[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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- Today's Classics: Recommended classical music and great performances to listen to today
[Masterpieces of Classical Music] A comprehensive introduction to exquisitely beautiful gems that will move you to tears (51–60)
Dance of the Blessed Spirits from the opera Orfeo ed EuridiceChristoph Willibald Gluck
The opera Orfeo ed Euridice consists of three acts and is set on a stage that blends the wondrous world of spirits from Greek mythology with reality.
It tells the story of the love between the husband Orfeo, who bravely fights to reclaim his deceased wife from the realm of spirits and bring her back to the living world, and his wife Euridice.
It is a tale similar to the Japanese myth in which Izanagi travels to the land of the dead to see Izanami.
Dance of the Blessed Spirits is performed in Act II, in the scene where spirits dance in the meadows of heaven.
It’s a bright and beautiful piece that lets you imagine the spirits dancing joyfully, isn’t it?
String Quartet No. 77 in C major, Op. 76 No. 3, Hob. III:77, II. “God Save Emperor Francis”Franz Joseph Haydn
Among the works of Franz Joseph Haydn, often called the father of classical music, his string quartets hold a special place.
Composed in 1797, this piece was created as a tribute to Emperor Francis II of Austria.
The melody used in the second movement is based on the Austrian national anthem, which Haydn himself composed.
Its world of sound—woven from beautiful melodies and masterful variations—will deeply move listeners.
Seamlessly blending patriotism with musical creativity, this work is highly recommended for those who wish to fully savor the allure of classical music.
Violin Concerto No. 4 in D minor, MS 60, II. MovementNiccolò Paganini
Niccolò Paganini, known as the “magician of the violin.” This work splendidly captures his deeply emotional side, which mesmerized contemporary audiences with its exceptional virtuosity and innovative performance style.
The unhurried, sorrowful melody seeps into the heart, and the dialogue between solo violin and orchestra stirs the listener’s emotions.
At its premiere in Paris in 1831, it is said that the audience was moved to tears.
This is a highly recommended piece for those who wish to surrender themselves to its beautiful, heartrending melody and confront the feelings deep within.
Paganini’s music continues to resonate in our hearts across the ages.
Åse’s Death from Peer Gynt Suite No. 1Edvard Grieg
Incidental music composed for Henrik Ibsen’s play Peer Gynt.
The play comically depicts the tumultuous life of its protagonist, Peer Gynt—a dreamer and braggart—who travels the world and finally returns home in old age.
When Peer, having once left town, comes back to his homeland, his mother Åse is on the brink of death.
This piece is performed in the scene where Åse listens to Peer’s fanciful tales and passes away with a smile.
It is a work that conveys Peer’s profound grief at the loss of his beloved mother.
“Dreaming” from “Scenes from Childhood”Robert Schumann
This is the seventh piece from Scenes from Childhood, which Robert Schumann began composing in 1838.
It is the most famous piece in the set and is also popular in music boxes.
Franz Liszt was deeply moved by this piece and is said to have written Schumann a letter much like a fan letter.
Unlike later works such as Schumann’s Album for the Young, which consists of exercises for children, this series portrays the world of a child’s heart and is intended for adults.
“The Spruce” from “The Trees Suite”Sibelius
The original title is “Five Pieces for Piano,” but because each piece is named after a tree, it is affectionately known in Japan as the “Suite of Trees.” The “Spruce” is an evergreen, and since its leaves do not wither and remain lushly green, it is regarded as a symbol of “eternal life” and is also used as a Christmas tree.
However, rather than conveying a festive Christmas mood, this piece depicts the powerful image of the spruce standing firm, keeping its green leaves through the long, harsh Finnish winters of composer Sibelius’s homeland.
24 Preludes No. 4Frederic Chopin
This is a work said to have been played on the organ at Chopin’s funeral.
It is characterized by chromatic harmonic progressions: over a subtly shifting left-hand accompaniment, the right hand sings a melancholic melody.
Music in which the right hand plays a single-note line over the left hand’s repeated-note accompaniment evokes the image of “rain.” In the latter half, the music swells like a heartrending cry, then comes to a quiet close.
Although a sorrowful atmosphere pervades from beginning to end, it is not merely sad; it is a captivating piece in which one senses delicate changes in expression.
Swan of TuonelaJean Sibelius
The beautiful melodies woven by Finland’s national composer, Jean Sibelius, nestle gracefully into the listener’s heart like a swan from myth.
Evoking a mysterious landscape, this work was born as part of the Lemminkäinen Suite, completed in 1895.
The plaintive melody of the English horn conjures the image of a swan symbolizing the realm of the dead, stirring the soul in quiet waves.
With Sibelius’s characteristic blend of delicate timbres and bold architecture, the music vividly depicts Nordic nature and mythology, drawing listeners into a world of enchantment.
It is a piece I highly recommend to anyone wishing to experience the allure of classical music.
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.
Gymnopédie No. 1Erik Satie
Gymnopédies are three piano pieces composed in 1888 by the French composer Erik Satie.
The first piece, subtitled “Lent et douloureux” (“Slowly, with pain”), is particularly well known among the three and is considered one of Satie’s signature works.
While the music has a luminous clarity that evokes watercolor paintings, the occasional poignant harmonies that surface amid its unhurried progression convey a sense of anguish and wistfulness.
It’s a gently soothing piece that slowly seeps into the heart, making it perfect for listening before sleep or whenever you want to calm your mind.
