[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.
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Masterpiece Classics: A Special Showcase of Exquisitely Beautiful Gems That Will Move You to Tears (71–80)
Prelude and Allegro in the Style of PugnaniFritz Kreisler
A short piece for violin and piano by Fritz Kreisler, one of the world’s leading violinists of the 20th century.
The “Pugnani” in the title refers to Gaetano Pugnani, an 18th-century Italian violinist.
The Allegro theme, introduced at the opening with only marcato quarter notes, carries a powerful resolve and a sense of tragedy, as if to shake the listener’s soul.
It is followed by virtuosic variations centered on sixteenth notes, driving toward a dramatic climax with cascading phrases that make full use of double stops.
SarabandeGeorg Friedrich Händel
This piece is by Handel, who was born in 1685, the same year as Bach.
He was born in Germany, later found success in Italy, and went on to be active in England.
It was written before the invention of the piano; although it is often performed on the piano today, it was composed as a harpsichord work.
While not particularly demanding technically, it has a striking directness that strips away the unnecessary and appeals straight to the emotions.
It might be interesting to compare it with a performance on the harpsichord.
The Carnival of the Animals, No. 13: The SwanCamille Saint-Saëns
A celebrated work by Camille Saint-Saëns, based on a melody from the suite Le Carnaval des animaux.
Originally conceived as one of the pieces in a suite intended as entertainment for Carnival in early 1886, it was the only movement the composer allowed to be published during his lifetime.
The flowing melody played by the cello evokes the elegant figure of a swan gliding over the water and conjures the dreamlike imagery of the legendary “swan song.” The ballet The Dying Swan, created by Anna Pavlova in 1905 to this music, is renowned worldwide, and figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu’s exhibition performance to the piece also moved many audiences.
This is a piece for those who want to immerse themselves in the beautiful tone of the cello—a sound that seems to make you forget the summer heat and refresh the spirit.
[Masterpiece Classics] A showcase of gem-like masterpieces so beautiful they’ll move you to tears (81–90)
Waltz of SorrowOskar Nedbal
Oskar Nedbal, a modern classical composer who represented Czechoslovakia—the country once comprising what are now the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic—studied under Antonín Dvořák, a leading figure of late Romantic music, and gained popularity for his compositions centered on cello and piano.
Among his works, the piece in which a sense of poignancy is expressed most exquisitely is the “Valse Triste” (Waltz of Sorrow).
Its structure—where a grand and beautiful melody is accented by wistfulness—will surely stir the emotions.
Suite ‘Mirrors’: A Boat on the OceanClaude Debussy
How about a piano piece that carries a cool breeze on a summer afternoon? The opening movement of Claude Debussy’s Petite Suite for piano four hands offers a gentle, beautiful melody that evokes a small boat gliding gracefully across the water and sinks deep into the heart.
Sparkling light and the rippling of water seem to come into view, as if enjoying an Impressionist painting rendered in sound.
First performed in February 1889 in a piano four-hands rendition with the composer himself participating, the work is said to have been influenced by the poetry of Paul Verlaine.
It was later arranged for orchestra in 1907, which has its own distinct charm.
Rich in poetic atmosphere that helps you forget the heat, this piece is perfect for those who wish to enjoy music quietly or add a beautiful accent to everyday life.
The gentle resonance of the piano is sure to bring a most pleasant time.
Summer MorningHeino Kasuki
This is a piano piece by the Finnish composer Heino Kaski, known as Op.
35-1 “Summer Morning.” The work features a beautifully transparent melody that seems to capture the pure air of a Nordic morning in sound.
Its delicate trills evoke the sparkle of sunlight filtering through leaves, and the gentle yet gradually broadening brightness will refresh the listener’s heart.
It has a cool, invigorating quality that makes you forget muggy heat, and it’s perfect for quietly enjoying music.
Believed to have been composed in the early 1920s, it is also included in pianist Izumi Tateno’s acclaimed album “Piano Works.”
Elegy for Piano and String OrchestraAlla Pavlova
Ala Pavlova is a female composer originally from Russia who resides in the United States.
She is renowned for her romantic music, and every piece she writes captivates listeners.
The title “Elegy” refers to a literary or musical work that laments sorrow; in Japanese, it is translated as “hika” or “aika.” The music, dramatic yet imbued with wistful Russian melodies scattered throughout, appeals directly to the audience’s emotions and moves them to tears.
It is a piece that combines fluid grace with heartrending pain.