Moving classical music...any suggestions?

Question

on a bit of a classical kick at the moment

Answer 1

i find it hard to believe that out of all these answers only one has mentioned Bach. While most composers have one or two things that they do really well Bach can do it all. if you're looking for moving lyrical music then try exploring some of his 200 cantatas in which he set the standard. if you want simply instrumental then the Brandenburg's, suites, and concertos for a variety of instruments will prove satisfying. in addition to that there is the WTC, prelude and fuges for organ, two part inventions (in every key), and his famous passacaglia and fuge. Bach offers everything but if you are looking to satisfy a particular mood i would suggest the following composers accordingly:

happy/lighthearted - Mozart

Brooding/passionate - Brahms

superfluous/excitable - Liszt

uplifting/memorable - Schubert

colorful/imaginative - Dvorak

inspiring/provocative - Schumann

i hope this helps

Answer 2

These are moving in a kind of gentle way:

Debussey - Clair du Lune
Sans Saens - Carnival of the Animals "Swan"
Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata
Rachmaninov - Paganini Rhapsody
Samual Barber - Adagio for Strings
Elgar - Enigma Variations - Nimrod
Ravel - Bolero



These are moving in a more powerful way:

Strauss - Zarathustra (from 2001 A Space Oddessy)
Orf - Carmina Burana "O Fortuna"
Mussorgsky - Night on a Bare Mountain
Bach - Toccata and Fugue D minor
Wagner - Ride of the Valkeries
Elgar - Pomp and Circumstance
Aaron Copland - Fanfare For The Common Man
Khachaturian - Sabre Dance

Answer 3

Das Mozart Album
Anna Netrebko
2006

Anna Netrebko - Recitative And Aria- `giunse Alfin Il Moment - 3:32
Bryn Terfel - Recitative And Aria- `hai Gia Vinto La Causa!` - 4:52
Elina Garanca - Aria- `parto, Parto, Ma Tu, Ben Mio` - 6:42
Thomas Quasthoff - Aria- `madamina, Il Catalogo E Questo` - 5:59
Anna Netrebko - Recitative And Aria- `oh Smania! Oh Furie! - 6:06
Rene Pape - Aria- `in Diesen Heil`gen Hallen - 4:06
Anna Netrebko - Duet- `fuggi, Crudele, Fuggi! - 6:19
Anna Netrebko - Duet- `la Ci Darem La Mano - 3:26
Erika Miklosa - Aria- `der Holle Rache Kocht In Meinem Herze - 3:00
Thomas Quasthoff - Aria- `der Vogelfanger Bin Ich Ja - 2:47
Anna Netrebko - Duet- `ah, Perdona Al Primo Affetto - 3:04
Anna Netrebko - Aria- `zeffiretti Lusinghieri` - 6:41
Bryn Terfel - Terzettino- `soave Sia Il Vento - 2:51

Classical Spirit
Sacred Spirit
2003
Divine Works - 3:22
O' Ecclesia - 3:38
Prelude - 4:16
Divine Works II - 3:58
Adagio (S. Barber) - 5:12
Gloria Deo Patri - 4:59
Adagio (T. Albinoni) - 6:19
Sonata No. XIV Adagio Sostenuto (L. - 5:17
Tranquility - 3:47
Organ Concerto (J.S. Bach) - 7:24

China Girl: The Classical Album 2
Vanessa Mae
Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto - 26:44
Violin Fantasy On Puccini's 'Turandot' - 11:35
Happy Valley [The 1997 Reunification Overture For Violin, Orchestra] - 6:34

Answer 4

You don't say which way you want to be moved, but for moving music, these take some beating:-

Adagio for Strings - Barber

Adagio for Organ & Strings - (based on an idea of Albinoni)

St Matthew Passion - Bach (3 hours of the greatest music)

Messiah - Handel (3 hours of choral perfection)

Piano Concerto in A minor- Grieg

....and a modern classic

Theme from "Schindlers List" - John Williams

If, after all that, you feel a bit down, then brighten up and chuckle away to the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" by Dukas....sort of "Harry Potter" goes "Hip Hop."



Edit: What's Colin K going on about? Who did he think wrote the St.Matthew Passion?

Answer 5

Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini". This is a really gorgeous piece based on variations on a small melody. You'll recognise the middle portion as it's become very well known popularly.

Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition". This composer wrote this set of pieces after viewing a bunch of paintings and so it's got a lot of visual imagery in the music. (You can "see" in music what he must have seen with his eyes.) See some of those paintings at the site attached below.

Answer 6

Danse Macabre by Camillie Saint-Saens. It's about hallowe'en in a French village. You can hear all the characters like Death and the skeletons represented in the music.
Anything by Debussy but especially Claire de Lune.
Hebrides Overture by Mendlessohn.
Night On Bare Mountain by Mussorgsky - about Hallowe'en again but much more aggressive.

Answer 7

Handel, Water Music Suite.

Answer 8

War of 1812 Overture

Ode to Joy

Any Vivaldi with strings

Any Bach or Beethoven

Answer 9

William Tell Overture
War 1812
Pomp & Circumstance
Blue Danbue

Answer 10

The music from the ballet Swan Lake. It's on the end of the film Billy Elliott, everytime I hear it all my hairs stand up!