Top Five Works That Have Touched You The Deepest

[Marc]

In a way it's not fair to composers not named J.S. Bach. My list could have five Bach compositions depending on my mood. [...]

I recognize that.

I decided to pick only one piece by Bach.
Here's my alphabetical list of 5 pieces that always go straight to my heart and, well, almost always can move me to tears, or at least to less dry eyes.

Bach: Aria "Zerfließe mein Herze, in Fluten der Zähren" from the Johannes-Passion BWV 245.
Byrd: "Agnus Dei" from the Mass for 4 voices.
Mahler: The final chorus of his Symphony no. 2 in C minor.
Poulenc: Salve Regina.
Rachmaninov: "Blagosloven yesi, Gospodi" (Znamennïy Chant) from his All-Night Vigil AKA Vespers.

[amw]

Beethoven Op. 131 & Bartók Quartet No. 3, performed in Rome in... 2001?
Schubert, Piano Sonata D. 960, II. Andante sostenuto, Artur Schnabel
Berio, Laborintus 2, performed in Cambridge in 2010
Bach, St Matthew Passion, No. 57 "Komm, süsses Kreuz", Dietrich Henschel, Christophe Coin, Harnoncourt & the Concentus Musicus Wien
Feldman, Neither, performed in New York in 200...9 or something idk

[The new erato]

Bruckner: Symphony No. 8

R. Strauss: Metamorphosen

Two extremely good choices there. When I was still into late romantic orchestral repertoire (don't listen much to it these days) these were extremely important to me.

[Jo498]

I think I was more deeply impressed as a relative beginner 25-30 years ago, so such a list would probably be almost only Beethoven if completely honest (I think the first piece I was completely obsessed with was his 5th symphony).

Bach: St Matthew, especially the first chorus, also "Wahrlich, dieser ist Gottes Sohn gewesen" as well as "Erbarme dich" and "Mache dich, mein Herze rein"
Beethoven: Quartets op.131 and 132, 9th sympony, Missa solemnis
Haydn: Quartet op.76/5, especially the slow movement
Schubert: Winterreise
Mahler: Der Abschied from das Lied von der Erde

There must be others, typically triggering a temporal obsession with composers I had almost ignored until then but I don't remember now.

[Overtones]

The first work that comes to my mind is Giya Kancheli's Lament - Mourning music in memory of Luigi Nono (whose only youtube version is, unfortunately, this poor quality live recording --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ac_X3j0rQkQ <-- of an otherwise very fine performance - which funnily enough, early in the video, shows the composer himself in the audience as he turns back with an angry look at the guy who is recording and speaking way too loudly).
It is a 40 min musical journey through conscience passing through extreme pianissimos and fortissimos.


For other works I'd have to think a bit more, there would probably be Mozart's Requiem and Efrim Menuck's 13 Angels Standing Guard 'Round the Side of Your Bed --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcMJNCAIwqA

[AnthonyAthletic]

For  me, there's probably more than 5.  And more so in the early years of listening when music was coming new and afresh.  Saying all that, these do remain pretty high on the 'impact' list.

Vaughan Williams : Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
Gorecki : Symphony No.3
Mahler : Symphony No.2
Strauss : Four Last Songs
Chopin : Prelude No.4, E Minor

I guess a lot if it is sadness with a touch of elation.

The Tallis Fantasia is the one to take with you when you are away from England, everything English (to me) is there in this one work.  I am sure each persons, from each of their own Countries (has a work close to heart like this is to me).

Gorecki 3, love it or not.  The impact of this work was chilling on first hearing.  Mahler 2, does what it says on the tin for me.  Urlicht is a great pre finale moment and the last movement can have a non believer, believing.  Strauss' 4 Last Songs are one if not my favourite song cycle.  Faultless IMHO.

And imagine hearing Chopin's Prelude for the first time....on a scale of 1 to 10....how feckin' sad and heartbreaking is this?

[Karl Henning]

[I was going to add the Chopin before I had read Tony's post, for the record ]

I worry about how few of you have been touched deeply by Joy . . . .

How to answer this question, anyway?  It's all figurative (Touched You The Deepest), as it must be . . . must the answers favor music heard earlier, which have receded deeper into our musical memory?  Must the answers favor larger pieces which (figuratively) reflect the fact that larger physical objects sink deeper?

Having begun to point out the Problems, I'll go ahead and play a hand . . .

In no particular order:

JS Bach:  E^b Prelude from Book I of the WTC
Stravinsky:  Symphonies d'instruments à vent
Prokofiev:  Romeo & Juliet
Chopin:  b minor Prélude
Chick Corea:  Spanish Fantasy

[Sergeant Rock]

Chopin : Prelude No.4, E Minor
And imagine hearing Chopin's Prelude for the first time....on a scale of 1 to 10....how feckin' sad and heartbreaking is this?

I don't have to imagine...I remember. I first heard it in the film Five Easy Pieces: it is the "easy piece" Bobby ( Robert Eroica Dupea, Jack Nicholson's character) plays for Catherine (Susan Anspach) to demonstrate his inability to feel emotion. But of course the Chopin is sad and heartbreaking.

Sarge

[Mister Sharpe]

A most interesting thread, though I feel a conflict between John's "touched you the deepest" and "defines your essence."  Not everyone defines themselves by their emotional core, indeed, some might argue that such could be a mistake, a serious one perhaps.  In any case, to clarify, these are among those works that touched me the deepest, there's maybe 25-30 of them; I'd be reluctant to say they defined my essence.  That'd prob. be another Liszt (sic) ...

VW: 5
Schubert: Winterreise
Bax: Tale the Pine Trees Knew
Prokofiev: Violin Sonata Numero Uno
Liszt: Nuages gris

The  Fauré Requiem is my lagniappe.

[Florestan]

There is no way to pick only five --- unless I pick the very first five works I have heard. I was 14 at the time and they indeed touched me deeply and lastingly; although I basically know them by heart, each time I hear them again I feel enraptured.

Edvard Grieg - Piano Concerto in A minor op. 16 (the first complete work I have ever listened to; that timpani roll and that entry of the piano sold me instantly on classical music and changed my life for ever)

Bizet - Carmen (Zefirelli´s movie, with Domingo and Migenes-Johnson - saw it in cinema twice iin the same week, next week I urged my parents to join me for a third session).

Tchaikovsky - Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor op. 23 (the opening never fails to send me on another emotional galaxy and the rest just keeps me there)

Mozart - Symphony No. 40 in G minor KV 550 (my top five Mozart works is ever changing except this one)

Chopin - Polonaise in A-flat major op. 53 (Was so excited and touched by it that I barely slept that night)

Apart from that, the five composers whose works have touched me the most and the deepest are first and foremost Schubert followed by Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms and Rachmaninoff

[Mister Sharpe]

There is no way to pick only five --- unless I pick the very first five works I have heard. I was 14 at the time and they indeed touched me deeply and lastingly; although I basically know them by heart, each time I hear them again I feel enraptured...

Mozart - Symphony No. 40 in G minor KV 550 (my top five Mozart works is ever changing except this one)...

Now that work would go into the list of titles that defines my essence!

[Florestan]

Now that work would go into the list of titles that defines my essence!

I should have added that Mozart is in a league of his own in my list of favorite composers.

[Spineur]

Live performance carry a lot more emotionnal content.  Here are some of the memorable ones

1) Complete Beethoven string quartets, Guarneri performance
2) Faust Gounod, with the full original ballets: they make a big difference.  Opera de Paris
3) Horowitz in a live performance
4) Brahms clarinet quintet, live performance
5) Zeffirelli Traviata movie: Theresa Stratas was unsurpassable.

[vandermolen]

A most interesting thread, though I feel a conflict between John's "touched you the deepest" and "defines your essence."  Not everyone defines themselves by their emotional core, indeed, some might argue that such could be a mistake, a serious one perhaps.  In any case, to clarify, these are among those works that touched me the deepest, there's maybe 25-30 of them; I'd be reluctant to say they defined my essence.  That'd prob. be another Liszt (sic) ...

VW: 5
Schubert: Winterreise
Bax: Tale the Pine Trees Knew
Prokofiev: Violin Sonata Numero Uno
Liszt: Nuages gris

The  Fauré Requiem is my lagniappe.

Interesting Bax choice. Must listen again to it.

[(poco) Sforzando]

"Di Provenza." I had a mother like Germont Père. She wasn't happy I was going to marry a Jewish girl. She lost her complete shit when I told her I was going to marry a Jewish boy.

And I think that's totally sweet.

I may come back to this, but for a start:
Bach, B minor Mass
Verdi, Requiem
Beethoven, Missa Solemnis
Beethoven, the 3rd movement of op. 130

And since the thread nowhere insists these all have to be musical works,
Shakespeare, King Lear

[mc ukrneal]

Okay, here goes nothing...(in no particular order):
Stanford: The Blue Bird

You are referring to the Partsong (op 119, No. 3)? Beautiful that one. What is your favorite recording of it?

[Mirror Image]

You are referring to the Partsong (op 119, No. 3)? Beautiful that one. What is your favorite recording of it?

Yep, that's the one. My favorite performance of it comes from this recording:



Lumen Valo are a Finnish vocal ensemble. I've been meaning to check out more of their work. In this particular version of the Stanford, there is a female soprano used instead of a boy soprano.

[SymphonicAddict]

Interesting post!

In no order:

Janácek: Glagolitic Mass
Schubert: String Quintet (2nd movement has no rivals)
Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra
Beethoven: 3rd movement from String quartet Nr. 15
Respighi: San Gregorio Magno from Vetrate di Chiesa

Bonus track: Bantock's A Celtic Symphony (this is a real gem!!)
Another one: Ravel's Piano concerto for the left hand

[Amore di Viola]

Fascinating about the Charles Lloyd. Several months ago I heard parts of his LP (still, only available on LP) Big Sur Tapestry played on a local radio station. I hunted it down and played it on New Year's day. I was blown away in a way I have never experienced. It was almost as if I have finally found peace. Buy a damn turntable if you have to, but get this!!!! I am eager to check out The Water is Wide.

Thanks for the tip! The hunt is on, when I find it I'll take it to the jazz room   
I still have my perfectly functioning turntable, never could throw it out, and today never would.

[vandermolen]

Interesting post!

In no order:

Janácek: Glagolitic Mass
Schubert: String Quintet (2nd movement has no rivals)
Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra
Beethoven: 3rd movement from String quartet Nr. 15
Respighi: San Gregorio Magno from Vetrate di Chiesa

Bonus track: Bantock's A Celtic Symphony (this is a real gem!!)
Another one: Ravel's Piano concerto for the left hand

The Celtic Symphony is indeed wonderful. It was a great privilege to hear it live in London. I like the 'Church Windows' by Respighi too although 'St Gregory the Great' is my favourite of its movements.