A heavily contrapuntal composer, Draeseke reveled in writing choral music, achieving major success with his B minor "Requiem" of 1877–1880. His most contrapuntal work is called "Mysterium "Christus"", which is composed of a prologue and three separate oratorios and requires three days for a complete performance, a work which occupied him between the years 1894–1899 but whose conception reaches back to the 1860s. According to some , Draeseke's "Symphonia Tragica" (Symphony No. 3 in C major, Op. 40) deserves a place alongside the symphonies of Brahms and Bruckner. Other orchestral works by Draeseke include the Serenade in D major (1888) and its companion of the same year, the symphonic prelude after Kleist's "Penthesilea". Draeseke also composed chamber music.