[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 (31–40)
sighEdward Elgar
A work by the English composer Edward Elgar, known for the violin’s beautiful, moving melody in Salut d’Amour.
In 1914, on the eve of World War I, it was composed for string ensemble with harp and organ.
Behind the richly layered strings, the subtly played harp lends a poignant hue, making it a piece that deeply resonates with the heart.
The harp part is also performed on the piano.
It’s enjoyable to listen to performances by various ensembles and appreciate how the instrumentation changes the color of the sound.
EARTHMuramatsu Takatsugu
This piece, performed as a flute and piano duo, is a grand work themed around the Earth’s environment and the beauty of nature.
The flute’s gentle melodies and the piano’s rich resonance intertwine exquisitely, evoking the sensation of traveling through the great outdoors.
The structure begins with a quiet introduction, gradually unfolds into a dramatic development, and finally moves toward a tranquil close.
This dynamic contour brings deep emotional expression to the music and captivates listeners.
It’s a recommended piece for those who want to feel their love for nature and the Earth through music, and for anyone who wishes to fully savor the charm of the flute.
Largo in E-flat majorFrederic Chopin
Frederic Chopin’s Largo in E-flat major evokes a tightening in the chest with its wistful, drifting melody.
Composed in 1837, this piece embodies Chopin’s patriotism and longing for his homeland.
It also drew attention when Kyohei Sorita performed it at the International Chopin Piano Competition.
Unfolding at a relaxed tempo, its gentle yet richly expressive melody deeply stirs the listener.
A distinctive feature is how affection for Poland’s history and culture is conveyed through delicate expressivity and technical refinement.
Why not listen to it when you want to sink into a bittersweet mood or quietly gather your thoughts?
Symphony No. 6 “Pathétique”Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Symphony No.
6 “Pathétique” by the Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky—who left many grand works such as the ballet music Swan Lake—was his final composition and is counted among the representative symphonies of the late 19th century.
Tchaikovsky is said to have written in a letter that he was “prouder of this than any other work,” suggesting it was a piece in which he took great confidence.
Particularly famous is the fourth movement, which, true to its subtitle, is suffused with pathos.
Why not quietly savor its heartbreakingly beautiful harmonies that seem to pierce the soul?
Adagio in D minor for Strings and OrganRemo Giazotto
It’s a piece for string orchestra and organ composed by the Italian musician Remo Giazotto and published in 1958.
The work is also known as “Adagio in G minor” (often called “Albinoni’s Adagio”).
It was once believed that Giazotto had elaborated on a fragment by the Baroque composer Tomaso Albinoni, who was born in Italy in 1671, but it is now understood that the entire piece was composed by Giazotto himself.
When we think of organ music, we tend to picture the Baroque era, but newer works like this are wonderful too.
Starry NightClaude Debussy
This is an early study from the youth of Claude Debussy, a composer who epitomizes French Impressionism.
Composed when he was around 18, the work is regarded as an important piece that paved the way for his later impressionist style.
Gentle harmonies embrace a poem that depicts dreaming beneath the starry sky, creating a calm and fantastical world.
The piano part features compound chords and the tender nuances of diminished seventh chords, showcasing Debussy’s characteristic delicacy of tone to full effect.
It is a piece you can savor for its quintessential Debussian sound—why not listen to it at leisure while gazing at the stars?
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43, Variation 18: Andante cantabileSergei Rachmaninov
The great composer Sergei Rachmaninoff.
Also active as a pianist, he created many masterpieces during his lifetime.
Among them, one particularly moving work is the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.
43, Variation 18 “Andante cantabile.” Another masterpiece with an equally beautiful melody is Vocalise, but whereas that piece carries a wistful, sorrowful tune, this one is crafted with an inspiring melody that instills a sense of hope.
Angel’s SerenadeGaetano Braga
Gaetano Braga was an Italian cellist and composer active in the 19th century.
Although it is often performed with piano and string instruments, it was originally a song, with the vocal melody added above these instruments.
The story unfolds in the form of a dialogue between a mother and her child, centered on the mysterious angelic singing heard by the child on their deathbed.
It bears the subtitle “From the Legend of Wallachia,” and Wallachia is the name of a region in southern Romania; the piece was composed based on a legend from that area.
Ave MariaGiulio Caccini
A work that maintains a solemn and poignant atmosphere throughout.
Both the lyrics and the melody are simple, but precisely because of their simplicity, the piece has the power to resonate directly with the heart.
This piece has been known as “Caccini’s Ave Maria,” and, together with Schubert’s Ave Maria and Gounod’s Ave Maria, was once referred to as one of the “three great Ave Marias.” However, it is now suspected that the work may actually be by the former Soviet musician Vavilov.
He was a 20th-century guitarist and lutenist who had no formal training in composition, and it is said that he hesitated to publish works under his own name; as a result, he may have released the piece under Caccini’s name.
Fantasiestücke, Op. 3 No. 1: ElegySergei Rachmaninov
Sergei Rachmaninoff, a genius pianist and composer, produced many masterpieces.
His melodies, suffused with a sense of pathos, are especially highly regarded.
Among his works, one particularly known for moving listeners to tears is Elegie, No.
1 from Morceaux de fantaisie, Op.
3.
Composed in his youth, it is characterized by emotionally charged, wistful melodies.
Because the piece can sound quite different depending on the performer, I encourage you to compare recordings by various pianists.