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