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 masterpieces of classical music. Recommended classical pieces (51–60)
Nocturne No. 18 in E major, Op. 62 No. 2Frederic Chopin
A late masterpiece by Frédéric Chopin, a leading composer of the Romantic era.
Published in 1846, this work is a gem in which Chopin’s mature virtuosity and profound sensitivity are fused.
Its meditative melody, reminiscent of the stillness of night, seeps into the listener’s heart.
The piece is also interpreted as symbolizing Chopin’s acceptance of an inescapable fate; even amid its air of melancholy and resignation, its beautiful harmonies and delicate melodic lines shine.
It is a recommended work for those wishing to become acquainted with classical music or seeking music to soothe the soul.
At the seaside at nightHeino Kasuki
How about a short piano piece that seems to turn the shimmering specks of light along a Nordic night shore into sound? This Finnish work lets the piano’s high register ring with clarity, making you feel as if you’re gazing at twinkling stars in the night sky.
Its allure stands out in the recording left by pianist Izumi Tateno in April 1999, where the delicate tones seep deep into the heart.
The piece’s gentle, dreamlike melody—its hallmark—will help you forget the swelter of summer.
Recommended for those who wish to spend a cool, tranquil moment, listening to beautiful piano sonorities in the stillness.
Kol NidreMax Bruch
It is a concertante work for cello and orchestra composed by Bruch.
In writing the piece, Bruch drew on Jewish music, using two melodies: the liturgical chant Kol Nidre, sung on Jewish holy days, and the lament “Ah, Weep for Them.” He had a broad interest in various folk musics and incorporated them into his works; Bruch himself was Protestant and is said not to have intended to compose Jewish music.
Adagio by AlbinoniRemo Giazotto
This piece is a work for string ensemble and organ composed by Remo Giazotto, and it is also performed with string ensemble alone.
It has been thought to be an arrangement of a piece by Tomaso Albinoni and has been known as “Albinoni’s Adagio,” but it is said that it contains none of the Albinoni material alleged to be the original source.
Heart-wrenching classics: Recommended classical music (61–70)
Concierto de Aranjuez, Second MovementJoaquín Rodrigo
The second movement is famous for its beautiful, wistful melody.
Rodrigo composed it with a wish for peace after witnessing the damage the Spanish Civil War inflicted on Aranjuez, the old capital of Spain.
It is also said that the second movement, in particular, contains prayers for his ailing wife and the child he lost.
There are arrangements in popular classical and jazz styles, and the versions with lyrics—“Aranjuez, Mon Amour” and “My Heart Sings of Aranjuez”—are also well known.
String Quartet No. 1, Second Movement: Andante cantabilePyotr Tchaikovsky
This is a gem of a masterpiece inspired by a Ukrainian folk song.
The serene melody born from the harmony of the strings evokes deep emotion in the listener.
Its beautiful tune, which gently enfolds the feelings of a young person in love, delicately portrays the subtleties of human emotion.
There is an anecdote that even Russia’s great literary giant Tolstoy was moved to tears by this work.
masterfully expressing both the anxieties and hopes of love, it is a piece that offers solace to those troubled by romance.
The moving performance at a special concert in December 1876 was recorded by the composer in his diary as a lifelong source of pride.
Song Collection of 14, No. 14: VocaliseSergei Rachmaninov
Vocalise is a singing technique used mainly for vocal exercises, in which one sings only vowels such as “ah,” and this Rachmaninoff piece also has no lyrics.
It was originally written for solo voice and piano accompaniment, but the composer later created an orchestral version himself.
There are many arrangements, including a solo piano version and duet versions for a solo instrument such as cello or violin with piano accompaniment.
In arranged versions, the piece is often transposed to E minor.