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)
Etude, Op. 2 No. 1Alexander Scriabin
Alexander Scriabin was a late Romantic composer who was called the “Chopin of the Cossacks.” It is said that he composed this piece when he was 14 years old—an astonishing talent.
With its beautiful melody, it is very popular and often performed by renowned pianists.
Why not immerse yourself fully in this classical masterpiece?
Poignant masterpieces of classical music. Recommended classical pieces (51–60)
Sorrow of LoveKreisler=Rachmaninov
Sergei Rachmaninoff, the greatest Russian composer of the 20th century, arranged Fritz Kreisler’s piece of the same title, Liebesleid (Love’s Sorrow)—originally by the Austrian composer-violinist who was Rachmaninoff’s contemporary—into a solo piano version.
In Japan, it drew attention when it was featured as an insert piece in the 2016 live-action film adaptation of the manga Your Lie in April.
While the piece is imbued with sorrow, it also exudes a certain brilliance that suggests hope and longing, creating a captivating, enigmatic atmosphere that makes it an exceptionally attractive work.
Piano Concerto No. 23, 3rd MovementWolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Since the Piano Concerto No.
23 does not use trumpets or timpani, the overall sonority sounds like chamber music.
It is also unique in that clarinets are used instead of oboes.
The second movement is in the rarely used key of F-sharp minor for Mozart, marked Adagio, and features a tranquil melody based on a siciliano rhythm.
Seaside at Dusk, H.128: No. 3 “The Stormy Seashore”Bohuslav Martinů
This piece depicts waves breaking on a seaside at dusk and the sweep of a blustery wind through deft piano arpeggios.
Composed by Bohuslav Martinů in 1921, it is a short work for solo piano included on the album “Evening on the Sea-shore, H.128 and 3 other pieces.” Within its richly resonant, impressionistic colors, a classical framework—the rondo form—breathes, creating a striking dialogue between nature painting and structural elegance.
Its dynamic development evokes the subtitle “Storm,” and the design, which regains calm after a virtuosic cadenza, leaves a strong impression.
It is a gem for anyone who, in a summertime moment, wishes to immerse themselves in piano music that is both dramatic and refreshingly cool.
Partita No. 2 for Solo Violin, V. ChaconneJ.S.Bach
Composed by Bach—known as the “Father of Music”—when he was 35, this work remains one of the most important solo pieces in the violin repertoire.
Among the six pieces that make up the Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin, the Chaconne from the Second Partita is the most famous.
Originally, a chaconne refers to a slow, triple-meter dance style of Italian origin, and in Bach’s time it was often used for variation forms that assumed improvisation, known as an ostinato bass.
In this piece as well, a short bass theme is variously ornamented, giving rise to a majestic musical world.
Piano Sonata No. 14 “Moonlight”Ludwig van Beethoven
Composed when Beethoven was 30, it was published together with Piano Sonata No.
13 under the title “Sonata quasi una fantasia.” The nickname “Moonlight” did not come from Beethoven; it stems from a comment made after his death by a German music critic and poet, who likened the impression of the first movement to “a small boat rocking on the moonlit waves of Lake Lucerne in Switzerland.”
RequiemGabriel Urbain Fauré
Among the works of the French composer Fauré, this piece is performed the most and is known as a masterpiece of the Requiem genre.
Together with the Requiems by Mozart and Verdi, it is sometimes referred to as one of the ‘Three Great Requiems.’ Although it was criticized at the time of its composition for being ‘too innovative,’ it encapsulates Fauré’s belief that ‘death is not so much suffering as it is a release filled with the joy of eternal bliss.’ Within its religious reverie, one can sense a reassuring feeling of eternal peace.