Performances that move you to tears

[George]

I'll start:

[hautbois]

Viviane Hagner moved me to tears in her performance of the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the Malaysian Philharmonic last season. She was stunning.

[val]

The Adagio of Beethoven's Sonata ous 106 by Gilels.

The Arietta of the opus 111 by Friedrich Gulda.

The First book of WTC by Friedrich Gulda.

The Adagio of Bruckner's 8th Symphony by Jochum with the BPO.

The 3rd movement of Bruckner's 9th, by Furtwängler with the BPO and, by different reasons, by Giulini with the VPO.

The Largo e mesto of Beethoven's Sonata opus 10/3 by Schnabel.

The Largo of Beethoven's Quartet opus 132 by the Italiano Quartet.

The 2nd movement of Schubert's Trio opus 100, by Adolf and Hermann Busch and Rudolf Serkin.

[Novi]

The start of 'Ulricht' in Mahler 2. I attended a performance where the orchestra was only so-so, but Patricia Bardon was incandescent.

Also 'Erbarme Dicht' of the Matthew Passion is particularly moving.

Janet Baker's 'Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen.'

I seem to have a thing for a gorgeous mezzo voice ...

[Bonehelm]

Furtwangler's War-time Hitler Birthday LvB 9th, 1942.

[LVB_opus.125]

Karajan's 1977 LVB 9th, last movement. This is one and only time I've been moved to tears. This is funny, because in the Karajan's 9th thread in Great Recordings, people have called this movement ineffectual. And yet I find the 1962 version to be rather cold (the first two movement are a different story). It must be my inexperienced ears, but I'm really in love with the '77 version.

[dtwilbanks]

I think "Greensleeves" made me cry when I was a little kid. Did they play that at the end of Lassie?

[Iago]

Schuberts Symphony #8 (Unfinished) played by the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Giuseppe Sinopoli.
It's a "killer"
Also, the "Hostias" section of the Verdi Requiem as recorded by Reiner/Vienna Philharmonic/ Price/Bjoerling/Elias/Tozzi

[Tsaraslondon]

A second vote for Janet Baker singing "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen".

Kathleen Ferrier singing "Blow the Wind Southerly"

David Daniels singing "Scherza infida" from Ariodante

The Final Trio from Der Rosenkavalier (Schwarzkopf, Ludwig, Stich-Randall)

The final scene from Otello (Vickers)

Almost any of Callas's tragic roles, but, in particular:-

"Ah non credea" from La Sonnambula
"Amami Alfredo" from the La Scala/Giulini La Traviata and the whole of the last scene from the 1958 Covent Garden performances.
"Mira o Norma" from Callas's 2nd studio performance of the opera with Ludwig
Final trio from Norma - this time from the 1955 La Scala performance with Del Monaco and Zaccaria.
The final scene from Madama Butterfly from Butterfly's entrance to the end, not only in Callas's performance, but also in those by De Los Angeles and Scotto.

The Sanctus from Beethoven's Missa Solemnis

The slow movement of Elgar's cello concerto (Du Pre/Barbirolli)

And, maybe surprisngly, Elgar's "Sospiri" (Barbirolli)

The minute I post this, I've no doubt I'll think of a load more.

[Brian]

Brahms Symphony No 4 (Kleiber)
Tchaikovsky Symphony No 6 (Matacic)

but most of all:
Chopin - Nocturne in C sharp minor, Op. post.; pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman, 1948 performance. The single most moving thing I have ever heard.

EDIT: Here's a later (1980?) video of Szpilman playing the Nocturne in question. Not half as moving as the old 1948 sound ... but it's still the same man.

http://www.youtube.com/v/Nzmp10Ym2bQ 

[Don]

I've never heard any music that moved me to tears.  People, dogs, sure enough.  But not music.

[Solitary Wanderer]

I've never heard any music that moved me to tears.  People, dogs, sure enough.  But not music.

[Mark]

Almost happened today while listening to the Schubert Ensemble of London playing the third movement of Faure's Piano Quartet No. 1 - a really quite moving performance, especially when you know something of the history of this work.

[Keemun]

Shostakovich - Violin Concerto No. 1, 3rd mvt. (Leonid Kogan, violin)

http://www.youtube.com/v/j4oWgBlHIVY

[Bonehelm]

Karajan 1988 Bruckner 8th. DG - WOW what a coda in the finale. Probably greatest ending of any music of any kind on any kind of recording, ever.

[BachQ]

50% likelihood of shedding a tear with any decent performance of Brahms VC (mvt 1).

[Mark G. Simon]

I am more likely to shed tears when listening to music in the presence of Owlice. Maybe it's because I react to her susceptibility to tears, or because the satisfaction of sharing a meaningful musical moment with someone I love.

I am more likely to shed tears in vocal music than instrumental.

It's not necessarily sad music which brings on the tears. Sometimes the reaction is brought on by the overwhelming marvelousness of the musical input.

[Harry Collier]

And, maybe surprisngly, Elgar's "Sospiri" (Barbirolli)

Nothing "surprising" about this; it's one of the great tear jerkers of all time, especially as played by Barbirolli!

[EmpNapoleon]

Mahler 9 Adagio, parts of Tristan, and the Bulls '98 NBA finals conducted by Maestro Jordan.

[Anne]

Beethoven 9th Sym, 3rd movement, Furtwangler 1951