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As most people probably do not have a single favorite piece, I found that surprisingly many named Beethoven's 9th as their (single) favorite piece (also because some other people love to hate its finale 
). I have lots of favorite pieces where I have no idea how they could be better. I also have favorites that have IMO small flaws but are overall so good that it doesn't matter. (There are also some where I understand what other people find flawed but don't agree. Or maybe just don't realize them for lack of insight)
And there are pieces (more frequent with long large scale pieces with many sections, such as operas) where I find quite few flaws and would be somewhat open to some cuts or slight amendments and this has been very common in practice in opera and oratorio although often also because of sheer length or other practical reasons.
It is also quite common to have today in practice hybrid versions of works that were never performed like that (Mozart's Don Giovanni is very often performed as mix between Prague and Vienna and so is Handel's Messiah between its umpteenth historical versions).
But overall, I think I find very many favorites close enough to perfection.
). I have lots of favorite pieces where I have no idea how they could be better. I also have favorites that have IMO small flaws but are overall so good that it doesn't matter. (There are also some where I understand what other people find flawed but don't agree. Or maybe just don't realize them for lack of insight)And there are pieces (more frequent with long large scale pieces with many sections, such as operas) where I find quite few flaws and would be somewhat open to some cuts or slight amendments and this has been very common in practice in opera and oratorio although often also because of sheer length or other practical reasons.
It is also quite common to have today in practice hybrid versions of works that were never performed like that (Mozart's Don Giovanni is very often performed as mix between Prague and Vienna and so is Handel's Messiah between its umpteenth historical versions).
But overall, I think I find very many favorites close enough to perfection.
