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
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Ghosthouse,
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Do make the effort to chase down the Anne Akiko Meyers / Mendelssohn CD. Just put a search on eBay and it will turn up fairly soon. It is well worth your time and trouble and a keeper for life.
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Rgds,
Larry
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Oh yea, Jeff Buckley, what a loss. Too bad someone wasn't around to yank him out of that river...a voice of operatic scope in the rock idiom.
"Nessun Dorma"; Pavarotti of course, but almost any version will bring tears.
"Siegfried's Funeral March", preferably Soti, but as above.
Side 2 of "The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle.
Terence Blanchard "A Tale of God's Will (a requiem for katrina)". This is an amazing and haunting CD, especially the second cut "Levees". I've had this in my cd player non-stop for the last week since it was delivered.

I bought this after reading a review of it in the Washington Post. It was released this month (Agust '07), and is a must have for all Jazz fans!
This is Beethoven at his peak. What a stroke of genius! The achingly beautiful spun-from-gold melody.... the dynamic build... the majesty and nobility... the first piano notes falling like a light misty rain over the orchestra.

For me-- the single greatest stretch of music of any kind ever penned. In the right hands, that is--- it's easy to rush it and ruin the thing entirely.

As for an aria-- the most beautiful sung thing I've ever heard is Beverly Sills' performance of 'Ruhe zanft... mein holdes leben' from Mozart's Zaide.
My god-- what incredible legato and breath. The voice is diamond-bright and radiant. Unearthly beautiful. Superhuman.
Sorry -- forgot to say it's the second movement of the Emperor-- piano concerto no. 5!!
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Dseid,
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I second the 2nd movement of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto (The Emporer). It is just heavenly.
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Try Artur Rubenstein playing on CD RCA # 61260 (also available also on LP) with Josef Krips conducting the Symphony on Air. Rubenstein also recorded the 5th another time with Leinsdorf conducting the Boston Symphony ( (CD RCA # 5676).
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There is a version with Ashkenazy playing ( on CD) that is wonderful, but I don’t recall the Label..
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Rgds.
Larry
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If it's Ashkenazy, it's likely the London/Decca label. You're right, that is a beautiful piece.
Dsied & RcPrince,
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I went back and checked on the Ashkenazy recording on CD information:
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Beethoven Piano Concerto #'s 5 & 2 -Vladimir Ashkenaazy -
Sir George Solti conducting Chicago Symphony Orchestra CD on London # 417703-2
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Rgds,
Larry
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Jacques Brel's "Ne Me Quitte Pas"

Emphasis on the "ache." The lyrics transcend anything I've ever heard in English, and I can't even *quite* understand all of them (not a native speaker). Simply ineffably wrenching. Although of course absolutely beautiful as well.
I scond the Jesse Sykes! Check out Over The Rhine's 2005 release "Drunkards Prayer" Ray Lamontagne's "Till The Sun Turns Black". Damien Rice "O" and the new one from Lucinda Williams "West". All have thought provoking lyrics and melodys.
"Sei getreu bis in den Tod" from Rillig's Mendelssohn Paulus.
This is an especially beautiful tenor-cello duet that is taken to a new level in this recording.
Bedrich Smetana/Ma vlast(My fatherland) beautifull.I wonder nobody mentioned this work.
Tindersticks/Another night in rented room
Scott Walker/Farmer in the city from album called Tilt.Play it at night it is so beautifull it's almost scary.
Bliss; (quiet letters) strings, wheezing accordion, electronics that sound organic & great vocals.
Christina England performing Ave Maria.
Does anyone know which cd of her's has this track on it??
I have several immediate responses:

1. Orlando Gibbons "Fantasias" (Jordi Savall)
2. Morton Feldman "Coptic Light" (Michael Tilson Thomas)
3. Anton Webern "String quartets/trios) (Arditti)
4. JS Bach "English Suites cd #1" (Glenn Gould)
5. Arvo Part "Tabula Rasa" (the composer)
6. Rev. Robert Wilkins (late 1920's sessions)
7. John Coltrane "A Love Supreme" (of course)
Noticed the mention of Jeff Buckley on Hallelujah. Anyone heard the Allison Crowe version. Gets my vote.
I listen to a pretty broad swath of genres so here it goes...Just 3 huh?

Ennio Marricone, Gabriel's Oboe/ from the soundrack of the movie The Mission

Charles Lloyd, The Water is Wide/ from the album The Water is Wide.

Lyle Lovett, Flying Shoes/ off his album Step Inside This House(the back story on Townes Van Zandt and his inspiration for the song just makes it more so)
"Sleeping in Paris", from "The Wheel", by the one and only Roseanne Cash.
Most of her "10 Song Demo" release as well.
Simply incredible, beautiful, personal music.
I always liked her single, "7 (?) Year Ache". Not sure I have that quite right. For whatever reason, don't own anything by her...must add her to the list. Thanks for the reminder, Rabco.
Ghosthouse, the "7 Year Ache" got me started with what was at the time of that single's release, a country crossover artist. Over the years, she has moved away from the open country sound association. For those who may not be as familiar with Rosie, I suggest starting with "10 Song Demo", which is mostly just Roseanne with her guitar, or other nominal accompanyment. Her voice is beautiful, the self penned lyrics come straight from her heart. It's also great headphone music. Warning: her music tends to be on the darker side; it's certainly no less beautiful for that reason...Highly Recommended.
Swan of Tuonela - Sibelius is the definition of achingly beautiful

"Nothing Compares 2U" by Sinead O Connor

The chorus from "Land of Make Believe" by the Moody Blues

Steve HACKETT'S GUITAR SOLO from "Firth of Fifth"

These come to mind off the cuff.
Van morrison astral weeks....madame george & slim slow slider

more recently, beth orton....not the new one but the one before...
Here's a gentleman that I'm sure could offer some unique recommendations:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/video/?slug=bal-collector-video
As I am perusing this forum, and this topic comes up, "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis" by Ralph Vaughan Williams is playing now on XM Pops....
what a great thread, loving the clasical music pointers

Hurt - nine inch nails cover on jonny cash american 1v man comes around - killer
Hello! New member here. I have been cruising the forums here the past few weeks and finally registered this evening. Back on topic! I have been playing with my home stereo more often lately and I have always been partial to Pop Music and things like that, never a huge fan of Classical although I do enjoy it. Well, last night I listened to some Beethoven and it sounded great through my crappy 189$ pair of Sony floor standing speakers. My choice for most achingly-beautiful music would have to be the following:

Imogen Heap - Hide and Seek
Jack Johnson - Adrift
Live - Lightning Crashes
Kenna - Hell Bent
Sigur Rós - All of their albums

Anyone else with taste like my own?
Soundtrack from "The Last Samurai" Very beautiful. Another great one from Hans Zimmer.
Ennio Morricone's "The Mission" soundtrack. Yo Yo Ma also did a nice interpretation of the main track "Gabriel's Falls."
Billie Holiday:Lady In Satin. So dramatic and so aesthetic. Billie + Jazz combo + Strings. Sometimes you feel like you're Alice in Wonderland here.
Ray Charles: That Lucky old son, Eleanor Rigby, Born to lose, etc. This guy gives me chicken skin.
Rickie Lee Jones: ditto title album. Well composed pop songs.
Beethoven: Missa Solemnis: this one brings me straight to heaven...
Debussy: La Damoiselle elue: beautiful solo voice, choir and orchestra. Romantic.
Puccini: La Boheme with Callas. Boy does this story and music make you want to cry for beauty and aesthetics.
Henryk Gorecki: Symphony 3. Solo female voice and minimalist orchestra. Makes you want more...
Chris Isaak-Wicked Games

Cowboy Junkies-The Trinity Sessions

Dead Can Dance-Aion

Lisa Gerrard Duality/The Mirror Pool

Lonely Is An Eyesore

Mojave 3-Ask Me Tommorrow

Mazzy Starr-Among My Swan/So Tonight I Might See

This Mortal Coil-It'll End In Tears/Filigree And Shadow

Recoil-Hydrology And 1 + 2
"By Your Grace"
Beaver & Krause / GANDHARVA / Warner Bros. CCM-461
Recorded in Grace Cathedral, San Francisco

This is pretty obscure. Anyone else know this recording?

BTW, I love this thread. It's a gold mine of pleasure.
Gorecki, Symphony #3

Vaughan-Williams, The Lark Ascending

any number of movements from Mahler: last movement 3rd; Adagietto 5th; slow movement 6th; large parts of 9th...

also check out R. Strauss's Death and Transfiguration
Forgot to mention:

John Dowland, Lacrimae, for consort of viols. The Fretwork version is pretty good.
Here`s a site where you can pre-listen music; Like this "Visual" I mentioned w. Sevåg/Patey. Look out For others from Sevåg too!

http://www.musikkonline.no/shop/displayAlbum.asp?id=27078