Most achingly-beautiful music


Ultimately, we listen to music to be moved, for example, to be elated, exulted, calmed or pained. Which are the 3 most affecting pieces of music do you find the most affecting?
hungryear
Sailing-Christopher Cross, Comfortably Numb-Pink Floyd, Clouds-David Gates, No Sign of Yesterday-Men at work, Norwiegen Wood-Beatles, etc . . . . . .etc . . . . . .
Does he have a friend for me- Maria Mckee, Bach Cello suites- Yo Yo Ma, Company from Rickie Lee Jones first album.
Gregorio Allegri; Miserere mei, Deus. Haunting, eerie, evocative. Sent chills up my spine.
I nominate whatever it was the opera troupe was singing in the concert scene in Hannibal. Very haunting...
I can't name the three *most* affecting: that various depending on my mood and a host of other circumstances. But here are a few very random pieces that came to mind as very moving:

Beethoven's 5th, 6th, 7th symphonies
Bach's Goldberg variations
Mozart's Piano Concertos 23, 21
Bizet's Carmen and Le Arlessienne Suites
Rachmaninov's 3rd piano concerto
Tchaikovsky's violin concerto, symphonies 4-6
Mendelssohn violin concerto, Italian symphony, octet
Schubert trout quintet
Brahms Hungarian Dances
Haydn Symphony No. 94
Bach solo cello suites
Strauss waltzes
Bolling Suites for Flute and Jazz Piano
Mussorgsky's Night on a Bald Mountain

A smattering of my perhaps "cheesier" choices ;-) :
"Meeskite" from the musical Cabaret
Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle
Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
Three nominees, expressing different kinds of longings, in no particular order: (1) "Hard Times Come Around No More", a Stephen Foster tune sung by James Taylor on Yo-Yo Ma's "Appalachian Journey" CD. The song captures the wistful hope of better times I see in a friend and neighbor of mine, a desperately poor, elderly disabled farmer living in a shack here in the northern reaches of the Appalachia. (2) Roberta Flack singing "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" for the evocation of the complete, single-minded rapturous joy of the mind and senses upon discovering one's true love (3) Laura Love's soulful rendition of the traditional folk song "Shenandoah" on her "Fourteen Days" CD, for expression of the deep and simple love of any beautiful place one calls home and ache of separation from it. And there's so many more... the joy of high end audio is that the emotion shines through.
Jackie Gleason Orchestra; Music for Lovers Only, we play this LP when we make ourselves a nice candlelit dinner. Basia; Time and Tide on gold CD. Anything by Enya!
Great question -- so many beautiful and truly moving songs, it's difficult to pick just 3. Fortunately, many of the great ones have already been mentioned above. Here are 3 more that always make me feel there is something more to life than our physical existence: (1) "Psalm" by the Jan Garbareck Group and Agnes Buen Garnas (on Twelve Moons), (2) Oregon's "Icarus" (Live), (3) the Jai Uttal/Lakshmi Shankar/Don Cherry rendition of "Raghupati" (on Footprints).
The Mozart piece that was used in the British Airways commercials (don't know the name of it).
Dekay, a piece frequently referenced from the British Airways commercials is the Aria from the opera "Lakme" by Delibes. Not sure if that is the one to which you refer. It is certainly achingly beautiful nonetheless.
Thanks Khrys: I'll bet that's it. We received the piece on a "burned CD" without any other info. Everyone that I have played and hummed it to has noted the BA commercial but did not know the name.
Vaughn Williams, 'Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis'
it sends shivers up my spine and tears to my eyes every time.
Best,
Ken
1. Second movement of Beethoven's violin concerto.
2. Mario Lanza singing "Marie" (especially after your Italian mom passes away).
3. Side 4 of Yes "Tales from Topographic Oceans"
Mahler, "Song of the Earth" K. Ferrier/B Walter, the Farewell. Not recommended for suicidal tendencies. Kathleen sang Ewig (farewell) a few months before she died -- and she knew her condition.
Forgot it was 3. Brahms, 1st piano concerto, 1st movement, Curzon. Bach, Mass in B minor.
Regards
Pcc, is that the homophobic rendition of Dire Straits? Maybe they titled the CD eponymously.
Here is something simple that I do find very beautiful (even considering it's funky use of digital delay). "Sentimental Walk" from the movie soundtrack "Diva".
Elizabeth, thanks for reminding me about " Die Kluge ". You are so right. Must dig it out and listen again. For me:
Schubert, Quintet in C, 2nd movement and the beginning bars of Mozart's Requiem. In another vein: Bach's Magnificat and the main theme of his "Musical Offering", Mahler: Kindertotenlieder with Kathleen Ferrier....and "Ella Fitzgerald sings the Blues".
1. Schubert - Impromptus D899 (by Maria João Pires)
2. Mozart's Requiem - Lacrimosa (by Colin Davis)
3. Amália - Povo que lavas no rio
Tejo, is that Amalia Rodriguez, the great Fado singer? I heard her live at Lorenço Marques, Maputo now, in the early fiftees. P l e a s e tell me the name and marque of the CD/LP, She moved me to tears then, when I was a young boy....
Yes, the same Amália Rodrigues (with an "s" not "z" - that's Spanish...), Detlof. There are dozens of recordings of Amália Rodrigues. I will find out which are the best and let you know. Amália died recently. Saudade.
Thankyou Tejo, that would be very kind. Sad, that she recently died, its a loss. Listened to Pires again, by the way and you are right, such a lightness and yet such intensity. Wonderful!! Regards,
Ok, Detlof. Recently, two discs (double - actually, four discs) were released with "the best" of Amália. Personally, I dislike this kind of approach. Nevertheless, this may be a good start for you. I will look for and provide you the codes (next wednesday - I can also e-mail you that information if you want to tell me your e-mail address). About Maria João Pires (also Portuguese), I believe she's the best living interpreter of Schubert. Lightness and intensity, I absolutely agree. Best regards from Lisbon.
all you mentioned 90% are good for me and i would like to add few more.boat on the river from styx hotel california.losing my relogion from rem,living next door to alice and mexican girl from smokie,old and wise from alan persons project.thewinner takes all from abba.i will survive......also too many classical......
Detlof, thank you for the recommendation on the Kindertotenlieder. I only recently heard this piece on the radio and found it deeply moving. And Tejo for your thoughts on Pires. I always learn something from this thread, glad it's still going strong.
"Sentimental Journey," sung by Doris Day (with the Les Brown orchestra). Following my Dad's release from a WWII German POW camp at Stag Luft III -- he was liberated by General Patton -- he heard this song for the first time on a troop train during his return to the States. This day also happened to be his 21st birthday. His return to the U.S. was truly a "sentimental journey."

Regards,
Mary

P.S. Willie Nelson also sings a beautiful version of this classic song...
I can't just make it 3:

Bach's Mass in B Minor
Bruckner Symphony #8
Prelude to Wagner's Parsifal
Sibelius Symphony #7
Berg Violin Concerto
Beethoven's Missa Solemnis
Part's Litany
Petterson's Symphony #7
Sibelius, what about your own concerto for violin? C. Ferras/Karajan, for example? Also, if M. Solemnis would you accept Brahms Deutsche Requiem? (Klemperer, maybe)
Cheers!
http://www.harmoniamundi.com/hmUS/homeus.asp
I first listened to the Boston Camerata's "Musee Judeo Baroque by Salaman Rossi" on this label. This was before I had an audiophile hardware budget. I wasn't even a classical music fan then you see. But the sheer beauty of the music did something to my ears. For some reason, I kept turning to this particular CD. All I can say is that "warmth, liquid mid range" etc comes from the recording and not from $2000 wires.

The Audio Critic magazine said they were in "awe" of this label and I agree. Sound quality is better than on 24/96 and even HDCD or SACD recordings - even on their old recordings. Must be superior sound engineers?

Then they started a budget label ($5.98/disk) called clasicalexpress.com

Check out their sampler for $2.98 at :
http://www.classicalexpress.com/sampler.htm
Just used my father's day gift certificate at amazon to get Barber's Adagio for Strings, etc. recommended here. While I was snooping around, I finally found a cd of Bach: Cantatas and Arias with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Used to have it on vinyl and had about given up! Highly recommended. Thanks, people.
Sumukh: In answer to your question about the recording engineers for HM, they have some of the best, including Peter McGrath and Tony Faulkner, but don't overlook the talents of producer Robina Young, a true talent.
Another addition to the list, Dvorak's "Mesicku na nebi hlubokem" (O Moon High Up in the Deep Sky), from Act 1 of Rusalka. I'd heard this before from time to time but didn't know who wrote it until I heard it played at Dvorak's home in the Czech Republic. Bought the disc on the spot. Simply beautiful.
I have to concur with those who submitted Barber's Adagio for Strings. It sort of troubles me that this music was introduced to many people in popular culture in the sad, sad settings used in the movies The Elephant Man and Platoon. I grew up listening to Barber's Adagio in Germany in the '60's because my mother liked it. I never thought of the Adagio as sad as such. In fact, later on in life when I rediscovered it and before those movies used it, I thought of it as quite sensual. Apparently, I am not alone because a former principle dancer from the Royal Danish Ballet, Fleming Halby, choreographed a somewhat erotic pas de deux to the Adagio.
Let me also submit Camille Saint Saens' C Minor (Organ) Symphony.
Also, the andante asai movement (2nd) to Ravel's piano concerto in G-as someone else already mentioned in this thread.
Pulenc, Concerto for Organ, Strings, and Timpani
Bach, B Minor Mass
Bartok, Concerto for Strings, Percussion, and Celeste
Brahms, Double Concerto for Violin and Cello
Mozart, Requiem
Brahms, Violin concerto
Schubert, 9th Symphony (The Great)
Dwpc...and what do you think of the Tannhäuser overture?
One of the most sensual-erotic music that has ever been written, I think.
Detlof...not too detract from the overture; the Pilgrim's Chorus is more concentrated. IMO, the two "allelulea"'s and pulsating strings at the close of the chorus, though brief, are about as good as musical moments get.
Yes, I think I know what you mean, Dwpc, and "concentrated" is an excellent word for it. I must go dig it out again and listen.
Cheers
Schubert String Quartet #14; Death and the Maiden, Second Movement. The many variations in this movement is quite unusual, achingly-beautiful and brilliant for those unfamiliar with it, highly recommended. I would also be interested in recommendations for a good recording and performance of this piece. I currently have the Prague String Quartet on the Denon label.
Tubegroover do you speak LP or CD or both?
What you should definitely try to get is the rendering by the Alban Berg Quartet and while we are at it, try the Schubert Quintet in C minor also by the Alban Berg Quartet. Don't recall now, who plays the other cello, perhaps Rostropovitch, but I'm not sure. There is also a wonderful rendering with Heifetz, Piatigorski and Primrose on RCA shaded dog and by the great Casals with Isaac Stern on Phillips.
Regards,
I also enjoy a lot of classical pieces mentioned above. But let me go aginst the grain here. I think 'the future sound of london's work notably ' life forms' and ' dead cities( later part)'are the electronic music's classical equals. Full of intricate melodies that touches your heart. There are other albums before these two, which are good but nothing like the two mentioned. I say these two are going in to the history as late 2000 electronic classicals.
Hi Detlof

Both vinyl and CD. I will check on your recommendations. Thanks. Will
Tubegroover and Detlof, I believe the RCA Shaded Dog of this piece is one of the best recordings of the work, and one of the more valuable ones out there. Still looking for one...
Yes,Rcprince, especially the second movement. When I heard that for the first time, it was almost a mystical expierience, like a prayer, and had tears streaming down my face.....and I don't tend to "hystericalisms". It was one of the great musical moments of my life. The other two were the main theme of Bach's Musical Offering and the beginning of Mozart's Requiem. Those were moments, I'll never forget and they belong to the inner treasures of the heart which make life worth living.
Jules Massenet's Intermezzo from Thaiis only played by Michel Schwalbe of the Berlin Philharmonic
Try to find the "flower" Label LP pressing of this great Karajan record of opera intermezzi. The LP was
KARAJAN: OPERN INTERMEZZI, DGG (138 OR 139 SERIES) 1968
BERLIN PHILHARMONIC. Do NOT get the EMI Intermezzi record, its not the same.
The playing is none finer .The version is one for all time.
Pure Magic. If you dont care for Karajan(his first Beethoven Cycle is still unsurpassed [early 60s], you will after this LP..........Frank