[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
[Masterpieces of Classical Music] A comprehensive introduction to exquisitely beautiful gems that will move you to tears (51–60)
“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.
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.
Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68 – Fourth MovementJohannes Brahms
This work is Brahms’s first symphony, yet it took him 21 years from conception to completion.
He revered Beethoven’s symphonies and agonized over the question, “I want to write a symphony, but what kind of piece could I possibly write after Beethoven?” The result, completed after overcoming that dilemma, was a work so highly regarded that the conductor Hans von Bülow called it “Beethoven’s Tenth Symphony.” Driven by a beautifully uplifting melody and propulsive rhythms, the piece unfolds and concludes with a power befitting the climax of the entire work.
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.
[Masterpiece Classics] A comprehensive introduction to gem-like masterpieces so beautiful they’ll move you to tears (61–70)
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.
Violin Concerto in E minor, First MovementFelix Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn, a composer who represents German Romantic music.
A child prodigy, he displayed musical talent from an early age and not only produced numerous masterpieces, but also earned credit for reviving Bach’s music, which had been fading into obscurity at the time.
Among his works, a piece I recommend for its poignancy is the First Movement of the Violin Concerto in E minor.
Its melody conveys beauty, but unlike Chopin or John Field, it is crafted to express a passionate intensity—an impassioned kind of wistfulness and beauty.
Sorrow of LoveKreisler=Rachmaninov
Fritz Kreisler’s masterpiece “Liebesleid” (Love’s Sorrow).
This work was composed for violin and piano as a counterpart to “Liebesfreud” (Love’s Joy).
Whether performed as a piano solo or a violin solo, its beautiful melody and tear-evoking character are known for their powerful expressive impact, and it is frequently performed by many musicians.
Together with “Liebesfreud” and “Schön Rosmarin,” it forms a trilogy, so please try listening to all three.