What is currently your favorite piece of music?

Oh, I'm not saying Mahler is "simple" by any stretch of the imagination. He wrote some of the most harmonically complex music in the common-practice period and wrote in huge expansive forms. I just simply don't care for his music (though I really don't mind the 2nd or the 4th symphony too much). I don't look down on anyone who likes Mahler if that's what you think. He's just an incredibly easy target to make fun as Q said. ;)

And I suppose "complexity" is sort of subjective but I'd say having multiple tonal centers, using octatonic scales that don't imply strong tonality instead of diatonic major and minor scales, basing pieces off of more "dissonant" intervals like the 2nd and 4th rather than the 3rd, and not conforming to tonal hierarchies makes for more complex music. But again, it is sort of subjective.

Ok, that makes sense.

*Justin Tokke shakes hand as he offers truce*

Ok, that makes sense.

*Justin Tokke shakes hand as he offers truce*

:happytears:

Can love bloom on the battlefield?

I think it can.

Just because your favorite work is something that you've written yourself doesn't mean you aren't modest.

Not everyone can be self-hating.

Actually, yes... if your favorite work is something you've written then you definetly are not modest. You might not be an incredibly arrogant prick but you certainly are not modest. Modesty is having a humble opinion about yourself and your work. If you think something you've written is the best thing you've ever heard, then you definetly don't have a humble opinion about yourself. And just to be clear, there's a difference between liking a work of yours and thinking it's the best thing written ever.

Also, that comment of mine was directed at more than just his one comment in this thread. Clearly, you've not read all his posts.

I personally listen to whatever music I like... I don't scrutinize against others preferences. They are them. My preferences don't care about theirs'. :dry:

I personally listen to whatever music I like... I don't scrutinize against others preferences. They are them. My preferences don't care about theirs'. :dry:

Hear, hear.

Actually, yes... if your favorite work is something you've written then you definetly are not modest. You might not be an incredibly arrogant prick but you certainly are not modest. Modesty is having a humble opinion about yourself and your work. If you think something you've written is the best thing you've ever heard, then you definetly don't have a humble opinion about yourself. And just to be clear, there's a difference between liking a work of yours and thinking it's the best thing written ever.

Also, that comment of mine was directed at more than just his one comment in this thread. Clearly, you've not read all his posts.

I most definitely didn't read anything anyone wrote.

Not every moral system is based upon modesty or being humble.

Something isn't better than something else when the other things exudes modesty. You try to comment on anything when anyone seems to get a little too far ahead of his or herself. This isn't going to make you any more humble or any less self-hating. In fact, it seems to me that you miss the humor in those situations where people actually use that as a device of mockery.

Let's not be sanctimonious now.

I doubt letting my heart bleed into the internet every time someone pokes a hole in my ego or I fail to interact with people of the opposite sex successfully that my actions and behavior are entirely sane, normal or healthy.

ANYWAY--

I'd have to say though, my favorite music is most definitely anything written after 1910 that is American. I love American music and American composers. Too many hipster-esque and "artsy" types of America try to put Europe on a pedestal. Everything doesn't have to be a European reaction to WWII to be heavy and serious music. Music doesn't have to be that way to be good anyway. That's why-- let's see-- THIS was a note (under the title "...and you should know these people:" on my facebook not too long ago:

Meredith Monk

David Lang

George Crumb

Paul Lansky

Christopher Rouse

Joan Tower

John Corigliano

Paul Hindemith

Edgar Varese

Toru Takemitsu

Iannis Xenakis

The majority of these composers are American and NOT in that mold I've already mentioned (generally, of course). I'd have to say some of my favorite music definitely comes from Monk and Crumb.

Panda Chant II was one of the first pieces I ever heard by Monk. I continued to explore and just was more and more enchanted by her use of the voice and her unique combination of color. George Crumb has impressed with me his prepared piano music and of course, the witty and primordial Vox Balaenae.

I love American music, too! Just to throw out some more names: Ellen Zwilich, Wallingford Riegger, George Antheil, Henry Cowell, Elliot Carter, Charles Ives (of course...), Carl Ruggles, Vincent Persichetti...well, these are generally older than the ones you mentioned, but they're all great composers. (Oh yeah, and you can't forget John Cage!)

Hmmm...Meredith Monk is actually the only one on your list I haven't heard of. I will make sure to check her music out. :happy:

Crumb is amazing. I heard his Vox Balaenae performed in seventh grade; you can't imagine how that changed the way I looked at music!

Claude Debussy's Arabesque

That and Steward Copeland's "Autumn Plains"

Claude Debussy's Arabesque

Which one? First or second?

Stravinsky- Rite Of Spring...Scriabin- Promethieus

Yeah I agree completly, and I would add "Prokofiev - Scythian Suite" to those masterpieces.

Which one? First or second?

I really like both of them, but I prefer the first.

Two pieces by composers I thought I would never begin to like:

Carter Symphony No. 1 (well, this is from his neoclassical period, so...)

Boulez, Derive I

and by other composers:

Ligeti, Atmospheres

Messiaen, Turangalila-Symphonie (still my second favorite symphony after the Sibelius 7)

Stravinsky, 3 Pieces for String Quartet

Scelsi, Quattro Pezzi per Orchestra (Uaxuctum is a little too dense for me right now...)

My "favourites" are too vague, so I'll list the pieces that have me addicted at the moment:

- Berlioz's B

Bach...Partita no. 2 in D minor for solo violin

^Oooh, nice choice, dude. Classic.

^Oooh, nice choice, dude. Classic.

I am going to learn the first 4 movements and be able to play them perfectly, and maybe look at the chaconne this summer, in order to work on it this fall with my prof.

Right now I am really into Schubert's sting quartet #15. A very dynamic, exciting piece, and all the more significant as it represents Schubert's final triumph over his struggle with extended movements. The 1st movement is symphonic in its conception and clocks in at a hefty 24 minutes. Exceptional stuff, a treasure of western music history.

I would like to mention Debussy's Flute, Viola, and Harp Sonata again, because it's that darn good. Same with Janacek's Sonata for Violin and Piano.

Some slightly more obscure pieces:

Suite for Viola and Piano (1919), Bloch (which really isn't obscure at all, but whatever)

Violin Sonata No. 2, Antheil

Hymn and Fuguing Tune No. ...well, any of them, Cowell

(Plus, ALL of Hindemith's duo sonatas for instrument and piano. Yep, every single one. Well, I haven't quite listened to them all, but...

Ok, I especially recommend his Clarinet Sonata, Viola Sonatas Op. 11/4 and 25/4 and 1939, Trombone Sonata, and Oboe Sonata. Honorable mention to the Flute Sonata, Trumpet Sonata, and one of his cello sonatas. I love his use of quartal harmony and bizarrely chromatic, yet catchy themes. His approach to development is amazing, too - just look at his piano sonatas! He seems to be capable of seemlessly transitioning between and merging the most varied themes.)

Currently:

Bartok - Piano Concerto no2.; Constrats - Fast Dance

Stravinsky - Instrumental Miniatures; Petrushka; Piano Rag Music

^Bartok's Contrasts! Wonderful piece, but I prefer the Verbunkos movement. :P

I also forgot Hindemith's Violin Sonatas! :D

Just listened to Webern's Variations for Piano Op. 27 and Konzert Op. 24. Both of these pieces have a kind of cool classical balance I really admire. Plus, they sound so darned awesome. They aren't the kind of pieces that send chills down my spine (no, that's for Berg and Schoenberg), but they are pretty cool and worth some time looking at.

Joaquin Turina, Sinfonia Sevillana!

Plus Lemminkainen by Aaare Merikanto

Schubert's Impromptu Op. 90 No. 3 in G-flat Major. Definitely one of the most beautiful pieces I've ever heard.

Die Kunst der Fuge