This article is from the (RED) edition of The Independent, guest-edited for 16 May 2006 by Bono. Half the revenue from the edition will be donated to the Global Fund to Fight Aids.
The Ten Best Musical works - chosen by Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State
Related articles
1 Mozart
Piano Concerto in D minor
At the age of 15, Rice began piano classes - although she has played since she was three - with the intention of becoming a concert pianist. This concerto holds many memories for her: "I won my first piano competition at the age of 15, playing this work."
2 Cream
'Sunshine of Your Love'
Cream - Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce - were one of the first of the great supergroups. Despite the fact that the band split up in 1968, Cream's fans are still going strong. "I love to work out to this song," says Rice. "Believe it or not, I loved acid rock in college - and I still do."
3 Aretha Franklin
'Respect'
"The Queen of Soul's anthem", in Rice's opinion. Aretha Franklin is best known for her soul and R&B music, but is also skilled at jazz, rock, blues, pop, gospel and opera. The singer, known also as Lady Soul, has won 18 Grammys and earned the music world's unstinting respect.
4 Kool and the Gang
'Celebration'
Released in 1980, "Celebration" was a No 1 hit for Kool and the Gang in the US, although it only made No 7 in the UK charts. Rice loves this upbeat track, saying: "It's just such a great song." Not so great was Kylie Minogue's 1991 cover version, which reached No 22 in the UK top 40.
5 Brahms
Piano Concerto No 2
This is considered one of the most difficult piano works to learn, but Rice isn't fazed. "It's a stormy, difficult piece, but I'm going to learn to play it before I leave this earth!" Premiered in 1881, the Second is unusual because it is in four movements instead of the usual three.
6 Brahms
Piano Quintet in F minor
This piece by Johannes Brahms is "passionate without being sentimental", Rice says. The work, composed in 1864, is the piece she most loves to play with her quintet. Like most piano quintets, it is written for piano and string quartet (two violins, viola and cello).
7 U2
Anything
Founded in 1976, U2 have regularly topped the record charts since the late 1980s. The band have sold 130 million albums and had six No 1 albums in the US and nine in the UK. One of the most successful groups of all time. Rice, a big fan, is happy to listen to any of their tunes.
8 Elton John
'Rocket Man'
This pop ballad was co-written by Bernie Taupin. It first appeared on John's 1972 album Honky Château and became a hit single. For Rice - and many children of the 1970s - this song is a blast from the past: "It brings back memories of college, friends, my first boyfriend."
9 Beethoven
Symphony No 7
"Quite simply the greatest symphony of all time," is how Rice describes Beethoven's Seventh. The work was written in 1811 and 1812 during what is known as the composer's middle period, at a time when Beethoven was struggling with his increasing deafness.
10 Mussorgsky
Boris Godunov
"The greatest opera of all time," Rice says. "If you love Russia, you have to love Godunov." The composer, Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky, was one of five Russian composers who became known as The Mighty Handful, and were the chief innovators of Russian music in the 19th century.
The Ten Best is edited by Rebecca Armstrong r.armstrong@independent.co.uk
Arts & Ents blogs
The Fall ‘Darkness Visible’ – Series 1, episode 2
There is a good many moments in the second episode of this psychological thriller that deserve refle...
‘Vicious’ – Series 1, episode 4
The opening titles squeal ‘Never Can Say Goodbye…’. Oh Lord how I wish I could heave this series off...
Game of Thrones ‘Second Sons’ – Season 3, episode 8
Even though there was a complete absence of our favourite odd couple Brienne and Jaime, we got anoth...
-
'He was lucky he didn't die' - George Michael fell out of speeding car onto M1 motorway, according to eye witness
-
Brian May: The Voice is the dullest, dumbest, most depressing programme on TV
-
Coronation Street triumphs over EastEnders at British Soap Awards 2013
-
The Freemasons' Code: Dan Brown reveals the message that told him the door to the lodge is open
-
Tacky or just plain weird? Gallery in Hamburg holds exhibition dedicated to bad taste
- 1 Terror at Woolwich barracks: Attacker tried to behead and disembowel British soldier
- 2 Mothers' diets may harm IQs in two-thirds of babies
- 3 Gay couple beaten in park urge MPs to moderate language on gay marriage
- 4 After woman sells virginity for $780,000, here are the results of our prostitution survey
- 5 Far-right French historian, 78-year-old Dominique Venner, commits suicide in Notre Dame in protest against gay marriage
Get your summer started with British Military Fitness
BMF is the UK’s biggest and best loved outdoor fitness classes
Visit York
Find out what The Independent's resident travel expert has to say about one of the most beautiful small cities in the world
Enter the latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Business videos from commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.
How to say ‘I’m a sellout’
Why clubs are keen to take a stand


Comments