What do you think are the greatest classical works ever written?

Question

Beethoven - 9th, 5th, 3rd, and 7th Symphonies, Moonlight Sonata, Violin Concerto, Piano Concerto No. 5 'Emperor'

Mozart - 40th and 41st Symphony 'Jupiter', Reqiuem, Don Giovanni

Bach - Mass, St. Matthew's Passion, Toccata and Fugue in D Minor

Tchaikovsky - 6th Symphony 'Pathetique', 1812 Overture

Others include Brahms's 4th Symphony, Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, Strauss's Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, Vivaldi's Four Seasons, and Handel's Messiah

Answer 1

Beethoven's 9th is the greatest work ever written

Answer 2

I seem to be indulging in more of these 'superlatives' questions lately. I really should go and see the doctor.



Although it will largely be a matter of opinion on which works are considered 'the greatest', I might as well put-in my contribution. I have restricted myself to pieces of music that I consider truly magnificent. It is not a list of favourites or famous pieces (although some are among my favourites and a few are famous), but those that I believe to be singularly GREAT works. In more or less chronological order (but no more than that):



Machaut - Messe de Nostre Dame

Monteverdi - Vespers of 1610

Bach - Mass in B minor

Mozart - Don Giovanni

Beethoven - Symphony No 9 in D minor

Berlioz - La damnation de Faust

Wagner - Tristan und Isolde

Mahler - Symphony No 9

Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring

Sibelius - Symphony No 7

Berg - Wozzeck

Shostakovich - The Lady Macbeth from Mtsensk

Pettersson - Symphony No 7

Answer 3

The greatest classical work ever written was "Green eggs and ham" , by Dr. Suess

Answer 4

I like everything, from Gregorian Chants to Igor Strawinsky.

Answer 5

beethoven moonlight sonata mvt 1 and 3.



no question.



or pherhapps rachmanioff concerto

Answer 6

Some good choices there.

I'd add Wagners Ring der Niblungen to the list though. Long, very long, but very good as well if you can prevent falling asleep during the 16 hours or so the full performance lasts :)

Answer 7

There's no contest in my opinion; nothing has ever been composed that even comes close to this colossal work of art:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Der_Ring_des_Nibelungen



The beginning: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiyoLa9z1ao



15-16 hours later, the end; an "iconic' studio recording: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=146tTKSXu7s



Alberich

Answer 8

For me it's definitely Miserere by Gregorio Allegri. I just can't get it why people dismiss early music and only go for the gigantic symphonies and operas!!

Answer 9

tchaikovsky: violin concerto in d major, romeo and juliet fantasy overture



bach: cello suites, unacompanied partitas and sonatas for violin



paganini: caprice no 24 for violin

Answer 10

the moonlight sonata is pretty epic, so is the 5th, i'm gonna have to go with Beethoven

Answer 11

Bach - Air on the G string