"I never stood a chance, we couldn’t dance
Cause there’s no room to rhumba in a sports car..."
Posted on 03/01/2006 7:54:55 PM PST by Reaganesque
I was sitting here tonight listening to Mozart's Requiem and I got to thinking: what do I consider to be the best work of music ever? For my part, Mozart's work really does the trick for me when I need to be re-energized. Therefore, I believe that his Requiem is the greatest work of all time. There just isn't another work that is as powerful and passionate. When the chorus sings the final "Amen" at the end of "Lacrimosa" I get the feeling that he knew it was the last thing he would ever write. It gives me chills at times.
Other favorites are:
Handel's Messiah
The 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky
There's a bunch of us as obvious as geriatrics at an ATM.
wow so many come to mind, "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple, the main theme from the film "Escape from New York" and the recent Chronicles of Narnia rap song on SNL.
Beethoven's Fifth and Ninth are at the apex of musical art. Although they are different pieces, they share in timeless beauty and reach into your heart and wash all your cares from your soul.
No current day, five minute song contains the beauty and cleansing spirit as the works of the old masters. As I see all the freepers saying their current day favorites are the "Greatest Musical Work of all Time" I notice a tinge of envy within me. For I remember the deep thrill I felt when I finally understood the beauty of classical music.
Currently I am enjoying the Mozart piano Concerto that was the theme to the movie "hopscotch." The third movement is most delightful.
Now....does anybody know what piece that is?
Any old fifth is good enough for me.
Greatest jazz work: Stackolee Blues by Waring's Pennsylvanians (1928)
Greatest hymn: Jesus Will Walk With Me by Haldor Lillenas (1922)
Greatest country/western song: Stalin Kicked the Bucket by Ray Anderson (1953)
Greatest rap song: Play It Cool by The Spaniels (1954)
Can't be just one. There's too much good music out there.
Ralph Vaughn Williams - A Lark Ascending, settings of British folk songs, Antarctica
John Rutter
Bach
Menotti: ballet Sebastian
Prokofiev
Medieval and Renaissance music
Folk music of the British Isles
Bagpipes (please, no more "Amazing Grace!)
Jazz- Bop, West Coast, Latin-influenced - '1940s to late '60s
Brazilian
Gospel - contemporary (Take Six, Donnie McClurken)
Authentic American folk music and religious songs
Broadway - Sondheim, Rodgers & Hart, Gershwins, Harold Arlen, Frank Loesser, Jule Styne, Lenny Bernstein/Comden/Green, Bock & Harnick, Cy Coleman
Soundtracks - MGM musicals, The Bad and the Beautiful (David Raksin), The Big Country (Jerome Moross), Raintree County (Johhny Green), other composers: Elmer Bernstein, Hugo Friedhofer, Alex North, Kenyon Hopkins
American songbook: Johnny Mercer, Irving Berlin, countless others...
I don't think that I can take it...sorry.
Man, I am in a real quandary here.
For my money, it's a total toss-up between Beethoven's Quartet for Strings Opus 18 No. 4.....or AC/DC's Hell's Bells.
Iron Butterfly ... In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
The great classics without stating the obvious, next is GERSHWIN, GERSHWIN, GERSHWIN and, oh yes, GERSHWIN.
I love the passion of Beethoven, especially the 3rd Movement of the Moonlight Sonata; everyone's heard the first famous movement, but the third is awesome!
Hans Zimmer is great - Hunt for the Red October scores, etc.
What, no Free Bird?
Be it Mozart, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, David Sanborn, Paul Hardcastle, Boyz to Men, Meriah Carrey, I couldn't pick a favorite.
That sounds nice!
LOL. I was reminded just how good, just how organized, Beethoven's fifth was listening to it on the radio driving to the desert. It is a true masterpiece, very tightly written and organized, with no fluff in it all. Each and every measure was satisfying, just like each and every ounce of your favorite brew.
"I never stood a chance, we couldn’t dance
Cause there’s no room to rhumba in a sports car..."
Beethoven's 9th, for me.
Berlioz's Requiem is also clutch. The Dies Irae is earth-shatting (literally!). But my favorite movement is the Lacrymosa. Just near the end, when the darkness has closed in and evil seems triumphant, there bursts a ray of hope in the music that for an instant shows that peace and serenity await beyond the tribulations. It's magnificent and deeply moving.
Good choice. I also like the Jimmy Forrest and Buddy Morrow versions of the tune, from the 1950's.
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