Lovely classics

Classical masterpieces. Recommended classical music.

Former vocal coach specializing in Western musicRyo
With the motto “Learn the basics and enjoy putting them into practice,” I worked as a vocal coach specializing in Western music. As a teen, I questioned the idea that “Western music equals English,” and started listening to songs from around the world. Today, I devour music from over 80 countries and run a personal blog introducing tracks. I often listen to genres like nuevo flamenco, bolero, canzone, and R&B. I’ll keep updating articles daily to find the one perfect song you’re looking for!
Piano-playing singer-songwriter / Executive Committee Member, Special Music Festival in Rinku OsakaHousui Sachiyo
I learned to hit the keys on a toy piano, started Electone lessons at six, and began piano at ten. I loved the piano so much that I declared, “I want to go to a music college!” and from junior high I studied vocal music, ear training, and music theory (though I never even took the entrance exam in the end). In my childhood, my saxophone-playing father introduced me to jazz, and my mother to rockabilly. I was utterly obsessed with classical music in junior high. In high school, my grandmother took me to hear live tango performances, and before I knew it I’d become an eclectic listener. Lately, influenced by my high-school-aged daughter, I’ve been listening to koto music and nagauta. I hold the rather rare qualification of ‘Music Proficiency Test Level 3, Western Music track.’

Classical music created by various musicians over a long history.

From pieces whose beautiful melodies bring peace of mind to those whose grandeur overwhelms you, the range is truly diverse.

With so much out there, many people may feel, “I want to listen, but I don’t know where to start.”

For you, we’ve picked out some recommendations to get you started—“Begin with these!”

Please take a moment to enjoy the world of classical music that continues to be loved across the ages.

Classical Masterpieces: Recommended Classical Music (101–110)

regretTaki Rentarō

Rentaro Taki – Posthumous Work – Grudge (Regret) / Rentaro Taki – Regret – Eiko Okuno

regretTaki Rentarō

The posthumous work of Rentarō Taki, famed for his children’s songs.

He was also the first Japanese composer to write a piano solo piece, and this work is likewise for piano.

The title may sound ominous, but the music unfolds with a sad yet beautiful melody, as if sublimating the regret brought on by illness.

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The Tale of the Bamboo CutterKishi Koichi

Composed by Koichi Kishi: 'The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter' — Katsumi Matsumoto (violin), Bessera Perovska (piano)

The Tale of the Bamboo CutterKishi Koichi

A violin piece by Koichi Kishi, who was also a violinist, in which Western-style and Japanese-style melodies blend naturally and effortlessly, making it very easy to listen to.

It became world-famous when it was performed at the celebration party for Hideki Yukawa’s Nobel Prize.

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Nirvana SymphonyMayuzumi Toshirō

Toshiro Mayuzumi, Nirvana Symphony

Nirvana SymphonyMayuzumi Toshirō

A single piece that’s almost too avant-garde: by Toshiro Mayuzumi—composer and the first and longest-serving host of “Untitled Concert”—it tries to produce bell-like sounds with an orchestra, and even brings in Buddhist shōmyō chanting mid-piece.

Listening to it feels almost trance-inducing.

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Symphony No. 5 “Revolution”Dmitri Shostakovich

Mravinsky – Shostakovich Symphony No. 5

Symphony No. 5 “Revolution”Dmitri Shostakovich

A rare symphony in which every movement is relatively well-known, thanks to appearances in films, TV dramas, and anime.

At the time it was composed, friends and acquaintances of Shostakovich were caught up in Stalin’s Great Purge, and Shostakovich’s own position was quite precarious, but the success of this piece safely restored his reputation.

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Love’s GreetingEdward William Elgar

Elgar Love’s Greeting #Edward William Elgar #Salut d’amour

Love's GreetingEdward William Elgar

Elgar’s Salut d’Amour: he presented this piece in 1888 as an engagement gift to Caroline Alice Roberts, defying opposition from her relatives who disapproved of their relationship.

It overflows with Elgar’s deep affection for Alice.

Listening to it gently softens the heart.

It’s a favorite among female violinists and is often featured in concerts.

You’ll also hear it frequently in films and on television.

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“Vltava (The Moldau)” from the symphonic poem cycle “Má vlast (My Homeland)”Friedrich Smetana

[Stanislav Kochanovsky] Bedřich Smetana: Vltava (The Moldau), symphonic poem

"Vltava (The Moldau)" from the symphonic poem cycle "Má vlast (My Homeland)"Friedrich Smetana

Watch “'Vltava (The Moldau)' from the symphonic poem cycle 'Má vlast (My Homeland)' by Bedřich Smetana” on YouTube

This is the original piece of “The Moldau,” a classic for choral competitions.

Some of you may have sung it in middle school.

It depicts the scenery of the Vltava River, which gathers waters from the Bohemian Basin and becomes a majestic flow.

While the river is one of the symbols of the Czech Republic, “Moldau” is actually the German name; in Czech, it is called “Vltava.”

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Classical masterpieces. Recommended classical music (111–120)

Farandole from L’Arlésienne Suite No. 2Georges Bizet

Bizet / L’Arlésienne Suite No. 2 – Farandole – Orchestra Canvas Tokyo

Farandole from L'Arlésienne Suite No. 2Georges Bizet

The work “L’Arlésienne” consists of the First Suite and the Second Suite.

The Farandole is the fourth piece in the Second Suite.

Alongside the opera “Carmen,” it is one of Bizet’s most popular pieces.

Even if you don’t know the title, you’ve probably heard its striking introduction somewhere.

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