What Is Your Mozart Top 10?

[stenka razin]

The BBC recently had a poll featuring a Mozart Top 10. Here is the list. What do you think of it? What are your choices, my fellow CMGers?


Ave verum corpus, K618

Clarinet Quintet, K581

Clarinet Concerto, K622

Così fan tutte, K588 – “Soave sia il vento”

Piano Concerto No 24 in C minor, K491

Requiem Mass, K626

Serenade in B flat for 13 wind instruments, “Gran Partita”, K361

Sinfonia Concertante for violin, viola and orchestra in E flat, K364

String Quintet No 3 in G minor, K516

Vesperae solennes de confessore, K339 – Laudate Dominum

[John F]

Less dumb than most of the BBC's other poll results, but any list of Mozart's "top 10" works that doesn't include a single complete opera, doesn't measure up.

[Fergus]

Less dumb than most of the BBC's other poll results, but any list of Mozart's "top 10" works that doesn't include a single complete opera, doesn't measure up.

Let me heartily second that

[jbuck919]

The BBC recently had a poll featuring a Mozart Top 10. Here is the list. What do you think of it? What are your choices, my fellow CMGers?


Ave verum corpus, K618

Clarinet Quintet, K581

Clarinet Concerto, K622

Così fan tutte, K588 – “Soave sia il vento”

Piano Concerto No 24 in C minor, K491

Requiem Mass, K626

Serenade in B flat for 13 wind instruments, “Gran Partita”, K361

Sinfonia Concertante for violin, viola and orchestra in E flat, K364

String Quintet No 3 in G minor, K516

Vesperae solennes de confessore, K339 – Laudate Dominum

Well, at least Eine kleine Nachtmusik didn't make it.

I might vote for the Sinfonia Concertante as peak achievement with the lowest K number. As a unique work in the stratosphere of masterpieces, yes, I can see it there.

Ave Verum Corpus? Laudate Dominum? One opera aria? Not of sufficient scope to qualify.

Then there is the already mentioned problem of no full opera.

As for the rest, there is no particular reason to single out one quintet, one late piano concerto, one major symphony (there are none on the list but they belong there), etc. or even one mature opera as though Mozart's greatest compositions in all these genres are not pretty much of equal artistic value. Maybe there's a top ten (speaking approximately) Mahler or Bruckner. There is no top ten Mozart.

[ContrapunctusIX]

Having a "Top 10 Mozart" list is a lot like having a "Top 10 events in Human History" list. There isn't ample space to do the topic justice.

[Chalkperson]

A Concerto
A Symphony
A Serenade etc
A Quartet
A Quintet
A Violin Sonata
A Piano Sonata
A Religious Work
A German Opera
An Italian Opera

Even just picking one from each of these categories takes up ten places...

[jbuck919]

A Concerto
A Symphony
A Serenade etc
A Quartet
A Quintet
A Violin Sonata
A Piano Sonata
A Religious Work
A German Opera
An Italian Opera

Even just picking one from each of these categories takes up ten places...

A miscellaneous chamber work. Uh-oh.

[Chalkperson]

A miscellaneous chamber work. Uh-oh.

If I was picking then the Divertimento in E flat would be my choice...played by Arthur Grumiaux

[Lance]

This is an excellent idea. Here, we have an opportunity to register our OWN Top 10 Mozart compositions. I am currently working on mine, but implore you all to show yours. It can be anything from songs to concertos to symphonies to chamber works. I will be curious to look in this thread to see how it is going. Watch for mine very soon. I love most anything of Mozart and to pick just ten (10) takes some sincere thought - especially if you were on a desert island and could only have ten of his works!

[Fergus]

A Concerto
A Symphony
A Serenade etc
A Quartet
A Quintet
A Violin Sonata
A Piano Sonata
A Religious Work
A German Opera
An Italian Opera

Even just picking one from each of these categories takes up ten places...

Excellent choices Chalkie

[Heck148]

the late symphonies, the operas, and the 5tet for Piano & winds would have to be on my list.

4tets, pno concerti as well...

[val]

Don Giovanni

Serenade K 361

Piano Concerto 19

String Quintet K 516

Clarinet Concerto

Symphony 40

The Magic Flute

Piano Concerto 17

Clarinet Quintet

String Trio K 563

[stenka razin]

In no particular order, here are my top ten compositions. Because there are so many great masterpieces in Mozart's body of work, this is a difficult list to assemble:


Le Nozze di Figaro

Don Giovanni

Requiem

Piano Concerto No. 21

Clarinet Concerto

Serenade K. 361

String Quintet K. 516

Divertimento K. 334

Symphony No. 40

Sympnony No. 41

[starrynight]

Symphony 41

Symphony 40

Symphony 34

Piano Concerto 23

Piano Concerto 21

String Quartet La Chasse

Divertimento K334

Fantasia in C Minor for piano

Great Mass in C minor

Le Nozze di Figaro

[Ted Quanrud]

This is my "desert island" list in no particular order and subject to change, of course:

Don Giovanni
Symphony No. 40 in g, KV 550
Piano Concerto No. 23 in A
Serenade No. 10 "Gran Partita" K. 361
Great Mass in c, K. 427
Sonata for Two Pianos in D, K. 448
Fantasy in c, K.475
String Quartet No. 18 in A, K. 464
Sinfonia Concertante in E flat, K364
Die Zauberflote

[slofstra]

I poked around a bit yesterday and came up with this:

k. 310 Piano Sonata #8 (a bit arbitrary, as I had room for one ps only)
k. 571 6 German Dances with a Turkish accent
k. 364 Sinfonia Concertante
k. 491 PC # 24 in C minor
k. 216 Violin Concerto #3 (also somewhat an arbitrary choice from the VCs)
k. 492 Marriage of Figaro
k. 626 Requiem
k. 551 Symphony 41 "Jupiter"
k. 165 Exsultate Jubilate
k. 523 lied - Abendempfindung (Evening Thoughts)

on the cusp - Eine Kleine Nachtmusik & Mass in C Minor.

But I haven't heard everything, and for some reason the Clarinet Concerto is not even in my collection.

[Seán]

I poked around a bit yesterday and came up with this:

k. 310 Piano Sonata #8 (a bit arbitrary, as I had room for one ps only)
k. 571 6 German Dances with a Turkish accent
k. 364 Sinfonia Concertante
k. 491 PC # 24 in C minor
k. 216 Violin Concerto #3 (also somewhat an arbitrary choice from the VCs)
k. 492 Marriage of Figaro
k. 626 Requiem
k. 551 Symphony 41 "Jupiter"
k. 165 Exsultate Jubilate
k. 523 lied - Abendempfindung (Evening Thoughts)

on the cusp - Eine Kleine Nachtmusik & Mass in C Minor.

But I haven't heard everything, and for some reason the Clarinet Concerto is not even in my collection.

That's "easily" remedied :


I expect that you do not have a liking for large box sets.

[bombasticDarren]

Ok, but only for fun you understand , here's my list:-

K.165 'Exultate, jubilate'

K.183 Symphony No.25

K.427 Mass No.17 'Great'

K.465 String Quartet No.19 'Dissonance'

K.466 Piano Concerto No.20

K.492 'La nozze di Figaro'

K.515 String Quintet No.3

K.551 Symphony No.41 'Jupiter'
.
K.588 'Cosi fan tutti'

K.622 Clarinet Concerto

[Fergus]

.... and for some reason the Clarinet Concerto is not even in my collection.

That wonderful piece of music is a must for every collection I would think

[slofstra]

I poked around a bit yesterday and came up with this:

k. 310 Piano Sonata #8 (a bit arbitrary, as I had room for one ps only)
k. 571 6 German Dances with a Turkish accent
k. 364 Sinfonia Concertante
k. 491 PC # 24 in C minor
k. 216 Violin Concerto #3 (also somewhat an arbitrary choice from the VCs)
k. 492 Marriage of Figaro
k. 626 Requiem
k. 551 Symphony 41 "Jupiter"
k. 165 Exsultate Jubilate
k. 523 lied - Abendempfindung (Evening Thoughts)

on the cusp - Eine Kleine Nachtmusik & Mass in C Minor.

But I haven't heard everything, and for some reason the Clarinet Concerto is not even in my collection.

That's "easily" remedied :


I expect that you do not have a liking for large box sets.

Au contraire, I am too fond of them, which is why I hesitate to buy many more. I won't be buying that one, as I do have a ton of Mozart. BBC Music Magazine gave that set a very good review in its recent all Mozart issue.

[ChamberNut]

Current 10 favourite Mozart works:

Requiem in D minor, K.626
Don Giovanni, K.527
String Quartet No. 20 in D major, K.499 "Hoffmeister"
Gran Partita Serenade in B flat, K.361
Symphony No.39 in E flat, K.543
Divertimento String Trio in E flat, K.563
Sonata for piano 4-hands in D major, K.448
Piano Quartet in E flat, K.493
Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, K.219
String Quintet in G minor, K.516

[Jack Kelso]

Less dumb than most of the BBC's other poll results, but any list of Mozart's "top 10" works that doesn't include a single complete opera, doesn't measure up.

Likewise a piano concerto.

Tschüß,
Jack

[Seán]

I expect that you do not have a liking for large box sets.

Au contraire, I am too fond of them, which is why I hesitate to buy many more. I won't be buying that one, as I do have a ton of Mozart. BBC Music Magazine gave that set a very good review in its recent all Mozart issue.

Yes indeed, Mr McGregor gave it a four star rating, it does contain some real treasures.

[John F]

Less dumb than most of the BBC's other poll results, but any list of Mozart's "top 10" works that doesn't include a single complete opera, doesn't measure up.

Likewise a piano concerto.

Indeed, I could fill all 10 slots with great Mozart piano concertos.

[Jack Kelso]

Less dumb than most of the BBC's other poll results, but any list of Mozart's "top 10" works that doesn't include a single complete opera, doesn't measure up.

Likewise a piano concerto.

Indeed, I could fill all 10 slots with great Mozart piano concertos.

Some critic, somewhere---stated that the piano concerti are (merely!) miniature instrumental operas. (P.S.: PLEASE....don't ask me who said it or where I read it! ).

Tschüß,
Jack

[John F]

the piano concerti are (merely!) miniature instrumental operas

I'm sure more than one writer has said something like that. It's not literally true, of course, but the spirit of Mozart's comic operas - including "Don Giovanni" - does inform the concertos as well.

[jbuck919]

the piano concerti are (merely!) miniature instrumental operas

I'm sure more than one writer has said something like that. It's not literally true, of course, but the spirit of Mozart's comic operas - including "Don Giovanni" - does inform the concertos as well.

If one looks again at Anthony Tomassini's latest on the top 10 composers (bump a Viennese), he also goes into the supposed operaticity of Mozart's other compositions, in that case the piano sonatas. Just pointing that out.

[karlhenning]

(P.S.: PLEASE....don't ask me who said it or where I read it!)

Not so important, Jack . . . as John mentions, many of us have run across some critic or other saying such a thing about Mozart's work.

A different matter entirely to imputing an apparently uncharacteristic remark to a certain composer. For that, there is still interest in documentation.

Or, perhaps you were simply mistaken? Heaven knows, we all make misteaks . . . .

Cheers,
~Karl