Favorite finales?

[Febnyc]

Sometimes I find myself listening through a work - concerto, symphony, whatever - eagerly awaiting its final pages. There are a few exceptional ones for me - care to opine about yours?

Here are just three:

In first place and for me the most powerful finale of them all is the last part of Mahler's Second (Resurrection) Symphony. From the Urlicht - to the silent entry of the chorus - through the soloists joining in and briefly separating from and floating above the massed voices - and then the acceleration in a crescendo to the "Auferstehen!" after which the tension builds almost unbearably until it all breaks open - with bells, organ - to a majestic finish.

In Ravel's orchestration of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition when Baba Yaga flies off into the final scene - The Great Gate of Kiev - the transition send chills through me and then that majestic theme fills and fills. Amazing!

(PS - it's powerful, too, in the original piano version - especially for me in Richter's reading of the work - but I'll default to the full orchestral version most times.)

On a smaller scale I would mention Brahms' Academic Festival Overture. It bubbles along bumptiously and quotes student songs (drinking songs, we are told) until a slow segue into "Gaudeamus Igitur" which puts a triumphant exclamation point onto the piece.

So - three two of my choices. Yours?

[Rach3]

A few of many:

Sibelius' Sym. No.5

Brahms' Sym. No.2

Rachmaninoff's Sym.No. 2 and PC # 3

Shostakovich's Sym.No.5

Barber's VC and Beethoven's VC

Beethoven's Piano Sonata No.31,Op.110, and Scriabin's 4th Piano Sonata

[Febnyc]

A few of many:

Sibelius' Sym. No.5

Brahms' Sym. No.2

Rachmaninoff's Sym.No. 2 and PC # 3

Shostakovich's Sym.No.5

Barber's VC and Beethoven's VC

Beethoven's Piano Sonata No.31,Op.110, and Scriabin's 4th Piano Sonata

Good ones.

That brilliant episode for horns in the last movement of Sibelius No.5 is another top of my list.

[Holden Fourth]

Last movement of Beethoven's 5th symphony where the whole orchestra storms the heights. Everyone gets a go, strings, woodwind brass particularly and even percussion.

[Belle]

The Coda of Beethoven's "Eroica" and the Coda of the last movement of his Sonata Op. 7 E Flat Major and the glorious Op. 109; both end with barely a whimper. What a delicious joke Beethoven played on us all when he would end one of his piano sonatas like this, after tumult. I've actually laughed aloud after playing performances of these two works for our music group.

[Belle]

The coda of Schumann's Fantasy, Op. 17:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkG0aqH5YPQ

[Ricordanza]

Chopin's Ballade No. 1. I wish I had the technique to play it, but I don't and never will, so I have to be content to listen to recordings of this piece.

[Febnyc]

The coda of Schumann's Fantasy, Op. 17:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkG0aqH5YPQ

I'm exhausted.

[lennygoran]

I'm exhausted.

Frank you'd be even more exhausted if I mentioned my opera picks! Regards, Len

[maestrob]

Speaking of opera, here's a few of my favorites:

Tosca: the Te Deum (Act I)

Gotterdammerung: The finale

Beethoven: Leonore #3

Boris Godunov: end of the Coronation Scene

Handel: Messiah, Amen

[Belle]

The coda of Schumann's Fantasy, Op. 17:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkG0aqH5YPQ

I'm exhausted.

Yes, it's like that!!

[Belle]

Does the end of the third movement in Tchaikovsky #6 count??!!

[Febnyc]

Does the end of the third movement in Tchaikovsky #6 count??!!

Technically it is off topic.

However, since most audiences applaud at that point - thinking it's the end of the symphony - I suppose we could give it a wild card.

[Belle]

Does the end of the third movement in Tchaikovsky #6 count??!!

Technically it is off topic.

However, since most audiences applaud at that point - thinking it's the end of the symphony - I suppose we could give it a wild card.

It always brings the house down. How theatrical was Tchaikovsky, really??!!

[Febnyc]

Speaking of opera, here's a few of my favorites:

Tosca: the Te Deum (Act I)

Absolutely!

Especially in the Zeffirelli production - with that enormous throng marching across the stage, amidst smoking incense, religious symbols, brilliant costumes - combined with Scarpia's reaction to it all when he catches himself rhapsodizing instead about Tosca's charms and, almost in embarrassment, joins in the Te Deum. (Plus, when it comes to an end, the curtain is raised again for Raphael-like tableau.) Just wonderful!

[Febnyc]

I'm exhausted.

Frank you'd be even more exhausted if I mentioned my opera picks! Regards, Len

Don't let that scare you - go right ahead!

[Holden Fourth]

The coda of Schumann's Fantasy, Op. 17:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkG0aqH5YPQ

I'm exhausted.

Yes, it's like that!!

One really important name missing from that list and the pianist who I believe owns this work - Sergio Fiorentino. And yes, he did record it live, in Germany in 1993 as well as Naples in the 1974

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGKSw53kDiI

Starts at 1:03:22

[Rach3]

Agreed about Fiorentino’s Schumann Fantasy. His last mov. is unique, in my limited experience.

[Belle]

Agreed about Fiorentino’s Schumann Fantasy. His last mov. is unique, in my limited experience.

The whole performance was terrific.

[david johnson]

Tchaikovsky 4
Pines of Rome
Symphonie Fantastique

[jserraglio]

Bruckner 8. IV. Finale.

Every second of it.

But esp. https://youtu.be/aFvzEIZ8oZc?si=WIqYGqCalDuBw_uv

[Febnyc]

Bruckner 8. IV. Finale.

Every second of it.

But esp. https://youtu.be/aFvzEIZ8oZc?si=WIqYGqCalDuBw_uv

For sure.

My only CD of the Bruckner Eighth is by these very forces - have no idea if it's the same performance (probably not) - but I've been enjoying HvK/VPO for many years that way.

[jserraglio]

This is the later of the two HvK video perfs from 1988. The other, even more famous, was given at St. Florian's in 1979, which is complete on youTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihtXjBmAXgM

I think it is the greatest symphony of the greatest composer of symphonies, but what do I know?

[lennygoran]

Don't let that scare you - go right ahead!

Frank, Donizetti-so many-one of my favorites among many. Regards, Len

https://www.google.com/search?client=fi ... 1HidY,st:0

[Febnyc]

Don't let that scare you - go right ahead!

Frank, Donizetti-so many-one of my favorites among many. Regards, Len

https://www.google.com/search?client=fi ... 1HidY,st:0

Len - that counts for sure.

[Febnyc]

This is the later of the two HvK video perfs from 1988. The other, even more famous, was given at St. Florian's in 1979, which is complete on youTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihtXjBmAXgM

I think it is the greatest symphony of the greatest composer of symphonies, but what do I know?

My DGG recording was done in November, 1988 in the Grosser Saal at the VPO.

[jserraglio]

That’s the one the coda of which I excerpted above. I like it better than the 1979 performance.

[Rach3]

Tchaikovsky 4
Pines of Rome
Symphonie Fantastique

Agreed as to Pines !

[maestrob]

This is the later of the two HvK video perfs from 1988. The other, even more famous, was given at St. Florian's in 1979, which is complete on youTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihtXjBmAXgM

I think it is the greatest symphony of the greatest composer of symphonies, but what do I know?

Yes!

[Holden Fourth]

Tchaikovsky 4
Pines of Rome
Symphonie Fantastique

Yes, Tchaikovsky 4 and the most thrilling version of it that I've heard is Szell/LSO from 1962. The speed and power of that movement is phenomenal. The raw power of that first chord made me jump in my seat when I first heard it.

There is an apocryphal story that when Szell went into the recording booth to listen to the current 'takes' producer John Culshaw deliberately dialled down the sound. An infuriated Szell went back and got stuck into the orchestra as only Szell could and the end result is this fabulous recording. When he eventually heard it he said it would be released "over my dead body". It was!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6XzxIYLyck

[Lance]

Symphonically speaking, what about Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition's final movement, Great Gate of Kiev, in Ravel's incredible orchestration. This same finale is a tour de force for the original piano version as well.

[lennygoran]

Len - that counts for sure.

Frank what about bringing in anti-finales. Don Giovanni is considered by many to be an example of an anti-hero so should the normal way the opera ends be considered an anti-finale-should it end right "after statue disappears and Don Giovanni cries out in pain and terror as he is surrounded by a chorus of demons, who carry him down to Hell. Leporello, watching from under the table, also cries out in fear."


IOW is all this an example of an anti-finale?

"Donna Anna, Don Ottavio, Donna Elvira, Zerlina, and Masetto arrive, searching for the villain. They find instead Leporello hiding under the table, shaken by the supernatural horror he has witnessed. He assures them that no one will ever see Don Giovanni again. The remaining characters announce their plans for the future: Donna Anna and Don Ottavio will marry when Donna Anna's year of mourning is over; Donna Elvira will withdraw from society for the rest of her life;[g] Zerlina and Masetto will finally go home for dinner; and Leporello will go to the tavern to find a better master.

The concluding ensemble delivers the moral of the opera – "Such is the end of the evildoer: the death of a sinner always reflects his life" (Questo è il fin di chi fa mal, e de' perfidi la morte alla vita è sempre ugual). As mentioned above, productions for over a century – beginning with the original run in Prague – customarily omitted the final ensemble, but it frequently reappeared in the 20th century and productions of the opera now usually include it. The return to D major and the innocent simplicity of the last few bars conclude the opera."

Regards, Len

[Febnyc]

Frank what about bringing in anti-finales.

Nothing wrong with those.

And I agree that the finale, anti- or whatever, of Don G is one of the best. I can't imagine being dragged down to Hell as he is in that over-the-top scene.

(If that's gonna be my destination, I'd rather somehow navigate there myself. )

[jserraglio]

Since we are including opera finales that reference the afterlife, I nominate the Heaven-bent women in the ’Salve Regina’ scene of Poulenc’s “Dialogues des Carmelites”. https://youtu.be/QbRpYJsqhpE?si=7bTFwrUTD8t5TfPh

[lennygoran]

I nominate the Heaven-bent women in the ’Salve Regina’ scene of Poulenc’s “Dialogues des Carmelites”. https://youtu.be/QbRpYJsqhpE?si=7bTFwrUTD8t5TfPh

Joseph just watched the entire opera recently from the Met's On Demand site-I second your motion! Regards, Len

[Donald Isler]

The rip-roaring conclusion of the last movement of the Brahms G Minor Piano Quartet.

[Belle]

The rip-roaring conclusion of the last movement of the Brahms G Minor Piano Quartet.

Totally!!!

[Rach3]

Vronsky and Babin's recording of " Russian Easter" from Rachmaninoff's Two-Piano Suite No.1,Op.5, at 17:45 here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkWfBQr9eVM

[Febnyc]

Symphonically speaking, what about Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition's final movement, Great Gate of Kiev, in Ravel's incredible orchestration. This same finale is a tour de force for the original piano version as well.

Lance: Agreed, as I posted at the opening - In Ravel's orchestration of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition when Baba Yaga flies off into the final scene - The Great Gate of Kiev - the transition send chills through me and then that majestic theme fills and fills. Amazing!(PS - it's powerful, too, in the original piano version - especially for me in Richter's reading of the work - but I'll default to the full orchestral version most times.)

[Rach3]

The rip-roaring conclusion of the last movement of the Brahms G Minor Piano Quartet.

Totally!!!

Agreed.

[Belle]

Vronsky and Babin's recording of " Russian Easter" from Rachmaninoff's Two-Piano Suite No.1,Op.5, at 17:45 here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkWfBQr9eVM

I just listened to this recording right to the end of Suite No. 2. The first Suite is so Lisztian that I could hardly believe my ears and this probably explains why I seldom listen to it. But Suite No. 2 is dynamite. This is a superb recording; the best I've ever heard of the first three movements of Suite No. 2. BUT the final movement doesn't work so well as the rest of the work. I prefer Trifonov and Babayan playing this last movement as they develop a kind of pulse together which is more synchronous than the Vronsky/Babin recording. At times I found the latter rather choppy, where I found the rest of the performance stunning and compelling.