[Graduation Ceremony BGM] Guaranteed to move you! A comprehensive introduction to classic tear-jerkers!

Three Songs, Op. 7-1: Après un rêveGabriel Faure

Fauré: Three Songs, Op. 7-1: Après un rêve (version for Cello and Piano) [Naxos Classical Curation #Melancholic]

Gabriel Fauré, the great French composer renowned for his fantastical works, was a master who left numerous unparalleled masterpieces in the French music scene from the late 19th to the early 20th century.

This piece was composed in 1877 and premiered in Paris in January 1879.

With long-breathed melodies, it delicately portrays the sweetness of dreams and the poignancy of waking.

Beloved as a masterpiece for cello, it is often used as background music for flashback scenes in films and dramas.

At graduation ceremonies, playing it while current students see off the graduates, or during a quiet moment accompanying a slideshow of memories, will gently envelop the atmosphere of the venue.

Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor” Movement II: AdagioLudwig van Beethoven

Beethoven – Piano Concerto No.5 Emperor 2nd Mov.

The second movement of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.

5 “Emperor” is a gem in which profound emotion resides within serenity.

Between the heroic first movement and the dynamic finale, time seems to drift gently as if in a dream.

The soft strains of the strings, the delicate dialogue of the woodwinds, and the piano’s singing melodic lines tenderly envelop the listener’s heart.

Played during a diploma-conferral scene or as a recessional, it will fill the moment with hope for a new journey and gratitude for the days gone by.

ariosoJ.S.Bach

J.S.Bach – Arioso from Cantata BWV 156 – Adagio

A gentle, long-breathed melody that quietly seeps into the heart.

Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach, its singing solo line is so beautiful that, in later generations, it came to be cherished on its own as an “aria-like instrumental piece.” The melodies voiced by oboe and strings transcend words, softly stirring feelings of prayer and comfort.

A staple at weddings and memorials, this work is also perfect for diploma presentations and exit scenes at graduation ceremonies.

Its walking-paced tempo and understated yet resolute emotion quietly bless a new beginning.

Ancient Dances and Airs for Lute, Suite No. 3: SicilianaOttorino Respighi

Respighi: Ancient Airs and Dances for Lute, Suite No. 3 – Siciliana

A piece whose quiet beauty, woven solely by strings, gently permeates the heart.

Crafted by Ottorino Respighi, this work transforms old Renaissance lute pieces into a beautifully reimagined string ensemble.

Completed in November 1931 and premiered in Milan in January 1932, its gently swaying dance rhythms and the subtle shadings created by the strings softly draw close to the listener.

It was also used in the film The Tree of Life, enriching scenes that evoke prayer and memory.

With a calm, refined melody that avoids excessive sentimentality, it warmly envelops moments such as the quiet conferral of diplomas or a recessional, marking a new beginning.

Symphonic Poem “Finlandia”Jean Sibelius

Sibelius: Finlandia (Prom 75)

Composed in 1899, during a period when Finland was under pressure from the Russian Empire, Jean Sibelius’s symphonic poem is a historic piece that expresses resistance to oppression and hope through music.

The weighty brass and low strings at the opening create a sense of tension, which gradually gives way to a powerful rhythm that brings exhilaration.

In the finale, the beauty of the hymn-like melody that rises out of the quiet is breathtaking.

This melody was later given lyrics and has since become beloved worldwide as a choral piece.

At graduation ceremonies, playing it during the procession will envelop the entire venue in a solemn atmosphere and stage the children’s new departure with dramatic effect.