I think we are a bit off the topic, but this is unavoidable because a big chunk of classical music is sacred, or faith inspired. Religious experience seems to be universal and, in its best form, enhances the human experience and improves people's lives in general. I think I may get even a deeper appreciation out of B minor mass if I have faith. If one just looks at the result, B minor mass alone justifies faith.
There was a study in which scientists measured brain waves and other physical characters of Tibetan monks in deep meditation. When one of the scientists presented a results in a conference, he was asked whether the results nullified the mystic claims. The guy said no because science is also a phenomenon of the brain. In other words, solipsism is a perfectly good alternative.
Back to music. It seems that you know all the stuff I listen to. What do you think of Sibelius' stuff, especially his 4th symphony? What about The Goose of Tuonela?
在平面上一個直角三角形的直角對邊邊長的平方等於另兩邊邊長的平方之和，這是永恆的真實，科學發現這個，這是高智之腦的智性活動。科學過程造就或產生或發現科學知識，科學知識是大腦活動的結果。觀察一個大腦在進行科學研究思維，這時這個觀察者可以粗糙地宣稱science is a phenomenon of the brain，但是在你所提到的那種場合那種情境用"science is also a phenomenon of the brain"來回答那種問話是很怪異的。
Recently, I have been interested in Mahler's #3 again. The last movement is brooding.
Wagner's stuff isn't all about tragedy. The main theme is redemption. The chick redeems the guy in Dutchman and Tannhaeuser. Meistersingers is a comedy although it isn't really funny. Parsifal is a typical Christian redemption story and is really fulfilling. I am usually not religious, but always am at the end of Parsifal. Some day I might acquire faith and if I do, it will be the Catholic faith. The Ring is a tragedy, but isn't really sad. The couple sort of redeem the whole world and it is quite optimistic. The only tragedies in the traditional sense are Lohengrin and Tristan.
耶穌教的"救贖"或許是世界宗教教理中最難纏的概念。"三位一體"是個空殼子，有點"不得不"的味道，在"宗教崇拜"上不得不然。這個"救贖"比較像哲學理念，這個理念從神與人的關係的始源延伸到這個關係在耶穌教信徒的"認信"思感中所佔有的核心位置，這是一套怪異的"愛的邏輯", BUT, as always the case in Christianity, 此"愛"無"信"則不立，這是個立足於"信"的tautology --- 信什麼？信神。
My favorite Beethoven's overture has always been the second Leonore and later I found out that Wagner agreed with me. It is a masterpiece without a single superfluous decorative note.
Sure, what I said about Tchaikovsky is a cliche, but still it was true to me. Music serves different purposes. Ned Rorem once said that there are two types of classical music, the "superficially profound" and the "profoundly superficial" and he favors the "profoundly superficial".
Much of the classical music is part of the larger art and literary tradition. There is the tradition of myth making with epics and drama dating back to Homer. Wagner is part of this tradition. To some, Bayreuth is almost a religious experience and you see pilgrims migrating there every summer. I am not that bad, but the last time I was in Nuernberg, I took a train ride and spent an afternoon tin Bayreuth. One can say that this tradition is the quintessential "superficially profound".
Much of the French and Italian music is probably "profoundly superficial" with Rossini being its champion. It is fun, full of gorgeous melodies and very much alive, unlike the "superficially profound" where death is always looming. Incidentally, Rossini once joked that Wagner had great moments with boring half hours in between.
I know you prefer absolute music, but I think you should give opera a try. You should simply think the human vocal cord as a musical instrument (as for myself, I don't understand neither German nor Italian any way) and it is the best instrument. From what you said so far, I would recommend Carmen and La Boheme. They are both full of gorgeous melodies with a single boring moment.
I agree that Appassionata is the best sonata of Beethoven's middle period. I particularly like the slow second movement.
我早就說過我聽歌聽得多，無所不聽。歌劇我當然聽，不過不聽全曲，衹買highlights，衹買著名唱段選集和名家選集。義大利語德語法語我都不通，所以當然如此，也衹可能如此。世間最好的樂器理當得到如此對待。絕大多數的名歌劇精選版中衹有兩首左右是"夠好聽"的，可知好旋律實在難寫。歌劇全曲我大概衹仔細聽過莫扎特的Figaro和比才的Carmen，都是從頭到尾好聽，Figaro連序曲都很dense，好過莫先生的交響曲。威爾第的茶花女好旋律很多，質樸中有天成之感。普契尼的旋律情感深，繞來繞去，委婉動人，好東西很多。這兩個人的管弦樂都很好，在歌劇裡都有一些很耐聽的作品。有人偏愛威爾第，有人偏愛普契尼，還有人偏愛三尼中的另外一位或兩位(花腔歌劇)，都有道理，性之所好氣之所近罷了。純就人聲之美而言，最好的樂器的試金石頗有一些，如Villa-Lobos的巴西的巴哈中的那首Aria，那是女高音在空氣裡製造美麗悠揚的風聲，不過很多人唱得很好。莫扎特的夜女王花腔大概每一個能進大都會唱的花腔都得唱得不錯才行，但能唱得真氣十足的就寥若晨星了。最美的男高音男中音二重唱或許是比才的採珠人裡面的那一首，旋律之美與和聲之美都不可方物。--- As to that single boring moment, 大眾女高音靜婷(郭大姝)在邵氏梁祝電影裡的表現達到極致，I love it so much！ ^_____^ ~~~ PS, 靜婷在一部電影裡幕後代唱的"玫瑰三願"是我聽過的演唱版本裡最好的。
I first got into classical music when I was a teen. I was mesmerized by Tchaikovsky's piano concerto #1 at that point, but I burned through his stuff in about a year and a half. It was just too sentimental and saccharine.
I then moved on to Beethoven and for the next 10-15 years, I slowly worked through his various work, starting with the popular #5 symphony. Eventually, I settled on #3. In my opinion, there are two great achievements in #9. One is the slow 3rd movement. This was taken up later by Mahler and pushed to the limit in his #1, #3, #4, #5 and perhaps #9. The other is the music arc as in the 4th movment. After the beginning, everything ends with a strong cord. Then the base comes in with the main meloday and then repeated again and again with more and more instruments joining in till finally the voice comes in. This idea was taken up by Wagner and also pushed to the limit in his music dramas.
Mozart was charming and wrote some charming operas that point to Weber and eventually to Wagner.
If these guys wrote the best secular muic, then Bach was king in sacred music. My favorites are the B minor Mass and St. Matthew's Passion. Of course, there are the hundreds of cantatas, all very nice. Speaking of Mendelssohn, whatever one says about his compositions, he had great taste. He was the one who made Bach popular.
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It is a masterpiece without a single superfluous decorative note. 
