Let's play a game: How much is enough when it comes to favourite composers or pieces of music?

Back in the 20th century, a friend of mine returned from a prolonged stay in South Asia with a suitcase. He rented a room painted white and slept on a tatami mat. He made me think of a modern-day monk.

"That's all I need," he declared proudly. Then I watched him reintegrate into Western life. Within three years he had bought a house and had filled it to the brim with found and reclaimed furnishings.

My friend's swift transformation made me acutely aware of how overstuffed our lives are and how, despite our best efforts, it's hard to keep cherishing a lone prized object, when there are 50 more vying for our attention.

Our entire way of life is built upon desire for more. If we stopped shopping recreationally, our economy would collapse -- just witness life in the U.S.A, circa 2011. It's the same with art: books, paintings, music.

If we reduce our consumption of culture, artists starve and potential goes unrealised. It becomes our duty of read, to listen, to devour the fruits of others' creativity.

But I'm interested in how much we really need. There's a growing movement of people who are trying to live with 100 things, led by a guy named Dave Bruno -- an unsound plan for our economy, but a brilliant tonic for our cluttered lives.

I'd like to play a similar game with Western art music. It's like the old music on a desert island game, and this one is particularly challenging, probably impossible.

What are the 100 pieces of music -- including full operas -- that we simply can't live without in 2011?

Email your suggestions, and short justification to jterauds@thestar.ca

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I would be very unhappy if I had to surrender this little piece of music from my life. As improbable as it may sound, it is Gabriel Fauré's Nocturne No. 2 for solo piano. There is a full story, a subtantial journey, in its 6-plus minutes. It is pretty, but is also beautifully structured. Even so, I know it doesn't stand a chance of making it onto a Top 100 list.

Here is the great French pianist Samson François (1924-1970) to play it:

Comments

[Only One Man]

From the onset, I am not a learned man in the ways of music but I know I can never get too much of an inspiration, morning, noon or night when I hear something that resonates with me. If given a choice I would think any composer with a true love for their craft, would prefer to write beautiful music cherished by all until their last waking breath.

I heard an INCREDIBLE German pianist one time play a medley that was absolutely astonishing! After a few beautiful pieces, he stood and asked the audience to give him ANY 10 pieces off the top of their head and he would mesh it into a concerto piece. One by one they yelled out a favorite piece, and in the order they proclaimed; created an INCREDIBLE masterpiece that floored me. I say write until we can't stand it anymore, because I have a very high tolerance for natural beauty.

[Jim M]

As far as I know it was never released on CD, and being without a record player I cannot listen to the LP anymore, but the Fauré piece reminded me of an album I still cling to like Tom Hanks clung to Wilson the volleyball. It is called "Movements" and it's by Canadian pianist André Gagnon. Please help or I might not survive 2011 on this deserted island;)

[Tom O'Bedlam]

For me, Steve Reich's 'Music for Eighteen Musicians' for its combination of exotic colour and vibrant rhythm; Debussy's 'Pelleas et Melisande' for its exquisite scoring; Bach's 'B Minor Mass' for its religious drama; Joni Mitchell's 'Both Sides Now' for its wistful melancholia; and Mozart's aria 'Soave sia il vento' as there's little else so beatiful is so condensed a form.

I'll get back to you about the other ninety-five... ;-)