Music Discussion thread

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Beethoven of course. Although I consider Mozart and Beethoven to be fairly equal in almost every regard (though not exactly contemporaries), I've just listened to more of Beethoven's works (every day in fact) so it's natural I am biased towards him.

Btw, you don't like Tempest or Hammerklavier? I worship Moonlight and Pathetique but the Tempest and Hammerklavier are easily just as good (if not better, although I still feel the third movement of Moonlight is among his best works). I don't really know what to tell you, you have obviously listened to them so all I can say is I absolutely love both of them.

If the reason you don't like them is underexposure, I really recommend you listen with the score and just absorb everything, I guarantee you that the Tempest sonata is one of his most profound works, and the Hammerklavier is a towering accomplishment in the history of the sonata form and piano music in general (I especially like movements 1 and 4. The scherzo is good but sort of peripheral and the adagio I'm not crazy about).

So, please relisten. I'm sure you won't regret it. Incidentally, here are my favorite sonatas in list form:

1. Moonlight
   
2. Tempest
   
3. Hammerklavier
   
4. Quasi una Fantasia
   
5. Pathetique
   
6. Appasionata
   
7. No. 18
   
8. Waldstein
   
9. Pastoral
   
10. No. 1
    

Quasi una Fantasia is one of the most underrated sonatas IMO, although it is one of my favorites. If you haven't noticed yet definitely check it out. The 2nd movement is fantastic:





This list definitely shouldn't be taken too seriously, it was very hastily made and some of these I am not completely familiar with (the first six I know very intimately though - although I have only learned mvts 1 and most of 2 of Moonlight on piano). I still haven't gone through most of the early sonatas and number 30-32 closely, but I have listened to all of the middle period and most late period sonatas more than thrice so while I enjoy them it would be redundant to name every single sonata on a "favorites" list. I've yet to go through his piano concerti but I have all of them so it's just a matter of getting to it.

What do you think of his string quartets by the way? I just started getting into them, although I have known and loved his Grosse Fuge for a while.