Suggestions for a long, hard, and rewarding piece.l

[LovesBachandGershwin]

My project assignment for psychology was to learn something. Anything... So I asked if I could learn a classical music work. One that was not yet in my understanding/grasp. So I'm looking for a piece that is hard to understand at first listen, i.e. it takes many many listens to see the genius. It's not instantaneosly rewarding/awesome, but when it hits you its phenomenal. I'm looking for a piece that is considerably long, a long journey of music. A piece that needs a lot of time investment. Not just one movement, the entire work like the entire symphony or ballet or anything.

I'm also looking for a piece that is powerful and really rewarding in the end. Something that is really emotional overtaking once you begin to understand and see the genius.

I know this a lot to ask for but I know all of you have ideas for what this piece is. Keep in mind I haven't heard a lot symphonies or great classics like strauss/stravinsky pieces so don't think that I have heard too many pieces.

My dad suggested Mahler's Ressurection Symphony,
do you all have any other suggestions? thanks a much
you get what I'm looking for though, a symphony/long fully orchestrated work probably from the Romantic or Post Romantic era. Suggest away!

[Ouled Nails]

That's a very hard question, my long-named friend! Everybody should have personal, autobiographical replies but is their memory located where you can connect with their psyche at that point in time?! I can begin with my own, without any guarantee that you will be where I was then. I would listen to Bela Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra once, then find a biography of his life, then listen to it once again.
And my apologies to all the gods of psychology if I'm wrong.

[Art Rock]

Mahler was the first that came to mind, even before you mentioned him. Do not take one of his symphonies with singers and/or choirs though unless you understand German or can find a translation. The lyrics are key to the whole pieces. I think I might go for the sixth symphony.
Shostakovich seventh symphony (Leningrad) would also be a candidate.

[Krummhorn]

Symphonie Concertante by Joseph Jongen for Organ & Orchestra. This piece, at least for me, has lots of depth and feeling to it, if performed properly.

Another that comes to mind right now is the Concerto in G Minor by Francis Poulenc, again for Organ, String Orchestra & Timpani. At almost 23 minutes, this one too, is full of passion & feeling ... best if listened to in a totally darkend room without distractions (kids, cell phones, doorbells, etc),

I only suggested these two, as being an organist, I am partial to great symphonic compositions with orchestra and the organ together. If I can bring to mind something else just for orchestra later, I'll chime back in - but right now my brain is on 'coast' between church services today

[Jeffrey Hall]

Very hard question indeed. Since we're just throwing things on the table for you, and everybody's already said what needs to be said about Mahler...

Having just an hour ago returned from a live performance of Shostakovich 5, I'm still exhilarated...it's one of my favorites in the 20th century repertoire.

Sticking with the Russians, Rachmaninov Symphony #2 or Piano Concerto #3.

Or one of the Richard Strauss tone poems (e.g., Death and Transfiguration) or operas (you'll want a translation, as was pointed out, but a good recording of Salome will give you goose bumps [not to mention all kinds of interesting psychology ]).

Just a few things that pop into my mind that haven't been mentioned in other threads (though also being an organist, I've got to second that Jongen).

[Hildegard]

My project assignment for psychology was to learn something. Anything... So I asked if I could learn a classical music work. One that was not yet in my understanding/grasp. So I'm looking for a piece that is hard to understand at first listen, i.e. it takes many many listens to see the genius. It's not instantaneosly rewarding/awesome, but when it hits you its phenomenal. I'm looking for a piece that is considerably long, a long journey of music. A piece that needs a lot of time investment. Not just one movement, the entire work like the entire symphony or ballet or anything.

I'm also looking for a piece that is powerful and really rewarding in the end. Something that is really emotional overtaking once you begin to understand and see the genius.

I know this a lot to ask for but I know all of you have ideas for what this piece is. Keep in mind I haven't heard a lot symphonies or great classics like strauss/stravinsky pieces so don't think that I have heard too many pieces.

My dad suggested Mahler's Ressurection Symphony,
do you all have any other suggestions? thanks a much
you get what I'm looking for though, a symphony/long fully orchestrated work probably from the Romantic or Post Romantic era. Suggest away!

Hi!
Your dad suggest the ressurection symphony of Mahler. I have to ask if you have heard anything of Mahler before? His symphonies takes a lot of time and hard work, but of cause if you really want to do it - you can do it!

Try the 6. symphony of Mahler. It is long and hard to understand at first listen, but really emotional overtaking once you begin to understand and see the genius. It was the work that made me Mahler-addicted ! It has passion, beauty, rhytm, greatness. It's simply one of his greatest works! And if you're going to study this work I suggest you get the score. It is almost impossible without... If you want a fully description of the symphony just say so. I just love to talk about Mahler !!

Cheers!

Hildegard

[LovesBachandGershwin]

Thanks for all the suggestions, I will try to get to each work eventually and I decided to go with Mahler's Second for now. I listened to it quite a lot over spring break and I'm beginning to understand it much better.

By the way, I love choral ending to symphonies. There really good and you can join in and sing along. I really like the the ending to Choral ending to Mahler's second, it's got some really interesting chords... very powerful, though for me it hasn't yet topped Scriabin's choral ending to his first symphony.

I'm going to have to listen to it some more in a quieter place also to help pick some more details. I had a recording of the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gilbert Kaplan, really well done (not that I'm super familiar with any other recordings/interpretations). But the recording was done at a really low volume so I couldn't hear a lot of the music when we driving on the road even at full volume. So I'm going to continue to listen and see if I can start picking up on the themes from the middle movements (I know the first and last pretty well)

I decided to go with Mahler's Second because my orchestra director was so enthusiastic about it. He told me that when he played it in college he couldn't speak for 30 minutes after the performance he was so overwhelmed.

[Miz_ai]

i suggest brahms symphony no1
he made that for almost 20 years to finish right??

not so hard to understand but quite heavy on ear

good choise on mahler!!!! XD year Mhaler can really overwhelm listeners, esp his symphonies!! they are all long and grand!