a

[pies]

a

[retrouvailles]

Not a chance. It's a pretty good piece, but it doesn't convey enough "conventional" emotion to the listener. It can sound like random cluster chords and such to some people. So no, there is no way I would consider it to be up there with the greats of the 20th century.

[mephisto]

No way on earth. Would not even have it in my top 500, even though I am not ranking.

[pies]

a

[mephisto]

What do you like about it?

[soliloquy]

No piece is the "Best piece of the 20th century."

[iumonito]

C'mon, really?

I'll give it a try.  Messiaen Vingt Regards.  Or Rzewski People Variations.  (oops, that's two).

Petrouchka, Gaspard, OC.

Where is the poll button when you need it?

[soliloquy]

C'mon, really?

I'll give it a try.  Messiaen Vingt Regards.  Or Rzewski People Variations.  (oops, that's two).

Petrouchka, Gaspard, OC.

Where is the poll button when you need it?

Lol see what I mean?


For contemporary (or at least pseudo-contemporary) piano pieces, my votes go to (and they are judged by their 'importance' and simply how much I like them):

Finnissy English Country Tunes
Stockhausen Klavierstuck X
Stockhausen Klavierstuck XIII
Murail Territoires de l'Oubli
Barraque Sonate pour Piano
Xenakis "Herma"- Musique Symbolique
Boulez Troisieme Sonate pour Piano
Bussotti Pour Clavier
Dusapin 7 Etudes pour Piano
Kurtag Jatekok
Gehlhaar Suite for Piano (Fractal Pieces)
Cage Etudes Australes
Cage Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano
Messiaen Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jesus
Otte Das Buch der Klange
Hespos -Z...()
Skalkottas 32 Piano Pieces
Rzewski 36 Variations on the Theme "The People United Will Never be Defeated"
Finnissy History of Photography in Sound
Ferneyhough Opus Contra Naturam
Vivier Shiraz
Ligeti Etudes Book I
Boucourechliev Archipel IV
Lachenmann Guero (1970)
B.A. Zimmermann Konfigurazionen
Globokar "Notes"
Scelsi Suite No. 8 "Bot-ba"
Cowell Dynamic Pieces


and a ton more =/  All very important and influential pieces.  If we were to extend the scope to outside simply solo piano repertoire, the list would be even longer XP

[mikey6]

whoops, I was thinking Grainger 

[Etude]

I don't suppose Finnissy ever heard of a thing called rubato?

[invictious]

No way on earth. Would not even have it in my top 500, even though I am not ranking.

Ditto for me.

[thalbergmad]

Anybody can replicate the sound of English Country tunes.

Simply tie 3 sticks of dynamite to your piano legs, light the touchpaper and retire.

Simple.

Thal

[invictious]

Anybody can replicate the sound of English Country tunes.

Simply tie 3 sticks of dynamite to your piano legs, light the touchpaper and retire.

Simple.

Thal

Alternatively, you can replace the dynamite with sausages, it sounds better that way.

Anyone get the inner deeper joke?

[Etude]

Alternatively, you can replace the dynamite with sausages, it sounds better that way.

Anyone get the inner deeper joke?

um.... bangers?

[maxreger]

I think its an interesting piece, but I also do not think its within the top 500 pieces of even the 2nd half of the 20th century. Especially if you include music NOT for the piano.

Ligeti by himself had at least 20 pieces that are more "important" and IMO, of more musical depth.

That isnt to say that finnissy is not a good composer or imaginative, I think he is both in many ways. Though, I prefer ferneyhough to him in regards to imagination, texturing, etc.

Just for fun I thought of a few pieces that I think are more important:

Ligeti- Atmospheres, Lontano, 1st and 2nd Book of the piano etudes, Violin Concerto, Piano Concerto, San Fran Poly, the Requiem, and alot of others.

Penderecki- Threnody, St. Luke Passion, Polish Requiem, 1st Cello Concerto, and alot more.

Xenakis- Metastasis, in fact all the larger Orchestral works.

Messiaen- practically anything.

Boulez- for piano, 2nd piano sonate is much more important; twice fold the 3rd Sonate.

So on and so forth.

[mikey6]

Boulez- for piano, 2nd piano sonate is much more important; twice fold the 3rd Sonate.

So on and so forth.

Howzabout the elusive 4th sonata

[jpowell]

I think this piece, along with a few of Michael Finnissy's others, is quite definitely among the iconic piano works of the 20th century. I've played quite a few times over the last 19 years and so know it quite well. It continues to grow on me, and hearing the composer play it last year further demonstrated its richness, uniqueness and vitality.

[ahinton]

Howzabout the elusive 4th sonata

THERE IS NO FOURTH SONATA!

Well, not by Boulez, anyway...

Best,

Alistair

[pies]

a

[mephisto]

Finnissy has an ubelivably beautifull handwriting