[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 showcase of exquisitely beautiful gems that will move you to tears (11–20)
Hymn No. 320: “Nearer, My God, to Thee”Eliza Flower)
The hymn based on Jacob’s dream is a work themed around the desire to draw closer to God.
Set to a beautiful melody by Eliza Flower, it has continued to move listeners deeply.
Its lyrics convey the meaning of approaching God even through hardship, and it is also known from the Titanic episode.
In Japan, it has been used in the final episode of A Dog of Flanders and at funerals, and is cherished as a song of parting tinged with poignancy.
This piece is recommended for those facing life’s trials and for anyone seeking a hymn that resonates with the heart.
Since its publication in 1841, it has become a classic sung around the world.
Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral from the opera LohengrinWilhelm Wagner
This piece, with its majestic and sacred atmosphere, unfolds at a leisurely tempo and is distinguished by its rich orchestration.
The harmony between brass and strings is beautiful, leaving listeners deeply moved.
Premiered in August 1850, the work depicts a scene from an opera, superbly conveying the protagonist’s purity and the solemnity of the ritual.
It is often used as background music for weddings and religious ceremonies and is beloved by many.
It is recommended not only for those interested in classical music but also for anyone seeking a beautiful melody that resonates with the heart.
reverieClaude Debussy
Claude Debussy, the French composer whose unconventional works profoundly influenced modern music, exemplifies a free approach to harmony unbound by functional tonality.
Though he wrote many pieces with beautiful melodies, one I especially recommend is Reverie.
Composed under financial duress out of necessity, it nonetheless features a graceful, untroubled melodic line.
In his later years, Debussy judged the piece harshly, but today it is cherished by many listeners as a beloved classic.
Air on the G StringJ.S.Bach
This piece is an arrangement of the “Air” from the second movement of Bach’s Orchestral Suite No.
3.
The G string refers to the lowest of the four strings on the violin, and because it can be performed using only this string, it is known as “Air on the G String.” Originally in D major, it was transposed and arranged by the violinist August Wilhelmj, making performance solely on the G string possible.
Each instrument weaves its own beautiful melody, interlacing and competing while interacting with the others, so that every part takes a leading role and together they create a beautiful, unified world.
Lascia ch’io pianga (Let me weep) from the opera RinaldoGeorg Friedrich Händel
An opera based on Tasso’s Jerusalem Delivered, with a libretto by Giacomo Rossi, Rinaldo tells the story of the Crusader hero, the knight Rinaldo, who nearly loses himself under the sorcery of the enemy witch Armida, but with the help of those around him ultimately defeats his foes.
This aria is sung in the scene where Almirena, a woman captured by the enemy sorceress, laments her misfortune while thinking of her beloved.
It is a moving piece in which Almirena’s heartrending cry—forced by her youth and beauty to walk a merciless path—resonates deeply.
Pavane for a Newborn PrincessCharles-Henry
Characterized by an elegant and serene melody, this piece is filled with joy and hope celebrating the birth of new life.
Despite its brief duration of about 1 minute and 25 seconds, it demands delicate touch and expressive nuance.
The key to performance lies in conveying the work’s grace and joy through subtle changes in phrasing and dynamics.
Often featured in piano education settings, it is recommended for those wishing to cultivate expressiveness or seeking an encore piece for a recital.
In May 2023, a concert including this piece was held at the Paris Conservatoire, captivating the audience.
[Masterpiece Classics] A comprehensive selection of exquisitely beautiful gems that will move you to tears (21–30)
Nocturne No. 20 in C-sharp minor, “Posthumous”Frederic Chopin
Set against a left-hand arpeggiated accompaniment, the right hand sings a sweet and sentimental melody—one piece that vividly showcases the talent of Chopin, known as the “poet of the piano.” Around the time he composed this work, Chopin was deeply in love with a young soprano, Konstancja Gładkowska.
However, because she was the daughter of a royal official and thus of high social status, Chopin never confessed his feelings, and his first love came to an end.
This piece conveys the bittersweet ache and fresh innocence of unrequited love.