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 (111–120)

Overture from the operetta “Orpheus in the Underworld”Jacques Offenbach

Orpheus in the Underworld Overture / Jacques Offenbach: Overture to the operetta 'Orpheus in the Underworld'

Overture from the operetta “Orpheus in the Underworld”Jacques Offenbach

Composed by Offenbach in 1858, this operetta was created as a parody of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, which was experiencing a revival boom at the time.

For Japanese people, the third section of the overture is especially famous as a school sports-day tune, and just hearing that part might make many feel an almost reflexive urge to start running.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Waltz ‘The Blue Danube’Johann Strauss II

Johann Strauss II / Waltz “The Blue Danube” | Sascha Goetzel – NHK Symphony Orchestra

Waltz 'The Blue Danube'Johann Strauss II

Johann Strauss II’s waltz “The Blue Danube” is said to be one of Strauss II’s “three great waltzes,” along with “Tales from the Vienna Woods” and the “Emperor Waltz.” In Austria, it is called the “second national anthem.” The piece is known for symbolizing the unification of Austria through the flow of the Danube, and it is also famous as a work that is always performed at the Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s Concert.

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Pictures at an ExhibitionModest Mussorgsky

Mussorgsky – Pictures at an Exhibition – Karajan

Pictures at an ExhibitionModest Mussorgsky

Pictures at an Exhibition is a composition consisting of ten pieces inspired by paintings and five Promenades.

There are arrangements by Rimsky-Korsakov and Ravel, but it was Ravel’s version that made Pictures at an Exhibition famous.

In addition to the orchestral version, it has been arranged into various formats, including piano and wind ensemble versions, and is performed by many people.

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Violin ConcertoFelix Mendelssohn

Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto — Perlman (vn)

Violin ConcertoFelix Mendelssohn

One of the three great violin concertos, commonly known as the “Mendelssohn.” The violin’s opening melody—beautiful, elegant, and tinged with melancholy—is one you’ve likely heard at least once.

It’s divided into three movements, but they’re played without breaks, so there’s no confusion about when to applaud at a concert.

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Prelude and AllegroFritz Kreisler

Itzhak Perlman-Pugnani Kreisler-Preludium and Allegro

Prelude and AllegroFritz Kreisler

A piece with a superb contrast between a baroque-style, resonantly sung melodic prelude and a quickened Allegro section.

The final cascading arpeggios and double-stops, in particular, fit the climax perfectly.

It’s even nicknamed “Mishi-mishi” based on the scale of the opening melody.

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Elegy for Cello and PianoGabriel Fauré

Gabriel Fauré – Op.24, Élégie (Gaisford, Melgar)

Elegy for Cello and PianoGabriel Fauré

A piece well known from the drama “Aibou.” It opens with a quiet, sorrow-laden melody; in the middle a beautiful, gentle theme appears but vanishes in an instant, and then the mournful melody resounds with weight once more—a true gem.

The composer, Fauré, is said to have loved the cello throughout his life.

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Maiden’s PrayerTekla Bądarzewska

Tomoharu Ushida – Badarzewska: A Maiden’s Prayer

Maiden's PrayerTekla Bądarzewska

My impression is that this is the kind of piece elementary and junior high school students who are learning piano want to try playing once they’ve gotten better—around the time they’re finishing Beyer, perhaps.

It’s a popular piece at piano recitals, but I feel the composer’s name isn’t very well known.

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In conclusion

Maybe you’ve found that one song that makes you think, “I’ve heard this!” or “I love this!” You might have thought that classical music felt a bit intimidating, but it actually pops up quite often in everyday life.

Take this opportunity to explore and listen to various pieces!