Ian Crisp writes: >As previously announced, I propose that this time we vote for the most >definitively twentieth-century pieces of classical music. Not necessarily >the best pieces written during the century, but the one or ones that future >generations may look back on as best summing up the particular musical >nature of this departing century. Stravinsky - Rite of Spring Sibelius- Fourth Symphony Mahler- Das Lied von der Erde Bartok - String Quartet # 3. Berg- Violin Concerto As Deryk Barker's excellent analysis makes clear there is a huge diversity of works and styles to choose from. It was hard for me not to select quality works- let our century be represented by its best work. Looking at these choices, the Rite of Spring opens up enormous new possibilities for art music, and is a great listening experience. Das Lied von der Erde represents the late romantic era, which is not a nineteenth century hangover- but characteristic of our century. Sibelius Fourth Symphony is one of the great nordic symphonies - another characteristic 20th century school running through Nielsen and Holmboe to Norgard. The Bartok quartet represents the emergence of the expressionistic string quartet - an approach often attempted, but never done better than Bartok did it. And the Berg Concerto is the greatest achievement of the tone row school. So who is left out? Richard Strauss, Claude Debussy, Janacek, Messiaen, Nielsen, Ives, Shoenberg, Webern. I know that other listers will have good reason to add Stockhausen and Varese to the mix. It hasn't been such a bad century from the classical music point of view. Just for the record, my distant ancestor Boris Chasanovich left behind his choices for the nineteenth century (He died in 1899 and a half). Beethoven -Third Symphony Chopin - Preludes Schubert- Winterreise Wagner- The Ring Cycle Brahms- Bruckner- Seventh Symphony (tied with Brahms- Fourth Symphony) I did not vote for any work more recent than the Berg Violin Concerto which is very nearly as old as I am. Many other voters included Messiaen. Britten, etc,at least bringing their lists up to to the post world war 2 era. but most lists have an early twentieth century look. I suppose that there is no denying the great Stravinsky and Mahler works of the early 20 th century. A separate vote on post second world war works may be in order. Professor Bernard Chasan Physics Department, Boston University