Wherein We Elect Our Favourite Classical Compositions of… the 1890s

Good job on this one. I think I only have one beef which is you shoulda included one of Dvorak’s late fairy-tale symphonic poems.

So many major favorites of mine in this one but I feel a strong inclination to give it to Brahms op. 118 (Lupu OTM) or clarinet sonata #1

Fauré ftw

you shoulda included one of Dvorak’s late fairy-tale symphonic poems

Can't, in good faith, argue with that. My feeble reasoning was that there's already quite a bit of Dvořák and I couldn't go with just one of the late symphonic poems.

And speaking of the op. 118, have you heard Markus Groh's recording? He tries to Richter-ize it and I daresay it works, even though Lupu is the one I come back to the most.

Torn between Dvorak's 9th and Mahler's 3rd. I just heard the Mahler for the first time last year and really listened to it (Rattle/Birmingham) for the first time this year, and it's amazing, maybe my favorite even over Das Lied von der Erde. But I've loved From the New World since I was a teen. I actually have tickets to see it at the BSO next week.

Anyway, might have to set myself on fire instead of voting

If I'd had to vote right away, without (re)checking a number of things here, I think I would have landed on the Debussy quartet. Such a gem, and for some reason the only Debussy that's ever *really* hit me (other things have evoked a "strong admire", but the appeal of this to me is different).

Gotta go through those consecutive late-Brahms opp., btw, that's been on my list for so long, and this seems like a good opportunity.

This is probably Prélude à l'après-midi d'une faune but Verklarte Nacht is solid competition.

And speaking of the op. 118, have you heard Markus Groh's recording? He tries to Richter-ize it and I daresay it works, even though Lupu is the one I come back to the most.

― pomenitul, Friday, January 17, 2020 12:25 AM (nine hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Would that be (on) Groh's 'Johannes Brahms - The Late Piano Pieces'? Trying to find this to check it out after you dropped the R-bomb :)

Yep, that's exactly the one. His Liszt recital is pretty good as well.

Where are all the 'Pathétique' stans? I wouldn't call myself a Tchaikovsky enthusiast per se but hearing it played by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Valery Gergiev's baton (so to speak, as he doesn't use one) remains one of my more memorable live music experiences.

Anyway, late Tchaikovsky is best Tchaikovsky by a country mile: greater formal fluidity, fewer inconsistencies (no matter how charming), even more potent melodies. Had he lived another ten years I'd probably count him among my favourites.

would be my 4th or 5th pick from this list but its v good obviously

Verklarte Nacht leading so far.

That and Debussy's sole String Quartet have gotten more spins out of me than any of the others so both are supremely tempting options.

And I probably shouldn't have left out La Bohème…

― pomenitul, Thursday, January 16, 2020 6:48 AM (five days ago) bookmarkflaglink

SERIOUSLY tho

I'm sorry. :(

I think Puccini is seriously underrated, and La Boheme especially. It might just be because it's the one opera where I've been in the chorus, so I've had to study it a lot. But still. Second act is almost proto-Ives'ian in places.

Voted Verklärte Nacht and if I'm to be honest my vote was decided by the lack of vote-splitting from the same composer, otherwise I might've gone for a Scriabin, Debussy, or Tchaikovsky. Saving my Ravel vote for the next decade.

Incredible choices, but Mahler 1 is the way to go

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

voted more or less randomly

Listened to Verklärte Nacht (Boulez) for the first time last night. Not to go overboard but it was - at times - transcending. I lack classical music literacy, but what I loved was that it swept me up and dropped me into a story straight away. It was only afterwards that I read the poem it's based on - which allowed me to see where my own dream-like narrative took me. A wonderful experience to be frank.

It is truly magical. I also recommend checking out the string sextet original, which is how I was first swept away by the piece. Recording-wise, the Arditti and Artemis Quartets (both with Thomas Kakuska and Valentin Erben of the Alban Berg Quartett, incidentally) are each wonderful in their own way.

This hasn't got any easier. *dons blindfold; throws rubber dart at monitor*

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

I was the Grieg vote in the end. Narrowed it down to my most striking new discovery to overcome choice paralysis. I think I said in a previous decade that I hadn't knowingly heard his solo piano works before. Whoever observed that he sometimes Debussy'd it up was totes onto something.

I also recommend checking out the string sextet original, which is how I was first swept away by the piece. Recording-wise, the Arditti and Artemis Quartets (both with Thomas Kakuska and Valentin Erben of the Alban Berg Quartett, incidentally) are each wonderful in their own way.

Noted, merci!

Love the three-way tie for the top spot.

Glad, albeit not surprised, to see the Gnossiennes get some love. Probably my favourite Satie pieces, along with the late Nocturnes.

Not a single vote for the so-called 'Resurrection', though? Now that's surprising.

I failed to really bloviate on this one!

Good results- I ended up crowning Brahms op. 118 (along with another ilxor!?!) largely because like the grieg set its concluding piece is just so staggering. And though my core trinity are all present now (Debussy Sibelius Mahler) they will all be getting votes from me in the ensuing decades.

For Mahler I would have gone with the 3rd. The first Mahler to catch my imagination - I spent like half a year comparing as many versions as I could afford back when there was no such thing as free listening
Lemminkainen is indeed the top Sibelius choice this decade.

Late Tchaikovsky is great but tbrr my favorite of his symphonies is the first! It’s the most Sibelian sucthing as