Thread: Piece killing finales

What are examples of pieces, in your opinion, where the whole piece is fantastic but the finale (or even just the end of the piece) drops the ball so hard?

I can't think of any off the top of my head right now, but I'm sure I'll come up with something.

I've always felt disappointed by the finales of Brahm's First and Dvorak's Ninth.

In the case of Brahms, he's just trying so hard, too hard. And the main theme of the finale always seemed corny and silly to me. It was supposed to be an homage to Beethoven, I guess, but it sounds more like a parody to me, and one that isn't aware of itself.

As for Dvorak, it is a little strange. The finale kind of mirrors the first movement, which I like very much, so I am quite puzzled as to why I don't like the finale as well. I must say that I got to know Dvorak's Ninth and Tchaikovsky's Sixth at the same time, and I was struck by the genius of Tchaikovsky's decision to end his symphony with a slow and quiet movement. Perhaps Dvorak just seemed so conventional by comparison. At any rate, I don't like the main theme of the Dvorak finale. And that's a problem with melody-based composers like Dvorak: once you don't like a theme, there's little to make up for it.

Originally Posted by Andreas

I've always felt disappointed by the finales of Brahm's First and Dvorak's Ninth.

In the case of Brahms, he's just trying so hard, too hard. And the main theme of the finale always seemed corny and silly to me. It was supposed to be an homage to Beethoven, I guess, but it sounds more like a parody to me, and one that isn't aware of itself.

I agree with you on that Brahms finale. That finale was kind of hyped up too much for me so when I finally listened to it I was kind of like...meh...I don't think it transitions very well from the intense drama to the "big theme." And the balance is off or something. I'm not sure, but very disappointing after such a brilliant first movement.

Bruckner's 7th Symphony.

Originally Posted by Sequentia

Bruckner's 7th Symphony.

Not familiar enough with that one. What don't you like about it?

Originally Posted by violadude

Not familiar enough with that one. What don't you like about it?

The main problem of the finale, to me, is that the movement is striving for a "take off" point, but never succeeds at finding it; it's constantly looking for something beyond its opening, but never reaches such a stage and, out of nowhere, comes to an end.

Originally Posted by ComposerOfAvantGarde

I have to agree with this. As Hanslick put it, the finale of Beethoven's Ninth is an ugly head attached to a beautiful body.

Both the Samuel Barber and John Adams Violin Concerti come immediately to mind - that 'obligatory' technical showpiece final (3rd) movement of each sounds utterly 'tacked on' to the body of the first two movements.

Originally Posted by PetrB

Both the Samuel Barber and John Adams Violin Concerti come immediately to mind - that 'obligatory' technical showpiece final (3rd) movement of each sounds utterly 'tacked on' to the body of the first two movements.

Samuel Barber eh? Well maybe I should go listen to it again. I liked the last movement when I first heard it, and I've heard it only once!

Originally Posted by tzadik

I have to agree with this. As Hanslick put it, the finale of Beethoven's Ninth is an ugly head attached to a beautiful body.

Just so you know, Hanslick is most known today for these blazing kind of critiques, such as the one you've cited, which demonstrate how utterly lost he was about the more advanced music of his day - a very pedestrian critic, often enough now infamous for having being 'clueless.'

Originally Posted by PetrB

Just so you know, Hanslick is most known today for these blazing kind of critiques, such as the one you've cited, which demonstrate how utterly lost he was about the more advanced music of his day - a very pedestrian critic, often enough now infamous for having being 'clueless.'

Maybe, but I agree with that particular one.

Beethoven Symphony No. 3.

After the revolutionary first, heroic second, and the creative third, it boiled down to a variations on an old theme?

To be honest, I still like the symphony, but the finale could have been wished to be more groundbreaking.

Maybe, but I agree with that particular one.

He was wrong in this case as well.

Originally Posted by StlukesguildOhio

Maybe, but I agree with that particular one.

He was wrong in this case as well.

You were wrong in that case.