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?
"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...
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.
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......
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.
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,
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.
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....
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".
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".
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.
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"
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.
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.
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).
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!
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.
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
Wotan's Farewell from the very end of Wagner's Die Walkure...strict audiophiles should go with Solti/Decca recording, everyone else to the Goodall/English National Opera set (in English).
I've noticed a few people mention Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata in this thread. I strongly recommend a CD called Stokowski Encores (BBC Philmarmonic), where, amongst other gems, there is an orchestral version of the Moonlight Sonata that takes this wonder to a new level.
I'll only list 3 songs: Here's To Life (Shirley Horn With Strings, Here's To Life) Two For The Road (Charlie Haden & Pat Metheny, Beyond The Missouri Sky) Moonstone (Toninho Horta, Moonstone) - this is a duet with Pat Metheny. This is an excellent album!
Never Let Me Go (Bill Evans, Alone); Nuages (Larry Coryell and Philip Catherine, Twin House); I Loved Him (Carol Kidd, The Night we Called it a Day); Air (Swingle Singers and The Modern Jazz Quartet, Place Vendome); and Erbarme dich (Bach, from St. Matthew Passion)(Yo Yo Ma, Simply Baroque). What can I say? There's a lot of achingly beautiful music out there!
I have always admired the world of Bach. Unaccompanied Violin Sonatas and Partitas along with Unaccompanied Cello suites move me without failure. Elgar's Cello Concerto is a nice piece. Sarasate's Ziegnerweisen performed by Heifetz should be heard -- only Heifetz, unlike other violinists who have tried the piece, has technical mastery to pull you into the music, sustain the tension, and ultimately drain your emotion like no other (Grumiaux recorded a fine one in an intimate setting with piano, albeit not as dramatic). Mahler's 9th. Debussy's piano pieces. On and on. For heavy metal fans, try Stargazer by Rainbow. Rainbow Eyes by Rainbow will make your ladies happy or put them in mood though a bit cheezy like their later albums. For melodic electric guitar instrumentals, Santana. For acoustic guitar, Strunz and Farah. For fun, any Deep purple MKII albums excluding the reunion albums after Perfect Stranger -- yes, I am a fan of Richie Blackmore. Any old time Chicago Blues.
Rach's 3rd piano concerto. Martha Argerich is my favorite interpreter, Performance is A-, sonics are B (somewhat distant miking, good tonal balance, ambiance). Also that Puccini aria used in A Room with a View (forget the opera, ask me again if interested), try Callas' version which is unforgettable.
Kitch29: Glad to see another old Tim Buckley fan; I too miss his songwriting; I can't believe his son's tragic end as well. I went to about 5 of his concerts, and only once did he actually finish the set; sometimes he never even showed, at others he got sick in the middle of a set and walked off the stage. Very sad. My folk group in college did a number of covers of his songs, and they were always among the best-received.
For aching ee-lectric guitar: Stevie Ray Vaughan's instrumental version of Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing" (on The Sky Is Crying) is glorious. Beats Clapton's version (Derek and the Dominoes), which isn't too shabby itself. My wedding song was Charles Mingus' very beautiful "Ellington's Sound of Love" (vocal and instrumental versions on Changes One and Changes Two). A favorite of mine is a moan from New Orleans, Allen Toussaint doing "Cruel Way To Go Down" (Southern Nights). On the folkier side, Spider John Koerner (kind of obscure) doing "I Ain't Blue" ("...I'm just a little bit lonesome for some love again") (Runnin, Jumpin, Standing Still). And the late Sandy Denny rendering "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" on Fairport Convention's album Unhalfbricking.
I would've mentioned Kenny G but I hate to admit to crying in elevators. Tears more acceptable with "un bel di", 3rd act of Tosca, Liu mourning the death of Calaph's father first act of Turandot, Duet by Violetta and Garmont first act of Traviata.Rcprince, I had the opportunity to hear Tim Buckley in concert just once, he sang Gypsy woman from his motel album, the audience was moving around and talking so he began to berate us with impromptu lyrics and became so intense everyone finally sat down and listened, spellbound.How sad that his genius was extinguished, sadder too that so few knew him.
Khrys; I have to agree re anything Kenny G. Thanks to your second sentence, I almost fell off my chair. Not since Clinton's testimony have I laughed so hard.(I think).
A question too difficult to answer. But I'll list a few: Middle and Late Beethoven quartets; Mahler and Bruckner adagios (adagietos); Wagner Tristan and Isolde; Schubert and Brahms Lieder; Sibelius 6 and 7, certainly the Barber adagio; Sibelius and Bruch vln. concerto; Brahms vln and clarinet sonatas; Dvorak cello con.; Brahms Requiem; Ravel and Debussy quartets; Bach cello suites; Bach violin sonatas & Partitas; Mozart Sinfonia concertante; and much much more. Also; many film scores and a number of popular songs. Picking only three would be too great a sin of omission.
Kenny G plays Enya's greatest hits. One can only dream of that much aching. How about the 2nd movement(adagio) from Ravel's piano concerto in G as an alternative?
Jane Sibbery 'Calling All Angels' from the album entitled "When I Was A Boy'; Chris Isaak 'Wicked Game'; John Lennon 'The Dream is Over' and 'Beautiful Boy'; Faure 'Pavanne'
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