Greatest Musical Works of All Time (very much in progress, hundreds to add...)
Submitted by AfterHours on Thu, 02/08/2007 - 12:58
Tags:
- 9.5/10
- Symphony #9 in D Minor "Choral"-Beethoven (1824)
- Symphony #9 in D Major-Mahler (1910)
- The Black Saint & The Sinner Lady-Charles Mingus (1963)
- Trout Mask Replica-Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band (1969)
- Requiem-Verdi (1874)
- A Love Supreme-John Coltrane (1964)
- Rock Bottom-Robert Wyatt (1974)
- Tabula Rasa-Part (1977)
- Unit Structures-Cecil Taylor (1966)
- Faust-Faust (1971)
- Ostrobothnian Symphony-Balakauskas (1989)
- Symphony #15 in A Major-Shostakovich (1971)
- 9/10
- The Velvet Underground & Nico-The Velvet Underground (1967)
- The Doors-The Doors (1967)
- Ascension-John Coltrane (1965)
- A Symphony of Three Orchestras-Carter (1976)
- Quatuor Pour La Fin Du Temps-Messiaen (1940)
- The Modern Dance-Pere Ubu (1978)
- Symphony #7 in A Major-Beethoven (1812)
- Symphony #9 in C Major "The Great"-Schubert (1828)
- Escalator Over The Hill-Carla Bley (1971)
- Twin Infinitives-Royal Trux (1990)
- Seeds, Visions & Counterpoint-Ivo Perelman (1996)
- Rite of Spring-Stravinsky (1913)
- Repons-Boulez (1984)
- Symphony #4 in E Minor-Brahms (1885)
- Lorca-Tim Buckley (1970)
- The Jazz Composer's Orchestra-Michael Mantler (1968)
- Parable of Arable Land-Red Crayola (1967)
- Litanies of Satan-Diamanda Galas (1982)
- Gesang der Junglinge-Karlheinz Stockhausen (1956)
- Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima-Penderecki (1960)
- Y-The Pop Group (1979)
- Symphony #1 in C Minor-Brahms (1876)
- Glagolitic Mass-Janacek (1926)
- Hosianna Mantra-Popol Vuh (1973)
- Desertshore-Nico (1970)
- Symphony #3 in F Major-Brahms (1883)
- Spiritual Unity-Albert Ayler (1964)
- Concerto for Orchestra-Bartok (1943)
- Symphony #9 in E Minor "From The New World"-Dvorak (1893)
- Symphony #5 in C Minor-Beethoven (1808)
- Symphony #3 in E-flat Major "Eroica"-Beethoven (1804)
- Symphony #6 in B Minor "Pathetique"-Tchaikovsky (1893)
- Symphony #2 in D Major-Brahms (1877)
- Symphonie Fantastique-Berlioz (1830)
- For Alto-Anthony Braxton (1968)
- Dolmen Music-Meredith Monk (1981)
- Piano Sonata #29 "Hammerklavier"-Beethoven (1818)
- Violin Partita #2 in D Minor-J.S. Bach (1723)
- Irrlicht-Klaus Schulze (1972)
- Atlantis-Sun Ra (1967)
- Fare Forward Voyagers-John Fahey (1973)
- The Survivors' Suite-Keith Jarrett (1976)
- Geek the Girl-Lisa Germano (1994)
- Improvisie-Paul Bley (1970)
- Bitches Brew-Miles Davis (1969)
- Blonde On Blonde-Bob Dylan (1966)
- Neu!-Neu! (1972)
- Suicide-Suicide (1977)
- Astral Weeks-Van Morrison (1968)
- Nail-Foetus (1985)
- Free Jazz-Ornette Coleman (1960)
- String Quartet in B flat major "Grosse Fuge"-Beethoven (1826)
- Mass in B Minor-J.S. Bach (1749)
- Not Available-Residents (1974)
- Even the Sounds Shine-Myra Melford (1994)
- Lullaby Land-Vampire Rodents (1993)
- Epitaph-Charles Mingus (1962)
- Well Oiled-Hash Jar Tempo (1997)
- The Magic City-Sun Ra (1965)
- Symphony #8 in B Minor "Unfinished"-Schubert (1822)
- Third-Soft Machine (1970)
- Symphony #5 in E Minor-Tchaikovsky (1888)
- Slow, Deep & Hard-Type O Negative (1991)
- Cantos I-IV-Franz Koglmann (1992)
- Uncle Meat-Frank Zappa (1969)
- A Genuine Tong Funeral-Carla Bley/Gary Burton (1967)
- Out To Lunch-Eric Dolphy (1964)
- Yerself Is Steam-Mercury Rev (1991)
- Sound-Roscoe Mitchell (1966)
- Spiderland-Slint (1991)
- Kick Out the Jams-MC5 (1969)
- White Light/White Heat-The Velvet Underground (1967)
- Zen Arcade-Husker Du (1984)
- Karma-Pharoah Sanders (1969)
Author Comments:
All forms of music that I've heard will be considered. This list a monumental undertaking, and therefore will be compiled gradually. If I am determined enough to keep at it over the long haul, it will eventually number hundreds of entries.
Nice list! I'm excited to see how this all ends up.
BTW, do you have soulseek?
I don't have soulseek, I probably should though...
Yea, I was just wondering because if you did it would be a lot easier to find some of the stuff on and off this list. Especially classical, which is really a bitch to find on the internet while knowing what kind of recording you're getting.
I actually purchase all my albums on CD. I use Amazon or some other internet source to order them, and I also use a great store in my area called Everyday Music. They usually have or can get what I'm looking for unless it's ultra-rare/out of print such as Descent into the Maelstrom. To find the best recordings of classical I usually use the Penguin Guide.
now i LOVE this list, only because you added Beethoven's 5th to the top. that is probably my favorite classical piece, or maybe The Rite (Coronation) of Spring. I do not listen to much classical, and i am not that impressed with Beethoven's 9th, but the 5th i have always loved. i listened to "Eroica" today and thought it was "exceptional" but not at the same level as the 5th or even Mahler's 9th if i remember correctly, its been a while, and i only listened to it once, but i think you are going to prove to be pretty accurate that it is among the top: maybe top 20 or so. i have Tabula Rasa on hold at the library, i hope you are right about that as well...
Oddly enough I have yet to hear the entirety of Rite of Spring, but it is one the next works I'll be acquiring so I am sure you'll see it on here soon.
Just finished listening to Beethoven's 3rd as I was reading this. Definitely, definitely among the greatest symphonies ever, and a no brainer for a 9.5/10 rating imo. Highly recommended that you continue on with it. Hopefully you fall even more in love than I have with it. I go back and forth between it and the 5th--they're close, but Mahler's 9th is significantly superior, to not only the "Eroica" but virtually everything else as well. Tabula Rasa is heart-poundingly visceral and heartbreaking in the span of about 25 minutes. An incredible work. Let me know what you think.
Listening to Bach's Mass in B Minor right now, for the first time in a year or so. Wow.
Um. What the fuck. Rite of Spring is like the Best. Thing. Evar.
Ugh. I can't even imagine trying to make a list like this. Classical is too diverse. It's hard enough to compare Doors to It Takes A Nation Of Millions to Bricolage. I don't want to think about comparing Se La Face Ay Pale to The Rite of Spring to Licht. Good luck.
And then there's the whole problem of different recordings and performance styles and conductors. How the heck could you judge a game piece by John Zorn?
Um. What the fuck. Rite of Spring is like the Best. Thing. Evar.
Even better than Revolver?
Ugh. I can't even imagine trying to make a list like this. Classical is too diverse. It's hard enough to compare Doors to It Takes A Nation Of Millions to Bricolage. I don't want to think about comparing Se La Face Ay Pale to The Rite of Spring to Licht. Good luck.
It is very difficult. More so than I imagined. Comparing symphonies is especially a bitch (all of them being under virtually the same format) and most of them being "epic" and emotional to a similar intensity.
And then there's the whole problem of different recordings and performance styles and conductors. How the heck could you judge a game piece by John Zorn?
I try to stick with the recording(s) that most epitomize the composers intentions. Most of the best ones aren't varying enough to affect the rating up or down from any other.
But gawd this is tough. Every day I get a bunch of shake ups, but I think I'm settling in here. The more I listen and compare, the more I learn about what it is to be a 9.5 in all walks of music. Also, it's a wierd phenomena but I went and listened to TMR, Faust, Rock Bottom and Black Saint this past weekend just after devouring a few days of classical, and those albums seemed even more extraordinary. I think it has something to do with the details, textures and compositional changes, and the overall beauty and wonder of music that classical asks the listener to connect with--I noticed myself hearing more in TMR, Faust, Rock Bottom, Black Saint, than I usually do. It's very rewarding to be experiencing all this music at once, which is the very realization that drove me to pick up this list again.
Big blocks of bold text are hard to read. Maybe try something else, like <span class="gray">.
In a perfect world, the perfect art critic could spend 10 years studying art theory and music theory, without ever being exposed to a canon. Then, he or she would listen to the entire history of music - perhaps 10 major works per year during the medieval period and working up to 1000 major works per year in the 21st century. Along the way, he or she would list the most impressive works, and then write a retrospective of his or her journey.
May I respectfully yet forcefully disagree?
Studying art theory for a decade before exposure is a classic case of the tail wagging the dog.
If you are aiming to criticize intelligently, the first step should not be indoctrination in other peoples' theories about what makes great art. That is a great method to discipleship, not independent thought.
Perhaps the only first principle you need is simple - great art works. Once you get that idea (and it isn't tough), you can start asking how, why, etc. If you have a decent noggin, you're likely to get some interesting answers.
View/hear/read all the art you can, and ask questions. For my money, that's the path to great art criticism.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
May I respectfully yet forcefully disagree?
Please do. Golly, that's my favorite thing.
Studying art theory for a decade before exposure is a classic case of the tail wagging the dog.
Could be. I'd still love to see a real-life product of my thought experiment.
In my little utopia, one's education would not be an indoctrination, but rather a training in how to think and the possibilities of thought.
Great art does indeed work, but I couldn't stick with that. Funny Games U.S. had me riveted to my seat; something few masterpieces have done. But I think that has much to do with my personal, inner experience and mood. I think great art has more important qualities than how well it manages my mood. If not, then I hereby proclaim Monty Python and the Holy Grail and a few episodes of Family Guy as the greatest pieces of moving image art ever created.
I think great art has more important qualities than how well it manages my mood. If not, then I hereby proclaim Monty Python and the Holy Grail and a few episodes of Family Guy as the greatest pieces of moving image art ever created.
why not? i think you need to stop building that ivory tower or whatever it is and enjoy art how you want to enjoy it, not how you think it should be enjoyed. if you would rather watch Holy Grail than why would that not be above Persona, or at least near it. i truly do not understand anyone's position like this: there is some objectivity to "great" art and I WILL find it. what about all those others who try that, are they wrong?
This is all my personal art philosophy. I think there is such a thing as good art, and that it is different from good entertainment (though the two may overlap).
But I cannot say that Ebert is "wrong" about Into the Wild being a great movie, except by my own criteria.
What about everyone else who tries to objectively judge art? Am I right and they wrong?
Yes.
And vice versa.
Even if we all had the same criteria, we would have wildly different conclusions. Because we are imperfect. We are persuaded by bandwagons, branding, nostalgia, personal experience, personal knowledge, mood, distractions. We are probably persuaded by things we don't even know exist.
My video game criticism benefits from virtually no effect of branding or bandwagon, because I'm unaware of other people criticizing games as art. But I have much more knowledge of rock music and film.
The only way to tell who is thinking most clearly about a piece of art is to talk (write) about it. Argument and counterargument.
(Which, by the way, should only be done for fun, because arguing about art has no other use.)
that essay has a nice sentiment but it lacks resolution. good art exists because it can and better things come from the hope of goodness than the despair of nothing. (not a quote of any sort) i want there to be good art; i want to be able to point to a piece of artwork whether it be the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, a blank canvas, or Roberto Matta's "Elinonde" but i do not feel that i can. i can however say that i like "Elinonde" and van Gogh's "Undergrowth with Two Figures" but i do not know how to describe its goodness with universal truth or even personal truth: just, i like them. whenever i start that quest i feel i am gargling about "dancing about architecture." if you can nail it down to something more than a Descartes dreamscape i would love to here it. just know, i do like to dance, mostly because i would probably break my leg again if i did.
i get the fun part about art, just not the suit and tie part. i guess i am disillusioned by "masterpieces" of art such as Pure Electric Honey having almost ZERO FUCKING support and for people to say that there is truth out there in art. critics had to have heard it and still it is relegated to basically scaruffi and Billy James's own site, and maybe a few other sites. and then there is Vincent van Gogh in his day compared to the emergence of a painter like Marla Olmstead whose story/documentary is the epitome of yuppie culture (basically a 4 year old paints abstract paintings / people buy her work because they think she is a child prodigy / prices for her works go through the stars / she is debunked by a developmental psychologist / people want there money back and/or the market collapses like a dying star / she turns 5 or 6...).
its hard to take what experts have to say seriously when they seem to not, or seem to be having too much fun. i guess thats better than the teacher in the essay: having no fun at all!
"Great art does indeed work, but I couldn't stick with that."
Indeed. That is the starting line, hopefully, not the final tape.
To be a great critic, eventually one of the questions that arises is Do I like this just because it speaks to something special and unique in me and not because it is particularly good in any way for all or most folks?. I think that is one of the final splits between an art lover and somebody who wants to be an art critic.
Otherwise, who cares? Hey, enjoy what you enjoy.
Nostalgia is a big element here. Do I like this work simply because it reminds me of who I was and where I was when I first encountered it? That's a legitimate pleasure, but hopefully a quality a critic realizes is too personal to include in an honest evaluation of a work.
On the other hand, if you can strip a good amount of that away and still feel like Family Guy is a great work of art, why couldn't it be? :)
Many if not most critics in Shakespeare's time didn't think his work could honestly qualify as great, especially if the groundlings could enjoy it so much and if he dabbled with such low genres as revenge dramas. Let this serve as a warning to all wannabe critics...
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
AFTERHOURS: Tried it but it didn't work for me. Is the bold really that hard to read? Anybody else around here think so?
LUKEPROG: In a perfect world, the perfect art critic could spend 10 years studying art theory and music theory, without ever being exposed to a canon. Then, he or she would listen to the entire history of music - perhaps 10 major works per year during the medieval period and working up to 1000 major works per year in the 21st century. Along the way, he or she would list the most impressive works, and then write a retrospective of his or her journey.
AFTERHOURS: That would be great. Problem is I don't have that kind of time. So I use sources like Scaruffi to track down what are likely the best ones, giving me a headstart so to speak. Out of those essential works I make my own judgments. Plus, it's probably unlikely that there is some staggering classical masterpiece from before, say, 1950, that has been missed, given how much "healthier" the state of criticism is in the field. Thankfully, Scaruffi isn't out on his own in classical.
I prefer the bold thing, helps me skim over the thing I've just read but reminds me what it is your replying.
Yep, agreed, that's why I do it.
i do not see a difference, it is all sound. you make a judgement and move on.
Hell Yes to Quatuor Pour La Fin Du Temps!
Yea, no kidding. Floored me 3 times now. It has an eerie, metaphysical power.
Most ambitious list...like...ever??
Ambitious music calls for an ambitious list I guess. But actually...
2nd most. My songs/tracks/movements list is idiotically ambitious--listological suicide.
Come to think of it, didn't some crazy dildo named darktremor make a list about every genre and subgenre of music that ever existed?
When are you getting around to listening to some more Bach? Die Kunst der Fuge is easily top ten.
I've heard it, as well as virtually all of Bach's major works: St Matthew Passion, Art of the Fugue as you mention, all his Brandenburg concertos, violin concertos, sonatas, partitas, cello suites, organ works and choral works and orchestral suites, goldberg variations...and more. For most of them it's just been years (like 5-10), so I'm not sure what I'd rate them at this point (my standards have risen dramatically since then). They're all amazing and I'll get back around to them when I can. I currently have 30+ CDs from the library I am listening to, and I'm not the type to just listen to them once and toss off a rating. I like to go over them numerous times so as to consider each accurately...time consuming yes, but well worth it. There are hundreds of classical works I've heard but haven't rated/ranked yet.
But yes, your enthusiasm alone makes me want to hear Art of the Fugue again very soon. Thanks.
RE: Verdi's Requiem & Boulez' Repons - highly deserving of their placements of this list. Your taste really is awesome (in the inclusions AND the ordering), there's very little on your list which so far I haven't liked.
Thanks! I try my best to be extremely accurate, perhaps too much so...change after change after change, listen after listen after listen, update and repeat, etc...
So it's nice to see that someone agrees and sees it to a similar degree I do. I appreciate your support and am very pleased that you're getting into such amazing music. More people should be so lucky. ( :
Your conscious effort to improve your lists is what makes them really good, the careful consideration that goes into each choice after a large amount of listening.
I wish more people in the world took music as seriously as many of us do on Listology, whether it be the love of the Beatles or of Captain Beefheart, the love of music here is what makes people discuss the subject so often and with so much passion.
Thanks for your kind words!
I agree. Keep going. Many more discoveries are right there to be had on the current list and there will be virtually infinite future updates and additions to come.
Which albums are you targeting next?
What is The Jazz Composer's Orchestra-Michael Mantler (1968)? Isn't it Communications - Jazz Composer's Orchestra? If not correct me, I'm confused as to what to search for at the moment.
I can't wait to find other great pieces of music! I'm currently looking into more jazz and modern classical, as they're both genres which so far seemed to have held some absolutely awesome masterpieces.
Here's the link on amazon to the album. It's more often called "Communications" by Jazz Composer's Orchestra. I should probably change the title to that and put the one I have listed as an alternate title:
http://www.amazon.com/Communications-Jazz-Composers-Orchestra/dp/B000024...
By all means, check the album out. It is incredible. An overwhelming monolith of sound.
Thanks! I'll definitely get that album (though I doubt on Amazon, as I don't have that kind of money) soon, but my acquisition of music has been temporarily stunted by the fact my internet has reached its download limit for this month which means I'll just have a look through my current collection and re-order and re-assess it.
I should probably change the title to ["Communications" by Jazz Composer's Orchestra]
yeah, it is not referred to as Michael Mantler's album in many places. the confusion is analogous to Frank Zappa's in that most refer to his early albums under his name when they are technically by The Mothers of Invention, though he composed every moment of the original music. Mantler composed all of the music but the album is under the moniker of the Jazz Composer's Orchestra (or JCOA which i have seen the "A" mean "America" and "Association"). i am not sure which one is more correct.
How long is Beethoven's Grosse Fuge?
around 16 min depending on the recording. It's so ahead of it's time (even more so than most other Beethoven works)
Quatuor Pour La Fin Du Temps-Messiaen (1940)
Wow. I'm on holiday at the mo in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do but read and listen to music. I think I've listened to this fantastic work about 6-7 times now and it is really quite something. Any of his other works worth searching for?
Oh man, yea that work is truly miraculous...heart stopping, sensitive, a thing of rare, aural beauty...
Haven't heard any of his other works yet though...if you do, let me know ( :
Indeed, particularly Abîme des Oiseaux, those waves of clarinet remind me of the waves of organ in Satz Ebene, beatifully haunting stuff. I will look out for more and tell you if I find anything else even close to this masterpiece.
Good luck. Few albums, musical works, can even approach it.
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 8 In C Minor is fantastic, if you haven't already heard it, I highly recommend it!
I've heard it, I believe. I get some of his string quartets mixed up. All of the ones I've heard are superb.
Hey, two suggestions :
Paganini - Violin Concert No 1
Rachmaninoff - Piano Concert No 3
If you've heard before, opinions? =)
have you listened (or seen) to any works by Wagner before? the music in "Tristan Und Isolde" and "Der Ring" and "Die Meistersinger" are worth listening to, and Tristan Und Isolde is one of the best operas ever (with it's "Tristan chord")
Yes, I've listened to them but it was years ago and I don't remember which is which. When I get back to classical, I'll go through them.
cool i see
i also recommend tchaikovsky 4 if you haven't listened to it
Think I have, but it's been a long time
Wow man, just wow. I listened to Symphony #9 in D Minor "Choral"-Beethoven (1824) last night while cleaning my bathroom and sweeping - it was the first time I've listened to the entire thing in one sitting and it was easily the highlight of my day. I wish I had been brought up listening to this music, and I'm exceedingly glad you are making this list. What I'm really looking forward to is hunting down the top classical entries on here and just basking in an undiscovered paradise of beautiful music. Thanks again.
You're welcome. Beethovens 9th is incredible. Mahler's might be even better...slightly...though they're difficult to compare because they're so different.
BTW, this list really needs to be updated which is one of my next projects...I hope.
And just so you know there are probably dozens of 9's that could be added if I could ever get around to relistening to them and then listening to some of the potential ones I haven't heard yet.
What do you think of Mozart? Though I've never listened to him myself, I've always heard he was one of the greatest composers.
He is one of the greatest composers ever. Effortless and beautiful. His late works are by far his best. Requiem, famous operas, his last 4 Symphonies...
but none of his works qualify for a 9/10?
This list is dozens, probably well over a hundred entries short of completion. On top of that, even amongst the choices that are on here, it very badly needs updating. There is a very good chance Mozart has an opera, symphony, piano concerto or his requiem that would qualify but to be sure I'd have to go back an relisten to them which I just don't have the time to do right now.
ahh i see cool
Revised for the time being. Still numerous works to listen to again and also add to the list but at least what's on here is placed how I currently rank them.
wow big changes from what i saw last time
i think that hammerklavier and partita no. 2 should be way lower... although thats my personal opinion
anyways i was wondering whether you can spare a few minutes for a description of tabula rasa by paert? i'm not really convinced
oh and also i hope you'll think a bit about the other works by stravinsky and mahler and perhaps some prokofiev. there's the missa solemnis by beethoven as well
i think that hammerklavier and partita no. 2 should be way lower... although thats my personal opinion
It's all subjective, as you know. I never mean these things to be universally official, just my opinion
anyways i was wondering whether you can spare a few minutes for a description of tabula rasa by paert? i'm not really convinced
I'll try. The first half has a sense of mystery, dashing spiritual intensity, manifesting towards some universal destiny. While the second part is a drawn-out, infinite sigh. A funereal, gradual release of faith--it is also universal, like a collective, intensely grief-stricken loss of hope, a universal loss of salvation. The first part builds up a tremendous tension and dynamism, while the second part is a bleeding out of that, a still-life, tragic illustration of the spiritual collapse of man. As a whole it is a thoroughly miraculous, devastating work. A feverishly spiritual experience both in its vibrancy, conviction and sense of budding destiny (1st part) as well as the colossal loss of everything down to the very depths of man's soul (2nd part). It shows how these opposites, these different ends of the spectrum, how perhaps the whole gamut of human emotion and all of life, its rise and its fall, is in essence a tremendous galvanized drama towards spiritual salvation.
oh and also i hope you'll think a bit about the other works by stravinsky and mahler and perhaps some prokofiev. there's the missa solemnis by beethoven as well.
Within the next few months I'll be devoting most of my music listening towards rediscovering my classical past, as well as acquiring tons of new classical music, as opposed to how I've been devoting most of my attention to rock and jazz over the last 9 years.
ahh i see thanks for that detailed description! i'll try to listen to it again and see what i think again. perhaps i might see something new.
wow you've devoted your attention to rock and jazz over the last 9 years??? thats a pretty long time...