The Most "MOVING" Pieces for you Personally.

[relm1]

There are many pieces that move me deeply. But there is one piece that stands out for me - the last movement of Mahler's Tenth, simply the most heart-rending music I know. (And if it's Cooke who is mainly responsible for that, then he had his moment of genius.)

Off topic, but since I deeply respect your opinion, which interpretation of 10 is your preferred?

[Brahmsian]

There are obviously many, many pieces of music that move me immensely.  However, there is one work (really part of the work that moves me most, above all others):

Schubert's String Quintet in C, D956 (specifically, the Trio Andante sostenuto portion of the Scherzo third movement).  Nothing comes close for the emotional impact for me.

[Mirror Image]

Quite a few, but I'll do my best to narrow it down to at least 10:

Bartók: Bluebeard's Castle (my favorite piece of music of all-time)
Debussy: Sonata for Flute, Viola & Harp
Ravel: Miroirs
Stravinsky: Apollon musagète
Szymanowski: Litany to the Virgin Mary
Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde
Berg: Violin Concerto, "To the memory of an angel"
Poulenc: Oboe Sonata
Janáček: String Quartet No. 2, "Intimate Letters"
Malipiero: Sinfona No. 6, "Degli archi"

[Artem]

I'm rarely moved by music these days as opposed to the time back when I was a student. But when it happens it will often be Brahms stirring my emotions, especially this disk.

[Symphonic Addict]

I've came to think about these ones:


Shostakovich: Viola sonata. An utterly personal and devastating work. Shostakovich's last masterpiece.

Tchaikovsky: Piano Trio. The last minutes of the coda contain some of the most intensely passionate music I know. Never fails to give me goosebumps.

Pärt: Tabula rasa. This work has a kind of "transcendent" soundworld I find so thought-provoking. The second part Silentium is particularly moving.

Strauss: Vier letzte Lieder. Some have mentioned this piece with good reason. This is sublime beyond explanations.

Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana. Yet another case where the gorgeousness of the music moves me to the bone. My second favorite Italian opera after Turandot.

Wagner: Isoldes Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde. Despite Wagner's personality, he truly wrote music from his soul, and this specific musical moment is the epitome of the impossible love.

[geralmar]

Sibelius: Symphony #3, 2nd movement, Andantino; Collins, LSO (mono)
Kalinnikov: Symphony "1, 2nd movement, Andante Commodamente
Mahler: Symphony #10, 3rd movement, Purgatorio; Ormandy, Philadelphia
Mendelssohn: Hebrides Overture
Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker, Arabian Dance; Perlea, Bamberg
Grieg: Peer Gynt, Arabian Dance; Ormandy, Philadelphia (mono)
Ravel: Bolero

[Roasted Swan]

I've came to think about these ones:


Shostakovich: Viola sonata. An utterly personal and devastating work. Shostakovich's last masterpiece.

Tchaikovsky: Piano Trio. The last minutes of the coda contain some of the most intensely passionate music I know. Never fails to give me goosebumps.

Pärt: Tabula rasa. This work has a kind of "transcendent" soundworld I find so thought-provoking. The second part Silentium is particularly moving.

Strauss: Vier letzte Lieder. Some have mentioned this piece with good reason. This is sublime beyond explanations.

Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana. Yet another case where the gorgeousness of the music moves me to the bone. My second favorite Italian opera after Turandot.

Wagner: Isoldes Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde. Despite Wagner's personality, he truly wrote music from his soul, and this specific musical moment is the epitome of the impossible love.

Great music all - but if Cavalleria is your 2nd favourite Italian opera where is Turandot!?

Quick story about Tabla Rasa; I played in the UK premiere of this work back in the early 1980's.  One of the violinists was Mark Lubotsky I remember (who recorded Britten's concerto with the composer).  At that point Part was literally unknown and frankly the music was rather boring to rehearse (the programme included the Britten In Memoriam as well).  But uniquely it was music that did become transcendent in performance where the extra focus/energy of a concert and the presence of an audience transformed the impact of the work for players and listeners.  I'm not sure I've ever experienced quite such an "uplift" between rehearsals and concert as with this music.  The memory stays with me very clearly all those years later and it remains one of the most memorable premieres I played in.....

[Mirror Image]

I've came to think about these ones:


Shostakovich: Viola sonata. An utterly personal and devastating work. Shostakovich's last masterpiece.

Tchaikovsky: Piano Trio. The last minutes of the coda contain some of the most intensely passionate music I know. Never fails to give me goosebumps.

Pärt: Tabula rasa. This work has a kind of "transcendent" soundworld I find so thought-provoking. The second part Silentium is particularly moving.

Strauss: Vier letzte Lieder. Some have mentioned this piece with good reason. This is sublime beyond explanations.

Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana. Yet another case where the gorgeousness of the music moves me to the bone. My second favorite Italian opera after Turandot.

Wagner: Isoldes Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde. Despite Wagner's personality, he truly wrote music from his soul, and this specific musical moment is the epitome of the impossible love.

Interesting list, Cesar. I'm certainly with you with the Strauss --- who wouldn't be moved by this work? The Wagner is masterful as well. I received Karajan's recording of Cavalleria Rusticana many weeks ago, but I haven't got around to listening to it yet. Hopefully, today will be the day.

[Irons]

More often then not I am moved by a piece when least expecting it but one sure hit that never fails is Finzi's Dies Natalis. Finzi's music reaches across the centuries and matches Traherne's poetic words to perfection. Life in all it's forms is about renewal and this is magically caught in the finale "The Salutation" the arrival of a new born baby moves me beyond words.

[kyjo]

Let's restart an 11-year-old dead thread, shall we  ?

Schnittke: Choir Concerto, IV & Requiem
J.S. Bach: Art of Fugue, Contrapuntus XIV & St. John Passion, Herr unser Herrscher (Basically endless list, but these two are standout)
C.P.E. Bach: Sinfonia in G & D, Mvt. I
Mozart: Grosse Messe, Kyrie
Tailleferre: Valse Lente
Martynov: Beatitudes
Yoshimatsu: Ode to Birds and Rainbow, Mvt. II
RVW: Serenade to Music & Flos campi, VI
Tavener: Funeral Canticle
Part: Berliner Messe, Gloria
Lili Boulanger: Pie Jesu & Psalm 129
Ogermann: Preludio and Chant
Chilcott: St. John Passion, Miserere my Maker
Ravel: Piano Concerto, Mvt. II
Moeran: Symphony in G, Violin Concerto, Cello Concerto
Finzi: Violin Concerto, Mvt. II
Elgar: Cello Concerto
Hindemith: Nobillissima Visione, 1. & Symphony 'Mathis der Maler'
Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasilieiras No.3 & 9, Mvt. II
Satie: Le Fils des Etoiles, Prelude (I wish the first minute could just repeat forever)
Kapustin: 8 Etudes, II. Reverie
Reger: Psalm 100, Requiem
Peterson-Berger: Romance for Violin and Orchestra
Atterberg: Symphony No.3
Benyamin Nuss: Mr. Hamauzu, Mvt. I; Letters, S; Elegie fur Fukushima

...and that's that for the time being. Just too difficult to narrow down all of this music into one definitive list.

Great choices! We have quite similar tastes.

[Florestan]

Mozart Violin Sonata KV 301, Clarinet Concertp, Clarinet Quintet, Kyrie in F major KV 33
Beethoven Pathetique Sonata, Archduke Trio
Schubert Piano Sonata D 960, Arpeggione Sonata, Notturno for piano, violin and cello, Symphony no. 9 2nd mvt: Andante con moto
Schumann Three Romances for Oboe and Piano op. 94, no. 2: Einfach, innig; Kinderszenen op. 16: Träumerei and Der Dichter spricht
Chopin Polonaise op. 53, Barcarolle, Etude op. 10/3
Brahms Piano Trio op. 8, 2nd mvt; Scherzo, particularly the trio
Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings 2nd mvt: Valse. Moderato-tempo di valse, String Quartet no. 2 op. 22 2nd mvt: Allegro giusto
Rachmaninoff: Vespers, PC 2 & 3

If I had to pick the top five from the above, then here they are hands down, in chronological order:

Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 - 1st mvt: Grave – Allegro di molto e con brio
Schubert - Piano Sonata in B-flat major,  D. 960 - 1st mvt: Molto moderato
Chopin - Polonaise in A♭ major, Op. 53
Brahms - Piano Trio No. 1 in B major, Op. 8 - 2nd mvt: Scherzo: Allegro molto — Trio: Più lento — Tempo primo (the trio)
Tchaikovsky - Serenade for Strings in C major, Op. 48, 2nd mvt: Valse: Moderato — Tempo di valse

[flyingdutchman]

Tchaikovsky's 1st symphony especially moves me. 2nd movement.

[Symphonic Addict]

Great music all - but if Cavalleria is your 2nd favourite Italian opera where is Turandot!?

Quick story about Tabla Rasa; I played in the UK premiere of this work back in the early 1980's.  One of the violinists was Mark Lubotsky I remember (who recorded Britten's concerto with the composer).  At that point Part was literally unknown and frankly the music was rather boring to rehearse (the programme included the Britten In Memoriam as well).  But uniquely it was music that did become transcendent in performance where the extra focus/energy of a concert and the presence of an audience transformed the impact of the work for players and listeners.  I'm not sure I've ever experienced quite such an "uplift" between rehearsals and concert as with this music.  The memory stays with me very clearly all those years later and it remains one of the most memorable premieres I played in.....

Turandot doesn't move me in the same way as Cavalleria Rusticana does. The latter is more poignant, whilst Turandot possesses more grandeur and majesty. And good anecdote, btw!

[Symphonic Addict]

Interesting list, Cesar. I'm certainly with you with the Strauss --- who wouldn't be moved by this work? The Wagner is masterful as well. I received Karajan's recording of Cavalleria Rusticana many weeks ago, but I haven't got around to listening to it yet. Hopefully, today will be the day.

Listen to the Mascagni when you can, John. Likewise your Puccini purchases. Some wondrous music is waiting for you.

[André]

Listen to the Mascagni when you can, John. Likewise your Puccini purchases. Some wondrous music is waiting for you.

+1.

This is one verismo opera where solo voices are almost subservient to the orchestral and choral forces. Karajan knew that and gave it the most elegant, refined and drop dead gorgeous account of it. If you hair don't stand up during the Easter Chorus, you should check if you still have a pulse 

[Mirror Image]

Listen to the Mascagni when you can, John. Likewise your Puccini purchases. Some wondrous music is waiting for you.

+1.

This is one verismo opera where solo voices are almost subservient to the orchestral and choral forces. Karajan knew that and gave it the most elegant, refined and drop dead gorgeous account of it. If you hair don't stand up during the Easter Chorus, you should check if you still have a pulse 

I will definitely remedy this momentarily and I'm rather looking forward to it.

[gprengel]

I could name many pieces but right now I'd like to mention only the miraculous rarity of the Kozlovsky's Requiem from 1798: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik8ktuRwIRo&t=1020s

I cannot describe how this work moves me which is way ahead of it's time ...

[vandermolen]

More often then not I am moved by a piece when least expecting it but one sure hit that never fails is Finzi's Dies Natalis. Finzi's music reaches across the centuries and matches Traherne's poetic words to perfection. Life in all it's forms is about renewal and this is magically caught in the finale "The Salutation" the arrival of a new born baby moves me beyond words.

Very much agree with you Lol about 'Dies Natalis' especially that famous Wilfred Brown/Christopher Finzi version. C.1975 I was on holiday in the Yorkshire Dales. I was the first up in the morning and switched on the radio and was enraptured by what I was hearing, which seemed to reflect the beautiful landscape I was surrounded by. As soon as I got back to London I dashed up to HMV in Oxford Street to buy the LP (with its great image of the Earth from Apollo Eight):

[vandermolen]

Another go:
Bloch: Sacred Service
Bloch: Symphony in C sharp minor (Conclusion)
Bax: Christmas Eve
Sainton: Nadir
Miaskovsky: Symphony 27
Diamond: Symphony 3 (slow movement)
Braga-Santos: Symphony 4
Moeran: Cello Concerto (conclusion)
Bruckner: 9th Symphony
Shostakovich: Piano Quintet
Sibelius: Tapiola
Bax: Piano Quintet
Alwyn: Violin Concerto
Howells: Hymnus Paradisi
Finzi: Dies Natalis/In Terra Pax
Tubin: Symphony 4
Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony (conclusion 1913 and 1920 version, not 1936 version)
Stanley Bate: Symphony 3 and Symphony 4
Rootham: Symphony No.2 (conclusion)
Arnell: Symphony No.5 and No.3
Pettersson: Symphony No.6 'The long struggle towards the sunrise' at the end - I find that terribly moving - a kind of hard-won acceptance after an hour of turbulence and suffering.
+ Violin Concerto No.2 (ending)

[david johnson]

Bruckner 6 mvt 1 chorale section near the conclusion
Bruckner 9
several Custer LaRue moments on the disc -  La Rocque'n'roll - Popular Music Of Renaissance France/Baltimore Consort
Sibelius !, mvt 1, folk-song segment near the end
Beethoven 5, mvt 2
Hummel, Trumpet Concerto, mvt 2
etc...