The most beautiful Adagio

[Steve]

The Adagio from Dvorak's Cello Concerto. 

[max]

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

listen here

III. Andante molto

...Just listening to it. Never knew that Bizet wrote a "Roma" symphony. It is as you say and it seems even now we still haven't caught up to works of some 19th century composers.

[longears]

Concierto de Aranjuez

[Bonehelm]

the one from saint saens organ symphony

[canninator]

Late to this thread but for what it's worth the answer is easy for me: Concerto de Aranjuez by Rodrigo (Bream recording with Colin Davis/Melos Ensemble). A sublime dark tone and a breath taking sensitivity in the use of colour and dynamics. OOP but the Pepe Romero and Carlos Bonell recordings are also excellent.

[ChamberNut]

Unbelievable.... After 5 pages there is not a single mention of the great Adagio from Bruckner's  Fifth  symphony.

It is simply ecstatic...

Here, here!!  Operahaven.  Fantastic Adagio.  The theme played by the strings at around the 3 minute mark just takes my breath away.  One of my favorites.

Mahler's Adagietto of Symphony No. 5 and Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 Adagio are some of my other favorites.

[Rons_talking]

Hindemith: Symphony in Eb, 2nd mvt. Sehr langsam.  An unjustly neglected symphony anyway, and this movement is utterly gorgeous.

Irving Fine: Partita for Wind Quintet, finale (and also 3rd movement, on a smaller scale).

Did somebody already mention Tchaikovsky's Symphony #1's second movement?

Nice! I love the Hindemith and Fine!

[pjme]

I doubt that it is an adagio ( the score does not mention it - the marking is "lent et calme"), but for those who are looking for a wonderfully slow, Art Nouveau gem ( albeit, on the sentimental side of "gorgeous") I do recommend the second movement of Reynaldo Hahn's violinconcerto : Chant d'amour - souvenir de Tunis.

Fortunately there is a good recording, so everybody can give it a listen. Be prepared to swoon....

http://www.youtube.com/v/d2jyRovBYT4

I wanted to include Max d'Ollone's "Le ménétrier" for violin and orchestra, but that work is no longer available on You Tube. It is a wonderful work though - a kind of French RVW.!  The recording on Claves is excellent.

d'Ollone was alas ( cfr. Florent Schmitt, Joseph Canteloube, Alfred Cortot...) an opportunist during WW2....

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupe_Collaboration

....
Peter

[Cato]

One of the more unusual Adagios is found in Rachmaninov's Third Symphony, where a Scherzo appears in the middle of the Adagio.

[EigenUser]

One of the more unusual Adagios is found in Rachmaninov's ThirdSymphony, where a Scherzo appears in the middle of the Adagio.

Same with Bartok's 2nd PC, though it is pretty terrifying (you'd be hard-pressed to call it a 'scherzo' in the traditional sense).

[Christo]

I wanted to include Max d'Ollone's "Le ménétrier" for violin and orchestra, but that work is no longer available on You Tube. It is a wonderful work though - a kind of French RVW.!  The recording on Claves is excellent. d'Ollone was alas ( cfr. Florent Schmitt, Joseph Canteloube, Alfred Cortot...) an opportunist during WW2....
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupe_Collaboration
....
Peter

The complete d'Ollone CD is on Spotify, for those with an account: http://open.spotify.com/artist/0LwpZyxGm058IDGNIgmUVc

[Jo498]

I wonder who was the first to put a fast section into an adagio. The earliest I can think of is the strange finale of Haydn's quartet op.54/2. Probably that's where Beethoven got the idea for the 2nd movement of his quartet op.18/2 (and there are "scherzando" section in the slow movements of op.127 and 131 as well). Berwald has a "scherzo within adagio" in one of his symphonies and Brahms does a similar thing in his Violin sonata op.100 and in the first string quintet. There are probably more examples.

[North Star]

I wonder who was the first to put a fast section into an adagio. The earliest I can think of is the strange finale of Haydn's quartet op.54/2. Probably that's where Beethoven got the idea for the 2nd movement of his quartet op.18/2 (and there are "scherzando" section in the slow movements of op.127 and 131 as well). Berwald has a "scherzo within adagio" in one of his symphonies and Brahms does a similar thing in his Violin sonata op.100 and in the first string quintet. There are probably more examples.

Vivaldi's Op. 8/2, RV 315 second movement: Adagio - Presto - Adagio. I'd guess there are even earlier instances, though.

Thread duty

How about the adagio from Mozart's gran partita.

Hard to disagree at present

[Mirror Image]

The Adagio in Moeran's Cello Concerto is absolutely heart-wrenching.

[Rons_talking]

The Adagio in Moeran's Cello Concerto is absolutely heart-wrenching.

I agree. I'd never heard of him until recently. Now I'm on RDIO listening to several of his works!

[Mirror Image]

I agree. I'd never heard of him until recently. Now I'm on RDIO listening to several of his works!

Great! What have you heard so far?

[Ten thumbs]

Since someone has used the description 'heart-wrenching' I feel I can mention the slow movement to Fanny Hensel's string quartet. This is certainly the loneliest piece of music I know and the return of the theme in a very high register always sends shivers down my spine.
On a more spiritual note, look up Bonis' 2nd Piano Quartet. The slow movement ending is magical, a moment of perfect repose.

[Holden]

The one that immediately popped to mind was the Ravel G major PC second movement.

The second one was the slow movement from Schubert's E flat Piano Trio but that's an andante  so I suppose it doesn't count