As we enter this new year, there is a feeling of gravitas to such a clean number as 2025. With all sorts of changes on the horizon, the uncertainty of the future might give us all a sense of unease, suspense, and trepidation but also anticipation, longing, and excitement. It’s important to remember that “unknowing” has been a historical constant; that no person can be certain of what exactly the future will hold, but that the things we create, the things we do, the people we touch and influence create eternal ripples in the world around us.
There are five pieces of music reaching incredible milestones in 2025, serving as a reminder that the human spirits of creativity, beauty, craftsmanship, and endurance can reach through time to touch others: past, present, and future. From youngest to oldest, here are 5 pieces reaching milestones in 2025:
Turning 50: "Spiegel im Spiegel" (1975)
Arvo Pärt
This minimalist masterpiece for violin and piano (or cello and piano) is one of Pärt's most beloved works. Versions also exist for saxophone, double bass, clarinet, horn, flugelhorn, flute, oboe, bassoon, trombone, and percussion. "Spiegel im Spiegel" in German can literally mean both "mirror in the mirror" and "mirrors in the mirror", referring to an infinity mirror, which produces an infinity of images reflected by parallel plane mirrors: the tonic triads are endlessly repeated with small variations as if reflected back and forth. Its simple, elegant melody and gentle, arpeggiated accompaniment create a serene and meditative atmosphere. It's widely used in films and television, contributing to its popularity. “Spiegel im Spiegel” has appeared in at least 28 films, documentaries, and television series since its composition, including Ted Lasso (2023), The Good Place (2020), the trailer for Gravity (2013); and the 2011 documentary The Umbrella Man.
Turning 100: "L'Enfant et les sortilèges" (1925)
Maurice Ravel
This enchanting one-act opera (or "lyric fantasy") tells the story of a naughty child who is confronted by the personified objects and animals he has mistreated. It's a work of great imagination and orchestral color, showcasing Ravel's mastery of orchestration and his ability to evoke a world of childhood fantasy. The title translates to “The Child and the Spells.” An innovative production was filmed during the time of the Covid 19 epidemic, by Vopera20.com, founded to address the issues raised by the pandemic for the artistic community. The production has received extensive praise for its artistry and creativity.
Turning 125: "Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor" (1900)
Gustav Mahler
This monumental symphony, completed in 1902 but with significant work done around 1900, is a vast and emotionally complex work. Its famous "Adagietto" movement is often performed separately and is known for its poignant beauty. This symphony marks a significant point in Mahler's compositional development. The symphony is generally regarded as the most conventional symphony that he had yet written, but from such an unconventional composer it still had many peculiarities. It almost has a four-movement structure, as the first two can easily be viewed as essentially a whole. The symphony also ends with a rondo, in the classical style. Some peculiarities are the funeral march that opens the piece and the Adagietto for harp and strings that contrasts with the complex orchestration of the other movements.
Herbert von Karajan once said that when you hear the symphony, "you forget that time has passed. A great performance of the Fifth is a transforming experience."
Turning 150: "Carmen"
Georges Bizet (1875)
Though its premiere in 1875 was initially met with mixed reception, "Carmen" quickly became one of the most popular and beloved operas in the repertoire. The opera is written in the genre of opéra comique with musical numbers separated by dialogue. It is set in southern Spain and tells the story of the downfall of Don José, a naïve soldier who is seduced by the wiles of the fiery Romani woman, Carmen. José abandons his childhood sweetheart and deserts from his military duties, yet loses Carmen's love to the glamorous bullfighter Escamillo, after which José kills her in a jealous rage. The depictions of proletarian life, immorality, and lawlessness, and the tragic death of the main character on stage, broke new ground in French opera and were highly controversial. Its passionate story, memorable melodies (like the "Habanera" and "Toreador Song"), and vibrant orchestration have cemented its place in music history.
Turning 200: "String Quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132"
Ludwig van Beethoven (1825)
This late quartet is a profound and deeply personal work, composed during a period of illness. It contains the famous "Heiliger Dankgesang" (Holy Song of Thanksgiving) movement, a deeply spiritual expression of gratitude for recovery. Mark Swed has argued that the quartet represents the "psychology of pain and illness."
The piece has had significant influence in the world of literature: Some credit this quartet as T. S. Eliot's impetus to write the Four Quartets; he was recorded in a letter to Stephen Spender as having a copy of the A-minor quartet on the gramophone: 'I find it quite inexhaustible to study. There is a sort of heavenly or at least more than human gaiety about some of his later things which one imagines might come to oneself as the fruit of reconciliation and relief after immense suffering; I should like to get something of that into verse before I die.' In his novel Point Counter Point, Aldous Huxley makes extended reference and description of this quartet in the late chapter concerning the death/suicide of the character Maurice Spandrell. Colm Tóibín's 2021 novel The Magician depicts Thomas Mann’s reflections on his own work, as inspired by listening to this quartet.This piece is regarded as a cornerstone of the string quartet repertoire.
Honorary Mention:
"Music in Twelve Parts" by Philip Glass (1974)
Although its 50 year milestone was last year, in 2024, I would be remiss to avoid mentioning Philip Glass’s Music in Twelve Parts. This monumental work, often considered Glass's masterpiece, was completed in 1974. It's a cornerstone of minimalist music, showcasing Glass's signature repetitive structures and gradual transformations. The music was written in numerical order, and the parts began to appear in performance in 1971. The world premiere of the complete Music in Twelve Parts took place at New York's Town Hall in 1974 and lasted more than four hours.
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