[Masterpiece Classics] A special showcase of gem-like masterpieces so beautiful they’ll move you to tears
Masterpieces of classical music are played on TV, in movies, and in shopping malls, permeating our daily lives as background music.
There are many times when a piece that mysteriously brings you to tears turns out to be a work of classical music.
This time, from among such classical works, we’ve carefully selected timeless masterpieces under the theme “so heartbreakingly beautiful they’ll make you cry.”
Please enjoy to your heart’s content the profound sonorities unique to classical music, which combines both delicacy and boldness.
- A poignant classic masterpiece. Recommended classical music.
- Timelessly beautiful classical masterpieces. Recommended classical music.
- [Violin] A curated selection of beloved classic masterpieces and popular pieces that continue to be cherished across eras
- Cool classical masterpieces. Recommended classical music.
- Masterpieces of classical piano that are too beautiful for words. A gathering of delicate tones that cleanse the soul.
- [Orchestra] Introducing famous and popular pieces
- Popular classical piano pieces. A collection of masterful performances by Japanese pianists.
- Cello Masterpieces: A comprehensive introduction to exquisite classical works that let you savor its profound timbre
- Classical Masterpieces: Recommended Works You Should Hear at Least Once
- [Ultra-Advanced] Even challenging for advanced players! A curated selection of highly difficult piano pieces
- Gabriel Fauré | Introduction to His Famous and Representative Works
- Masterpieces for Harp: A curated selection of distinguished works featuring noble and delicate tones
- Today's Classics: Recommended classical music and great performances to listen to today
Masterpiece Classics: A Special Showcase of Exquisitely Beautiful Gems That Will Move You to Tears (71–80)
Concertino, Op. 107Cécile Chaminade
Cécile Chaminade was a French composer active from the late 19th to the early 20th century.
Her representative work for flute was written in 1902 as an examination piece for the Paris Conservatory.
This single-movement piece is characterized by ornate solo passages and is renowned as a technically demanding work, making it popular in competitions.
Symbolizing romance and passion, the piece draws out the performer’s full expressive range.
It is highly recommended for those who wish to enjoy the flute’s beautiful tone and rich expressiveness.
Ballade No. 1Frederic Chopin
The term “ballade” originates from a French word meaning “story,” and generally refers to a narrative poem.
In the Romantic era, when Chopin was active, there was a tendency to incorporate literature into music.
This work is said to have been inspired by the ballads of the Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz.
Among the four ballades, No.
1 is the most popular.
It combines gloom and purity with power, and is characterized by its ever-changing expressions.
Jesu, Joy of Man’s DesiringJ.S.Bach
This piece was composed by Johann Sebastian Bach in 1723.
It was written as the final movement of the church cantata “Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben.” The harmonies woven by the counter-melodies are beautiful and majestic.
It’s fascinating to think that, in Japan’s Edo period, music like this was being performed in Germany.
This piece is very popular and has been arranged for instruments such as classical guitar and piano.
It’s also a piece you often hear at weddings and during Christmas.
Méditation from the opera ThaïsJules Massenet
Here is a piece composed by the French composer Jules Massenet, born in 1842.
It was written as an intermezzo between Scene 1 and Scene 2 of Act II in the opera Thaïs, which premiered in 1894.
Although the piece was created with a religious connotation, its sweet, characteristically French melody possesses a different kind of charm from what is generally considered religious music.
Also popular as a violin solo, this famous piece is likely one that even those who are not classical music fans have heard at least once.
Old Clock Tower, Op. 48-2Heino Kaski
Heino Kaski, a great composer representing Finland.
Though World War I prevented him from achieving widespread success, he produced several masterpieces.
The piece I’m introducing today, Old Clock Tower, Op.
48-2, is one of his signature works.
It features a tragic melody and, while it is a dark piece, it also conveys a sense of brilliance.
In the middle section, the interplay of major and minor keys vividly expresses shifting emotions, so be sure to listen for that carefully.
48 Motif Collection — Esquisse, Op. 63 No. 1 in C major “Phantasm”Charles Valentin Alkan
This is a work by the French composer Charles-Valentin Alkan, known for études of extremely high difficulty that demand superlative technique.
It consists of 49 pieces—48 numbered pieces plus one without an opus number—and is considered relatively less difficult among Alkan’s piano works.
The fact that it cycles through the 24 keys twice across the collection evokes Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier.
No.
1, “Fantômes” (Phantoms), is a piece that lets you leisurely savor the beauty of the piano’s timbre.
Don’t be intimidated just because it’s Alkan—sit back, relax, and give it a listen.
BirdsongPablo Casals
This piece is a folk song from Catalonia, Spain.
It became known worldwide when the renowned cellist Pablo Casals, anguished by the troubled state of his homeland, performed it before President Kennedy.
Casals, who had not given concerts since 1938, played it as a plea for peace, moving many listeners.
The song is originally a traditional Catalan Christmas carol in which birds sing to celebrate the birth of Christ.