A poignant classic masterpiece. Recommended classical music.
Introducing heartrending classical pieces in one go!
Even when we say “heartrending classical music,” the moods and styles vary widely.
This time, we’ve picked out a range of moving masterpieces—from piano and violin works to miniatures, chamber music, concertos, and orchestral pieces.
Alongside the classics, we’ve lined up a wide selection that includes lesser-known, more obscure works that even avid classical listeners might not immediately recognize.
Whether you’re just getting into classical music or already deeply immersed, there’s plenty to enjoy—so please relax and read to the end!
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Poignant classics: Recommended classical music (41–50)
Waltz No. 10Frederic Chopin
This is Frédéric Chopin’s Waltz No.
10 in B minor, Op.
69-2, whose melancholy melody evokes a tight, heart-wrenching sensation.
Believed to have been composed when Chopin was around nineteen, it is notable for its simple structure and unadorned, rustic melody.
While the main theme overflows with longing, the middle section takes on a warm, blissful air, as if reflecting on happier days gone by.
Yet that respite is brief, and we are drawn back into profound sorrow.
It’s a piece to listen to when you want to linger in wistfulness, or gently work through your sadness.
Symphonic Poem “Má vlast” No. 2 “Vltava (The Moldau)”Bedrich Smetana
The second piece of the symphonic poem Má vlast, Vltava (The Moldau), is the most famous of Smetana’s works.
It depicts two small streams merging into a single current that flows through forests and meadows, past the ruins of a castle, widening as it goes, and finally disappearing into a larger river.
The opening theme has become familiar in arrangements for solo song and chorus, and has also been adapted into jazz, rock, and popular music.
Song of SorrowHeitor Villa-Lobos
Heitor Villa-Lobos, the Brazilian composer.
While he wrote many passionate pieces, he also created mature, gently lyrical works like this, showcasing an impressively wide musical range.
He also produced works for guitar and piano, all crafted with clear melodies that make them approachable.
Symphony No. 9, From the New World, Second Movement ‘Going Home’Antonín Dvořák
Known in Japan as a song often played around the time people head home, “Symphony No.
9, From the New World – II.
Largo (Going Home).” Its melody is beautiful, yet it somehow evokes a feeling of loneliness.
Antonín Dvořák, a Czech composer who gained fame with his Slavonic Dances, completed this piece while living in the United States.
Symphony No. 5, Fourth MovementGustav Mahler
This piece is also famous for its striking use in Luchino Visconti’s 1912 film Death in Venice.
It is one of the works Mahler wrote at the height of his career, when he married Alma—20 years his junior—and began associating with various artists.
The piece is said to be a love letter to his newlywed wife, Alma.
Accompanied by a mysterious harp, the violin begins to spin a leisurely, emotive melody.
As its beautiful yet heartrending theme unfolds, the music gradually gains richness and depth, making it a captivating work.
Second Movement from the Symphony of LamentHenryk Górecki
Henrik Górecki, a composer from Poland.
This piece was composed based on a poem left on a wall by a Jewish girl during World War II.
It expresses a cry of anguish, and the singing and its lyrics resonate deeply.
It’s a work you’ll want to listen to while reading the lyrics as well.
ZigeunerweisenPablo de Sarasate
Here is a solo violin piece with orchestral accompaniment composed by the Spanish violinist Sarasate and completed in 1878.
In Japan, it’s often used like a sound effect in scenes that convey various kinds of misfortune, so even those who aren’t classical music fans have probably heard it at least once.
It’s also frequently used in figure skating programs.
The piece offers plenty of violin techniques and showy moments, making it a captivating and wonderful work.
