Gilbert Chang wrote:

>I need music that has a mixture of tragic, ironic and farcical elements.

Hmm.  Complicated; I am contemplating and appreciating other list members'
suggestions (Beethoven 8 especially).  I saw Shostakovich mentioned a
couple of times.  He seems like the perfect candidate.  I'd say

Shostakovich: Aphorisms for Piano

The version I have is arranged for chamber ensemble [Moscow Contemporary
Music Ensemble, Triton CD 17011] and the instrumental colorings in the
arrangements are very cool.  (I think the bassoon is a sarcastic-sounding
instrument.) And the chamber feel might make better background music than
a piano version.  There are 10 (Aphorisms) and they are all very short.

My other suggestion (perhaps a no-brainer?) is

Prokofiev: 5 Sarcasms for Piano, Op. 17

The name says it all.

Andrew Carlan suggested:

>1. Haydn, Surprise Symphony. Well almost any Haydn symphony.

Wow.  This is beyond my ken.  And I admit I have a Haydn stigma.  I like
some Sturm-und-Drang stuff for fun, and some late symphonies and quartets
for their invaluable influence on Beethoven.  But mostly it sounds like
scales to me.  [Same with Handel, but worse.] I can't sense the farce.
Sometimes I wonder if younger CM freaks aren't jaded; by the time I got
around to being born Varese was old news; John Cage was getting old and
well-known, even accepted.  Haydn et al.  ceased to be, well...interesting.
I believe that there's something there I'm missing.  What is it? Am I
diseased? Hopeless? Young?...Jaded?

Bob K, trying to overcome his modernity after work