The most beautiful Adagio

[George]

Now that we've named every adagio under the sun, perhaps we can return to the one that we feel it the most beautiful.  Only one can be the most beautiful (at least for each of us) right? 

I repeat mine: Op. 131 opening movement, Beethoven.

[quintett op.57]

Adagios from Beethoven's piano PCs

What about Beethoven "not beautiful but only almost" adagios?

[George]

What about Beethoven "not beautiful but only almost" adagios?

Sounds like another great thread topic. 

[jochanaan]

What about Beethoven "not beautiful but only almost" adagios?

Sounds like an NSA: "no such animal."

[rach]

How about the adagio from Mozart's gran partita.

[btpaul674]

I definitely agree with the 2nd mvt from the Atterberg 8!
RVW 5th 3rd mvt
RVW 8th 3rd mvt
Rautavaara 1st PC 2nd mvt


Any adagio from Joly Braga Santos!!

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Mahler, Symphony No. 6, Third Movement. 

Indeed. Especially if an orchestra has a well equipped wind section!

[Dancing Divertimentian]

A dark horse adagio:

Mozart's adagio in B minor for solo piano, K.540.

However, the one that brings me to my knees is the adagio from Brahms' Op.8 piano trio.

[Florestan]

John Cage

4' 33''

[Harry]

All Adagio's I know, are in music that I like, and therefore I like all Adagio's. but in the context!

[op.110]

Not necessarily marked "adagio":

Tchaikovsky 5th Symphonoy

That french horn never fails to bring tears to my eyes... a melody to soothe the soul.

I would also add...
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 (2nd movement)
Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto (2nd movement)

And also, even though over played and popularized by Platoon, Barber's "Adagio" from his quartet.

[stingo]

Brahms - Clarinet Sonata #1, 2nd Movt.
Mahler - Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
Ravel - Piano Concerto in G, 2nd Movt.
Mozart - Piano Sonata In E Flat Major, K. 282, 1st Movt.

[Endymion]

Rodrigo - Concierto de Aranjuez
Bach - 3rd keyboard concerto

[Florestan]

Rodrigo - Concierto de Aranjuez

Excellent one. I wish I said it first.

[Steve]

Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor. Magnificient!

[George]

Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor. Magnificient!

Nice! Who's playing on that one?

[Choo Choo]

Not necessarily the most beautiful Adagio - but IMO one of the most beautiful - is Bruckner #2.

Often overshadowed by the later, "great" symphonies, it's not the longest, nor is it the most dramatic, but it's highly melodic, full of light and shade, and can sound captivating in the hands of a conductor who doesn't feel obliged to milk it for pathos (Konwitschny would be my rec.)

It also works well on its own, away from the context of the symphony of which it's a part.

[mahlertitan]

the slow movement from Geoges Bizet's "Roma" symphony is simply sublime.

listen here

III. Andante molto

[karlhenning]

The Adagio to the Braga Santos String Sinfonietta is the bee's roller skates.

[BachQ]

is the bee's roller skates.