)
Liszt - Un Sospiro
Mozart - Requiem
Scriabin - Etude in C# Op2 or Prelude in C Op11

 Too bad Mozart didn't get a chance to finish the Requiem.  Your Scriabin choices, are..um...kinda lame.

koji (STSD)

[Max]

I'll just copy someone elses list of composers. >_>

Bach - Goldberg Variations (for sheer volume) or the P&F book 1

Chopin - Probably his Ballades, 3 and 4 especially. And Scherzos. And basically any genre defining pieces (or redefining, should I say)

Debussy: Pour le Piano suite

Liszt - His Rhapsodie Espagnole is spectacular.

Mozart - Piano Sonata K545 - Love that piece!

Scriabin - White Mass Sonata, I guess. Love the end chord. O_O

Whoever put the Chopin F minor concerto...

[Rob47]

I'm feeling it like this...

Bach - Air on the G String
Beethoven - 9th symphony, 6th close second
Brahms - Piano concerto 1
Chopin - nothing. Although I more than occasionaly indulge in his music, I hate chopin. His 4th ballade is alright I suppose and maybe some mazurkas.
Copland - Fanfare for the Common Man
Debussy - Pagodas
Grieg - Peer Gynt suite (did I spell that right?)
Handel - Almira - I really like the Liszt remix  
Liszt - Piano conerto 1
Mozart - Requiem
Prokofiev - Piano Sonata no. 8 B flat majr
Rachmaninoff - "I'm 8 years old, and have played piano for a month.  Am I ready to play the....."
Ravel - string quartet in F
Rossini - the overture from La Gazza Ladra
Scriabin - PIano Sonata 1 fminor
Stravinsky - Everything.
tchaikovsky - piano concerto 2

that's all I got right now.

your friend
Rob

[Daevren]

Scriabin - Piano Sonata 1 fminor

Are you serious? Its a nice piece but its way below the level of his later works. Of course its much better than Chopin concerto's but Scriabins opus 20 is not very Scriabinesque.

I guess you just like piano concerto's. But in that case, why did you pick a Prokofiev sonata over one of the concertos?

This is not critisism, I am just curious and I think we need to have a little bit more discussion than only lists in this topic.

[Rob47]

I agree.
that Scriabin sonata was the first I'd ever heard by him, and I was very moved my the Funerbre movement. I liked how the first movement very briefly introduces it in its final chord.  I agree his later sonatas are harmonically much more interesting, but despite my lack of love for Chopin, I appreciate Scriabin's Chopinesque works quite a bit.  Just how my fav scriabin etude would be op. 8 no. 12.  I'm actually just looking at your list now and see you chose the polar opposite sonata at 10. Nice.  I'm not sure if you think I wrote Scriabin piano concerto or piano sonata? I think you mean sonata, yet you mention the concerto op.20?

As for Prokofiev, I've heard alot of his sonatas...but not one of his concertos!  :-/ Anyway it's the third movement I really enjoy in the b flat op. 84.

your friend
Rob

[Daevren]

Haha, yes, I read 'concerto', don't ask me why... Maybe because its also in F minor.

I am very dyslexic...

I still need to listen to Prokofiev sonatas. Ill check out number 8. I heard a bit of no. 6 and I didn't really like it.

Also, have you heard Liszts Totentanz? I think its better than No.1 (which I like more than no 2 btw).

My list is half a year old. Maybe I should update it.

[Irock1ce]

Liszt - bmin sonata
Beethoven - 9th symphony
Rachmaninoff - 2nd concerto
Brahms - 2nd concerto
Mozart - Die Zauberflote
Bach - st matthew passion and goldberg variations
Scriabin - 5th sonata or 9th sonata
Chopin - His etudes.
Ravel - Gaspard or left hand concerto
Tchaikovsky - concerto 1

[bachmaninov]

My opinion...

Albeniz- Iberia Suite
Bach- Goldberg Variations
Beethoven- Symphony 5
Balakirev- Islamey
Brahms- Piano concerto 2
Bartok- Violin concerto 2
Copland- Rodeo Suite
Chopin- Fantasie-Impromptu
Debussy- Claire de Lune
Dvorak- Cello Concerto
Grieg- Piano Concerto No. 1
Gershwin- Porgy and Bess
Haydn- Piano Concerto No. 1
Handel- Almira
Katchaturian- Piano Concerto No. 1
Liszt- Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
Lutoslawski- Variations on a theme by paganini
Mussorgsky- Pictures at an exhibition
Mozart- Piano Sonata in B flat major
Moszkowski- Etincelles No. 6
Prokofiev- Piano Concerto No. 2
Paganini- Caprices
Rachmaninoff- Piano Concerto No. 3
Ravel- Gaspard de la nuit
Saint- Saens- Carnival of the animals
Scriabin- Sonata No. 5
Stravinsky- Symphony of psalms
Shotakovich- Piano Concerto No. 1
Schumann- Fantasy in C Op. 17
Schubert- Impromptu in G flat
Scarlatti- Sonata in G
Tchaikovsky- 1812 Overture
Verdi- Requiem
Vivaldi- 4 Seasons

[Sketchee]

Ravel - The String Quartet or L'enfant et les Sortileges

Beethoven  7th Symphony (Number 9 is too much for me!)

Debussy - String Quartet in Gmin

Holst - The Planets

Liszt - Annees de Pelerinage (or if I have to pick one book of the suite then Italie)

[quintet_op81]

fave piano works by each composer--

Bach:   Goldberg Var.
Beethoven:   Appassionata
Chopin:   Ballade in g, Scherzo in b-flat
Schumann:   Kreisleriana
Liszt:   Totentanz
Dvorak:   everything!! except the concerto
Rachmaninoff:   Concerto no. 3
Ravel:   Jeux d'eau
Debussy:   Pour le piano
Hindemith:   Ragtime (well-tempered)
Shostakovich:   Piano Quintet
Prokofiev:   Sonata no. 8...

...does anybody else think the opening to prokofiev's piano concerto no. 1 sounds vaguely like the first few seconds of the simpsons theme?

[jon]

Chopin-  ballade in f minor, scherzo in b flat minor

[zemos]

Bach - toccata and fugue in Dm
Mozart - piano concerto no. 24 in Cm, K. 491
Beetvoven - sonata no. 28 in A, op. 101
Schubert - sonata in A, D. 959
Chopin - ballade no. 4 in Fm, op. 52
Liszt - Sonata in Bm
Brahms - piano concerto no. 1 in Dm, op. 15
Tchaikovsky - violin concerto in D, op. 35
Grieg - piano concerto in Am
Rachmaninov - piano concerto no. 3 in Dm, op. 30
Sibelius - Violin concerto in Dm
Debussy - Ballade in F
Ravel - jeux d'eau
Bartok - suite op. 14
Prokofiev - piano concerto no. 2
Shostakovich - piano concerto no. 2 in F, op. 102

[DarkWind]

I think Scriabin's Mysterium, had he actually finished it, would have been the greatest piece of any composer, ever.

Also, I think maybe Ravel, it would be a tie between Daphnis et Chloe and Jeux D'eau.

[liszmaninopin]

I'll list some very standard composers, and a couple more obscure ones.  This isn't really an all-inclusive list, as I don't want to sit here for hours, but these come to mind (all piano solo).

Bach-Goldberg variations
Scarlatti-Sonata 141
Haydn-Sonata no. 52
Beethoven-Sonata op. 111
Chopin-Fantaisie in F minor; fourth ballade
Liszt-Sonata in B minor
Schumann-Fantaisie in C
Schubert-Wanderer Fantasie
Rachmaninoff-First piano sonata
Prokofiev-Eighth piano sonata
Bartok-sonata
Scriabin-Seventh and ninth sonatas
Ravel-Le Tombeau de Couperin
Debussy-etudes (as a whole)
Grieg-Sonata
Brahms-Ballade #4, Sonata op. 5
Reger-Variations on a theme of Bach, op. 81
Finnissy-A History in the Photography of Sound
Sorabji-Fantaisie Espagnole
Sessions-Second Sonata
Ligeti-etudes, bk. 1
Violette-Piano Sonata 5
Ornstein-Sonata #4
Berg-Sonata #1
Alkan-Symphony for solo piano
Godowsky-Passacaglia
Barber-Sonata op. 26
Ives-Concord Sonata
Copland-Sonata

I know that this is a rather short list considering all the great composers there are, but these come to mind as some of what I consider the greatest piano works of all time.

[donjuan]

I actually dont think Liszt's greatest work is the B Minor Sonata because it is too diabolical and not very representational of his musical capabilities.  Perhaps Les Preludes or Piano Concerto No.2 would be more fitting to the part.  When I lis(z)ten (hehe) to these pieces, I really get the whole Liszt experience- I somehow feel enlightened and get a full picture of the music and the man.  B Minor Sonata is certainly a great work, but not too well rounded- I dont see Liszt in all his ages and mentalities- I only hear his later style.  
donjuan

[Beet9]

Bach - St. Matthew's Passion
Mozart - The Magic Flute
Tavener - Innocence
Bartok - Piano concerto no. 3
Rachmaninoff - piano concerto no. 3
Grieg - Peer Gynt
Chopin - Piano Sonata no. 3
Brahms - Piano Concerto no. 2
Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake or piano concerto no. 1
Ravel - Gaspard de la nuit (esp. Scarbo!)
Alkan - Scherzo Diabolique or Comme le vent
Beethoven - Symphony no. 9

[donjuan]

Alkan - Scherzo Diabolique or Comme le vent

cant say I agree with this..

[DarkWind]

Ravel-Le Tombeau de Couperin

No.

Debussy-etudes (as a whole)

Huh? His 'La Mer' is 20 times more "greater."

Grieg-Sonata

You surely can't be serious!

Brahms-Ballade #4, Sonata op. 5

They pale in comparison to his symphonies.

Sorabji-Fantaisie Espagnole

Good, yes. Great, not necesserarily "the height of his output."



Hm, I don't think he meant "just" piano music.

[argerich_smitten]

Donjuan, you don't think the B minor sonata represents Liszt's musical capabilities?  The thematic transformation is something that he is very well known for, and the thematic structure in this piece is the highest form of genius; it is very diabolical, but so many of his pieces are!  Many of his works are Faust inspired, or have some underlying theme having to do with the devil, which the sonata contains (as you stated).  It's incredibly musically deep; there are more interpretations than there are pianists.  There are very huge, technically challanging parts (what most people think of when they hear the word 'Liszt'), and there are heart-wrenching slow sections as well.  This is one of his only pieces where every single note is important; so many of his pieces have far more notes than neccesary to convey the musical aspects of the piece.  If I had to label a piece as 'perfect', this would undoubtably be my choice.  I see your point when you say this doesn't show Liszt in all his mentalities, since there isn't a lot of 'wasted notes' like one would see in his early compositions, but I think saying it isn't his greatest work is rediculous.  

[Daevren]

I agree with Argerich_Smitten.

And we had to name the 'greates piece', not the most representative piece.

[liszmaninopin]

No.

Why no?  Perhaps his Gaspard might be greater in your opinion, but I think Le Tombeau is his finest work for solo piano.

Huh? His 'La Mer' is 20 times more "greater."

I was thinking in terms of solo piano music.  As a rule, I don't care for too much Debussy, but I do like his etudes, and find them very original, worthwhile piano compositions.

You surely can't be serious!

Actually, I am (in terms of piano solo music).  A number of his lyric pieces are gorgeous, but the sonata I feel is an underrated work, and is much bigger in structure than most of his other piano solo work.

They pale in comparison to his symphonies.

True.  However, I was thinking strictly in terms of piano solo music-actually, I'd probably add the Paganini variations to this list.

Good, yes. Great, not necesserarily "the height of his output."

The Fantasie Espagnole is, in my opinion, Sorabji's most accessible piece of piano music.  To tell you the truth, many of his other compositions are certainly mammoth, but I have reservations as to whether they qualify as "great."  However, if any of the bigger pieces qualifies, I'd say it's probably his set of transcendental studies (which I now regret leaving out).

Hm, I don't think he meant "just" piano music

You're right, I don't think he did.  However, I felt that I should list what came to mind as the greatest piano solo music.

[donjuan]

I agree with Argerich_Smitten.

And we had to name the 'greates piece', not the most representative piece.

Well fine then, have it your way!
donjuan

[DarkWind]

Why no?  Perhaps his Gaspard might be greater in your opinion, but I think Le Tombeau is his finest work for solo piano.

In terms of piano music, I might probably agree with you, since Le Tombeau de Couperin was his last work for solo piano. But in terms of his whole work, there are many other pieces, particularly in the orchestral realm, that are much greater.

[liszmaninopin]

Yeah, in the orchestral realm, Ravel was amazing.  Both Concertos, Daphnis et Chloe, even good old La Valse and Bolero-are all fantastic pieces of music.

[chopiabin]

Why are some people saying that Chopin's greatest work is the Fantaisie-Impromptu? This was a work that Chopin didn't want published and that may (according to another thread) have been plagiarized from a work by Ignaz Moscheles.

[pk]

Scriabin-op 8,12 the third sonata and op 42,5.
Shubert-winterreise.
Beethoven-fur elise (yes I know but it´s very striking actually)
Symphonies 5,7 and 9/4, and Largo from ghosttrio.
Sonatas pathetique, moonshine and tempest.
Mahler-kindertotenlieder.
Mozart-die zauberflöte.
Tchaikovsky- first 3 and a half minutes of the 1st pianoconcert
among the most powerful music ever made.
Saint Saens- third symphony.
Chopin- op 9. op 28/24 second sonata ,fantaisie impromptu
and berceuse.
Rachmaninov- second piano concert

[hewton]

Chopin - Ballade No.1 in G minor/Sonata No.3 Op. 58
Debussy - Reflets dans l'eau/Suite Bergamasque
Liszt - None
Ravel - Jeaux d'eau/Pavane....
Stravinsky - Petrushka

[Sketchee]

R

Ravel - Jeaux d'eau/Pavane....

I'm assuming the "'Pavane pour une infante defunte" and not the other Pavane from Ma Mere.  I had read a quote from Ravel saying he grew tired of the piece.  He didn't feel it was structured well enough.  It was apparently the most overplayed of his works at the time.