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.
- [Orchestra] Introducing famous and popular pieces
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- Mozart: An Introduction to His Signature and Popular Works
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- Debussy’s masterpiece. Popular classical music.
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- Brahms's masterpieces. Popular classical music.
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- [Violin] A curated selection of beloved classic masterpieces and popular pieces that continue to be cherished across eras
- [Masterpiece Classics] A special showcase of gem-like masterpieces so beautiful they’ll move you to tears
- A poignant classic masterpiece. Recommended classical music.
- [François Couperin] Introducing famous and popular pieces by the composer who loved the harpsichord
- Classic masterpieces recommended for women
Classical masterpieces. Recommended classical music (1–10)
“Ride of the Valkyries” from the opera “Die Walküre”Richard Wagner
You often hear this piece on variety shows and the like.
It is the overture to Act III of Wagner’s music drama Die Walküre, composed in 1856.
“Valkyries” refers to multiple demi-goddesses from Norse mythology; in Japanese they’re sometimes called war goddesses.
This piece serves as the prelude to the scene where the Valkyries, mounted on winged horses and armed with shields and spears, race across the sky to carry the souls of fallen soldiers back to a rocky mountaintop.
Air on the G StringJ.S.Bach
Bach’s “Air on the G String” is the popular name for an arrangement of the second movement of the Orchestral Suite No.
3 in D major, BWV 1068, made by violinist August Wilhelmj for solo violin with piano accompaniment.
The piece is transposed from D major to C major, which allows it to be played entirely on the violin’s lowest string—the G string—hence the title.
It is also called heavenly music and is known for its sweet, lyrical melody; it’s frequently used in films and on television.
Don’t you think it really sounds like music that might be playing in heaven?
Clair de Lune from Suite bergamasqueClaude Debussy
From the title “Clair de Lune,” one might imagine an otherworldly moonlit night.
However, what Debussy sought to portray was not merely a scene of moonlight.
The piece draws inspiration from “Clair de Lune,” a poem in French poet Verlaine’s collection Fêtes galantes.
In this poem, an ambiguous world is depicted, where opposing elements—joy and sorrow—are intricately intertwined.
Captivated by the poem, Debussy depicted this ambiguous world of “moonlight” without using words.
Dance of DeathFranz Liszt
This is Franz Liszt’s piano solo arrangement of Danse macabre, a symphonic poem by the French composer Camille Saint-Saëns.
The symphonic poem originated from a song composed by Saint-Saëns based on a poem by the French poet Henri Cazalis, which he later orchestrated into the work known today.
Danse macabre depicts people and the Grim Reaper dancing wildly around graves in the face of death’s terror, and the image of the Reaper and skeletons rattling their bones and dancing frenetically past midnight atop the graves is brilliantly rendered even on the piano.
Symphony No. 9 “Choral”Ludwig van Beethoven
Beethoven’s exceedingly famous Symphony No.
9 in D minor, Op.
125 “Choral” is a monumental masterpiece that, while possessing a comprehensive quality reminiscent of a summation of pre-Classical music, also served as a signpost for the coming era of Romantic music.
The fourth movement is performed with soloists and chorus and is well known as the “Ode to Joy.” Although the original lyrics are in German, they have been translated into virtually every language around the world.
Conceived by Beethoven from the age of 22, the work was, so to speak, a lifelong endeavor, and its impact on not only the world of music but also on culture and the arts is immeasurable.
BoleroMaurice Ravel
This memorable piece, with the same melody repeated over and over, is probably familiar to many listeners.
It was composed at the request of the ballet dancer Rubinstein as a ballet piece for a Spanish character.
“Boléro” refers to a dance that originated in Spain around the end of the 18th century.
It is characterized by a light rhythm and a gradual enlargement of scale.
Scene from the ballet music Swan LakePyotr Tchaikovsky
This is ‘Scene’ from Swan Lake, the ballet music composed by Pyotr Tchaikovsky.
As a popular composer known for his melancholic melodies and lavish orchestration, Tchaikovsky seems to move listeners’ emotions directly.
Because it is frequently performed in classical concerts, it also puts conductors’ abilities to the test.
Along with The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, it is regarded as one of the three great ballets.
A Little Night MusicWolfgang Amadeus Mozart
In G major, K.
525, Eine kleine Nachtmusik is one of the serenades composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, an extremely famous piece that has been featured in films and on television.
It feels like a work in which the genius Mozart simply jotted down the notes that descended to him.
It’s easy for anyone to understand, yet it possesses a high level of musical sophistication.
You can sense a different kind of talent from that of Beethoven, who is also called a genius.
“Winter” from The Four Seasons, a violin concertoAntonio Lucio Vivaldi
“The Four Seasons” is the collective name for the first through fourth concertos of Vivaldi’s “The Contest Between Harmony and Invention,” titled Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.
In the first movement of “Winter,” a scene of bitterly cold, fruit-freezing snow is depicted.
By contrast, the second movement portrays time flowing gently and peacefully inside a warm room with a fireplace.
The melody of the second movement has Japanese lyrics under the title “Shiroi Michi” (The White Road).
This song has also been broadcast on NHK’s “Minna no Uta” and is widely loved by people of all ages.
Etude No. 3 “Farewell”Frederic Chopin
You’ve probably heard the opening melody at least once.
Because this piece was used in the 1934 German film “Farewell to the Past,” which depicts Chopin’s life, it’s affectionately known in Japan as “Farewell to the Past.” Around the time this piece was written, Chopin had left his native Poland and moved his base to Paris.
Perhaps the music reflects both his longing for success in Paris and his nostalgia for the countryside.