Classical Music for Meditation?

[Kullervo]

Nothing better than silence for me.

[val]

For meditation?

The orchestral Prelude of the first act of Parsifal.

[springrite]

As a practicing meditator, I can tell you that for me, the best meditation music in the "classical" repertoire is: Morton Feldman.

[techniquest]

How about 'Prelude a l'apres midi une faune' by Debussy, 'Lark Ascending' by Vaughan-Williams. Or - more off the beaten track- the second part of Goreckis 2nd Symphony.

[orbital]

Just listened to some samples of this Solo Piano album and its excellent. I have added it to my wishlist. Great recommendation thanks

No problem Wanderer. They are a bit repetetive of course, but I thought they would work for this purpose.

[Robert]

That's what I'm talking about.  0:)

Or this:

This is perfect. Tony Scott (who passed away last year)

[RebLem]

I like the Nocturnes (Chopin) for that purpose. 

I was going to suggest the Chopin Nocturnes.  Also, Richard Strauss's Metamorphosen in versions by Klemperer, Richard Stamp, and Marriner.  Avoid the Karajan and Kempe versions.  Kempe is great in everything else Strauss, just not this one piece.  The Blue Danube Waltz ain't so bad, either.  If you are looking for a meditational reverie that will transport your consciousness to another place and time, it can't be beaten.  Also the third movement of the Beethoven Ninth, and the second movement of the Seventh.

[Don]

Nothing better than silence for me.

Same here.  If music doesn't stimulate me, I don't want it.

[vandermolen]

Gorecki "Symphony of Sorrowful Songs"

Preisner's "Requiem"

Durufle's "Requiem"

Hovhaness "Meditations on Orpheus"

George Frederick McKay Song over the High Plains

Poul Ruders Symphony (second movement)

[Solitary Wanderer]

Gorecki "Symphony of Sorrowful Songs"

Preisner's "Requiem"

Durufle's "Requiem"

Hovhaness "Meditations on Orpheus"

George Frederick McKay Song over the High Plains

Poul Ruders Symphony (second movement)

Yes, I have the two titles in bold which are wonderful for quiet reflection.

I'm not familiar with the other titles so I'll look into them thanks.

[Bonehelm]

Bach complete unaccompanied cello suites
Any harpsichord suite by any baroque composer

[jochanaan]

As a practicing meditator, I can tell you that for me, the best meditation music in the "classical" repertoire is: Morton Feldman.

Indeed.  His quiet music with its seeming repetition that never literally repeats leads one without effort away from normal consciousness into meditative consciousness.  (I should say that the only Feldman music I've actually heard is Piano and String Quartet--love his titles! )

Much of Alan Hovhaness' music has the same effect.

And when I heard Bach's Art of the Fugue live a couple of years ago, I found myself in a deep meditative state, brutally shattered when the final fugue broke off.

[vandermolen]

Yes, I have the two titles in bold which are wonderful for quiet reflection.

I'm not familiar with the other titles so I'll look into them thanks.

A pleasure. If you like Durufle's Requiem and find it appropriate, you might also like his Mass Cum Jubilo.

By the way your avatar artist; Caspar David Friedrich, is one of my very favourite painters. Because of the romantic and highly charged atmosphere of his paintings, they tend to often appear on CD covers, invariably accompanying music by Schubert, Spohr etc.

[Grazioso]

A pleasure. If you like Durufle's Requiem and find it appropriate, you might also like his Mass Cum Jubilo.

By the way your avatar artist; Caspar David Friedrich, is one of my very favourite painters. Because of the romantic and highly charged atmosphere of his paintings, they tend to often appear on CD covers, invariably accompanying music by Schubert, Spohr etc.

And 19th-century literature reprints:

[Solitary Wanderer]

By the way your avatar artist; Caspar David Friedrich, is one of my very favourite painters. Because of the romantic and highly charged atmosphere of his paintings, they tend to often appear on CD covers, invariably accompanying music by Schubert, Spohr etc.

Yes, my fave artist too.

Its always a joy to see his artwork used on classical cds:

[bwv 1080]

Surprised no one has mentioned Takemitsu or Renaissance Polyphony in general.  A piece like Tallis's Spem in Alium or Brumel's Earthquake Mass works quite well.  Takemitsu's In an Autumn Garden for traditional Japanese instruments works very well also

[Holden]

What you are after is harmonic music with a steady beat that approximates 60-70 bpm. Many adagios and largos from the baroque period do this very well and the likes of the Pachelbel Canon, Vivaldi's largo from Op 8/4, Bach's Air in D and the chorale prelude Wachet Auf fit the bill nicely putting you into a meditative but alert state within a minute. A lot of this came from the work of the Bulgarian physician Grigori Lozanov and a quick check of the internet can provide much more detail than I've given here.

[George]

What you are after is harmonic music with a steady beat that approximates 60-70 bpm. Many adagios and largos from the baroque period do this very well and the likes of the Pachelbel Canon, Vivaldi's largo from Op 8/4, Bach's Air in D and the chorale prelude Wachet Auf fit the bill nicely putting you into a meditative but alert state within a minute. A lot of this came from the work of the Bulgarian physician Grigori Lozanov and a quick check of the internet can provide much more detail than I've given here.

Yes, and many a compilation has been made of those adagios and Largos.

[longears]

As for inducing the kind of dreamy state that many here seem to conflate with meditation, I'm rather fond of Bach's cello suites and Pärt's Fratres.  (Actually, much of Pärt's music will suffice.)  P. Glass works, too!

[Bogey]

As for inducing the kind of dreamy state that many here seem to conflate with meditation, I'm rather fond of Bach's cello suites and Pärt's Fratres.  (Actually, much of Pärt's music will suffice.)  P. Glass works, too!

Do you have this one David?