Favorite short musical statement

What's your favorite complete classical work or movement which lasts less than three minutes in a typical performance?

Mine is the presto from Beethoven's opus 130

Any number of late Beethoven bagatelles The Prelude to Rigoletto Enchanted Preludes for cello and flute by Elliott Carter Mozart: Ave verum Josquin dez Prez: El grillo

-david gable

How 'bout the Bagatelle in A, Op. 119/10 - about 12 seconds.

If indeed Josquin actually wrote El grillo (which I would like just as much no matter who wrote it).

Oh, there are so many I could choose.

Schumann's Elfe, from the Album Leaves Op. 124 (20 s.) Any one of Szymanowski's 12 Etudes Op. 33 (12 m. total) Any one of the Prokofiev Visions Fugitives Op. 22 (20 m. total) Prokofiev's Scherzo from the PC #2 (2:30) Barber's Scherzo from the Piano Sonata (1:30) Any of the 153 pieces from Bartok's Mikrokosmos (2 hours total)

This is especially pertinent to me, because I'm trying to pick out a piece for my Freshman Committee. It's 2 pieces, with an 8 minute limit - I picked out and memorized Beethoven's 'Pastorale' Sonata, Op. 28 first movement, which takes just over 7 minutes, leaving enough room for something short and fun.

That Chopin Prelude that lasts about 45 secs. The scherzo from Beethoven Piano Sonata op.110

Iron Foundry, by Alexander Mossolov.

No offense meant, Jeff, as I know you like to push the envelope and avoid the conventional, but I tend to think a program that's better balanced time-wise (4 + 4 minutes, or 5 + 3) might have a better chance of success with the judges.

Good luck with the Freshman Committee, Sonarrat!

I think the Barber scherzo would be a wonderful contrast to the Beethoven.

Gershwins Promenade ('Walking the dog'.

Bach arr. Rachmaninov - Prelude from Vln Partita 3, played by Rachmaninov. Opening chorus from Bach's Christmas Oratorio. Almost any Chopin Mazurka Some of the Debussy Etudes Any 3 minutes out of the finale of Mozart's 41 symphony.