# best piece of classical music written... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 20, 2003, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-piece-of-classical-music-written/189680 "2003-07-20T02:42:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Headcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6bbea6/32.png) [@Headcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Headcoat)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-piece-of-classical-music-written/189680/41 "2003-07-23T07:22:12Z")
I once heard that the length specification for CD’s was based on fitting Beethoven’s 9th into one unit. Is this true? ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-piece-of-classical-music-written/189680/42 "2003-07-23T11:42:02Z")
\ tee-hee!! Just gotta gloat for a minute here - in 2001 I picked up the violin again (after 25+ years away) and a few months later I joined a community orchestra. Sitting waaaaay in the back of the 2nds & playing a lot of “air violin”. In the past two seasons we’ve played SO MANY of these greats (Peer Gynt, Symphonie Fantastique, Appalachian Spring, Beethoven’s 5th, Rhapsody in Blue - to name a few)! On 9/11/2002 we were part of the “Rolling Requiem” across the country that played Mozart’s _Requiem_ - our performance was in a huge chapel @ the U. of Chicago. And next season - oh yeah baby - _Beethoven’s 9th_ w/our newly formed chorus! Life is good! I hope all of you music lovers are having similar experiences!! \ ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-piece-of-classical-music-written/189680/43 "2003-07-23T12:11:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tree Boy \* > **How long is the complete 9th sypmhony by Beethoven?** Slightly under 74 minutes, because the 74-minute length of the audio CD format was supposedly set to accomodate this pice. (With emphasis on “supposedly” - snopes has it as [undetermined](http://www.snopes.com/music/media/cdlength.htm)) ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-piece-of-classical-music-written/189680/44 "2003-07-23T12:19:41Z")
Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. Yeah, I know. Fantasia. What can I say? That piece gives me the chills. Mozart’s Requiem Mass. Never fails to move me deeply. Beethoven’s 6th. Orff’s Carmina Burana. Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-piece-of-classical-music-written/189680/45 "2003-07-23T16:21:10Z")
I a bit to moody to have a single all time favorite. So my nominations for favorites (in no particular order) would be: Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor Pachelbel Canon in D Beethoven Violin Concerto in D major Beethoven Symphony No. 6 Pastoral Mozart Requiem Vivaldi Four Seasons Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture Handel Messiah Mozart Flute and Harp Concerto Schubert String Quintet in C ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-piece-of-classical-music-written/189680/46 "2003-07-23T18:16:40Z")
I \*cannot \*narrow this down to fewer than 26: Bach Toccata and Fugue in d minor Barber Adagio Beethoven Symphony #7 Brahms Piano Concerto #2 Brahms Symphony #3 Chopin Etude in E Major, Opus 10, #3 Copland Appalachian Spring Dvorak New World Symphony Gershwin Porgy and Bess Lehar “Dein is mein ganzes herz” from The Land of Smiles Mendelssohn Symphony #4 Mozart Clarinet Concerto Puccini “Nessun dorma” from Turandot Puccini “O mio babbino caro” from Gianni Schicchi Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #2 Rachmaninoff Symphony #2 Rachmaninoff Etudes-tableaux, op39 Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto #2 Scriabin Etude, opus 8, #12 Smetana The Moldau from Ma Vlast Stravinsky Le sacre du printemps Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Tchaikovsky Symphony #6 Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto Verdi Requiem Wagner Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde ---
**Author:** ![klockwerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/klockwerk/32/6475_2.png) [@klockwerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/klockwerk)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-piece-of-classical-music-written/189680/47 "2003-07-23T18:47:10Z")
Some nominations of mine: Mozart’s _Requiem Mass_ Vivaldi’s _The Four Seasons_ When I think of more modern musical creations, Holsts’ _The Planets_ comes to mind Bach deserves a lot of recognition: _Toccata and Fugue in D Minor Brandenburg Concerto Mass in B Minor Violin Concerto in D Minor_ Stravinsky’s _Rite of Spring_ Wagner’s _The Ring of the Nibelungen_ (Ring Cycle) Handel’s _Messiah_ (It made me cry when I saw it live at the Sydney Opera House) God, there are so many more pieces I want to name, but the list would be endless. I haven’t even mentioned Beethoven, but he’s probably already got enough supporters out there. If I had the chance, I’d nominate just about every great piece ever written! Haydn, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Dvorak (My favourite composer)… _sigh_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-piece-of-classical-music-written/189680.md?page=2)