Top 10 most beautiful pieces you've heard

[Linus]

I'd probably put Strauss' oboe concerto op. 144 in there somewhere. Ridiculously beautiful music.

[TheGSMoeller]

that's two votes for Nymphes des bois. Where's Sarge??

I honestly posted without reading the previous posts, I generally like to create my lists without any influence.
But regarding the joint Nymphes des bois pics...card carrying club member, Dude.

[Rinaldo]

Look! He comes from Langgaard's Sfærernes Musik
Händel's Cara sposa from Rinaldo
Dal mio Permesso from Monteverdi's L'Orfeo
Couperin's Les Barricades Mystérieuses
the middle of Haas' Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich...
RVW's Tallis Fantasia
Hymn from Glass' Akhnaten
Pelēcis' Nevertheless
Smetana's Vltava (aka Moldau)
Pärt's Für Alina

[Corey]

Some nice lists with some surprising and interesting entries -- lots to explore.

[david johnson]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skJS-ozIyZk  lovely music

[david johnson]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skJS-ozIyZk

[Sergeant Rock]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skJS-ozIyZk  lovely music

Hummel apparently knew Mozart's K.467 Andante 


Sarge

[North Star]

Bach: 'Ich habe genug,' BWV 82 - I. Aria
Berlioz:  Roméo et Juliette - III. Scène d'amour
Brahms: Clarinet Trio in a minor, Op. 114
Chopin: Ballade no. 4 in f minor, Op. 52
Mozart: Piano Concerto in A major, K. 488
Rakhmaninov: All-night Vigil
Ravel: Piano Trio
Schumann: Piano Quintet in E flat major - II. In modo d'una marcia
Schubert: Piano Trio No. 2 in E flat major, D. 929 - II. Andante con moto
Sibelius: Symphony no. 6

[vandermolen]

To Gratiana, dancing and Singing: William Denis Browne (song)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MVZgDnhyHnQ

Sancta Civitas: Vaughan Williams
Dies Natalis: Finzi
Symphony 3 (Epilogue): Bax
The Trees so High: Patrick Hadley
Sospiri: Elgar
Essay for Orchestra No.2: Samuel Barber
Symphony 4: J. Braga Santos
Symphony 4: Eduard Tubin
Symphony 7 (last movement): Edmund Rubbra

[Jay F]

In no particular order, mostly 2nd movements:

Mahler 6, Andante (sometimes the 2nd movement)
Mozart Clarinet Concerto, 2nd movement. Adagio.
Mozart PC 21, 2nd movement. Andante.
Mozart PC 23, 2nd movement. Adagio.
Schubert String Quintet, 2nd movement. Adagio.
Schubert Piano Trio #2, op.100. 2nd movement. Andante.

also:
Verdi, "Di Provenza"
Mahler 2
Chopin, Raindrop Prelude #15
Schubert Piano Duet D940

[North Star]

I was thinking of this one, primarily because of the Lorraine Hunt-Lieberman recording.

Yes, and Carolyn Sampson with Suzuki is great as well. Peter Kooij with Herreweghe, too. 

[mc ukrneal]

A few that come to mind (Puccini, Strass (Richard) and Mozart should be on the list, but they are so obvious in some ways, can't choose just one):

Brahms: Piano Trio #1 - opening movement is simply one of the most beautiful and moving pieces ever written in the history of music (for me anyway)
Bizet - Pearl Fishers Duet (Au fond du temple saint) -
Schumann - Kinderszenen - the last two 'scenes' are achingly beautiful (the second to last in particular)
Bach - Cello Suite - opening prelude
Chopin - Nocturne in G Minor, Op. 37, No. 1
Donizetti - Chi mi frena in tal momento? (THE sextet)
Debussy - Arabesque No.1 (sorry - i cannot help myself, just turn to mush )
Monteverdi - Lamento della ninfa
Verdi - Simon Boccanegra (opening is sooooooo beautiful)
Schubert - first Impromptu of D899

[jochanaan]

Out of many, perhaps 10, perhaps more--the ones I can think of now:

Bruckner: Mass in e minor, Kyrie.
Bach: Cantata #6 "Bleib bei uns," opening movement.
Bach: Mass in B minor, Dona nobis pacem.
Beethoven: Piano Sonata #32 in C minor, second movement/finale.
Beethoven: Symphony #9, first and third movements
Britten: Violin Concerto, finale
Bruckner: Symphony #7, first movement
Holst: The Planets, Neptune
Hovhaness: Symphony #50 "Mount St. Helens", finale
Mahler: Symphony #3, finale.
Mozart: Symphony #41 "Jupiter," second movement
Part: Magnificat

You'll notice that the list is all in alphabetical order except for the first listing.  There's a reason for that.

[North Star]

Bach - Cello Suite - opening prelude

Suite no. 1?

[mc ukrneal]

Suite no. 1?

Yes.

[Mirror Image]

Debussy - Arabesque No.1 (sorry - i cannot help myself, just turn to mush )

Don't be sorry, Neal. It's a gorgeous work indeed.

[Lisztianwagner]

Not to fill the entire list with Wagner, I'll choose only two pieces from his operas.

Wagner: Siegfried, "Leuchtende Liebe, lachender Tod!".
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde, "O Wonne! Freude!".
Beethoven: Symphony No.9
Liszt: Chasse-Neige.
Mahler: Symphony No.6
Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini.
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.6
R. Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie, Der Anstieg.
Holst: The Planets, Neptune.
Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, Part II.

[Christo]

To Gratiana, dancing and Singing: William Denis Browne (song)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MVZgDnhyHnQ

Sancta Civitas: Vaughan Williams
Dies Natalis: Finzi
Symphony 3 (Epilogue): Bax
The Trees so High: Patrick Hadley
Sospiri: Elgar
Essay for Orchestra No.2: Samuel Barber
Symphony 4: J. Braga Santos
Symphony 4: Eduard Tubin
Symphony 7 (last movement): Edmund Rubbra

Not even one choice that I don't share.  0:)

[vandermolen]

Not even one choice that I don't share.  0:)

Much the same could be said about your choices (although where was Berkeley's Concerto for Two Pianos?)

Also I'm interested in the Khachaturian oratorio in your selection which I don't know at all and can't see a CD of it anywhere - shock/horror. 

[vandermolen]

I've thought of another one.

The last of Novak's Eight Nocturnes for Voice and Orchestra: 'Christchild's Lullabye'. Ideal late night listening; music of compassion and consolation:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TidkpYY_G68