I wasn't going to participate in this thread.  It just sounded too
reductionist to me, but then tonight I was listening to the last movement
of Nielsen's 6th symphony and I was fascinated by how it goes all over the
place, changing shape from moment to moment like a rapidly mutating virus.
If the 6th symphony is not Nielsen's most beautiful or most powerful or
most lovable work, I certainly find it to be his most interesting and most
curious piece, especially the last movement.  I particularly enjoy the part
where the schmaltzy waltz gets buried beneath the cacophony of a very rude
brass section, foreshadowing Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra where he
chases the march from Shostakovitch's 7th symphony off the stage with
a similar brassy assault.

And the thread on Messaien reminded me that as I have struggled to
appreciate that composer's work, especially the Quartet for the End of
Time, I have always loved the 5th movement with that poignant cello and
the relentless single notes of the piano.

And now that I'm warmed up...I love the last movement of Beethoven's 9th.
It has come in for some rough treatment by list members in recent months,
but no one can ever dampen my enthusiasm for this truly majestic piece of
music.

And also, the 1st movement of Mahler's 8th symphony is, as far as I'm
concerned, the best part of this work, which is for me, one of the most
problematic of his symphonies. Nonetheless, the first movement alone is
worth the price of admission whatever problems I have with the rest of
the work.

John Parker
Tucson, Arizona