What is MOR? The appeal of an easy-listening, comfortable music genre

Love is a many splendored thingMantovani

Mantovani – Love is a many splendored thing

A piece performed by Mantovani and his orchestra, featuring the famous melody composed in 1955 as the theme song for the film “Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing,” which won an Academy Award.

It was also included on the album “Film Encores” and has become a staple on best-of compilations.

This recording showcases their hallmark “cascading strings” technique, in which rich strings overlap and flow like a waterfall, creating reverberation that seems to resonate like in a cathedral.

The melody is wonderfully romantic and flowing, with the film’s love theme elegantly reimagined by the orchestra.

Unfolding at a relaxed tempo, the gentle sound is perfect for moments when you want to unwind or calm your mind.

Theme From A Summer PlacePercy Faith

Percy Faith – Theme From A Summer Place

Percy Faith captivated the public from the 1950s into the ’60s with his rich sound that made effective use of strings.

He is known as a pioneer who helped establish the easy listening genre.

Recorded in September 1959, this film’s love theme is marked by a dreamy melody carried at a leisurely tempo.

The refined orchestral sound woven by horns and strings symbolizes the sweet, fleeting memories of summer romance and youth.

In 1960, it spent nine consecutive weeks at No.

1 on the Billboard chart, and the following year it won a Grammy Award.

Why not spend a peaceful moment wrapped in soothing music?

YESTERDAYPaul Mauriat

Paul Mauriat – Yesterday (Iesutadei)

Paul Mauriat, the French conductor and arranger who bridged classical and pop music and was beloved around the world.

This work, which reconstructs the Beatles’ timeless classic with delicate orchestral arrangements, wraps its wistful melody line in lush strings and gentle piano tones.

Expressing nostalgia for days gone by with beautiful timbres, the track appears on the 1972 album “Le Monde des Beatles / Paul Mauriat” and remains highly popular in Japan.

It’s the perfect piece for a leisurely holiday afternoon or as a companion to reading.

Its familiar, tender sound will soothe the soul.

Night SideHenry Mancini

Night Side

This piece, included on the soundtrack of the 1962 film Hatari!, is an instrumental work by Henry Mancini.

Although it scores an adventure film set in Africa, it exudes a sophisticated mood that blends jazz and lounge music.

The ensemble of brass and woodwinds, understated percussion, and a mellow melody create a sound that feels as comfortable as being in a nighttime cocktail bar.

The contrasting elements—the African savanna at night and a refined jazz sound—are beautifully harmonized, setting the scene for a relaxed, grown-up atmosphere.

It’s a perfect track for a night drive or a quiet weekend evening.

Fly Me To The MoonMantovani

Fly Me To The Moon

From the dawn of stereo recording, Mantovani captivated music lovers around the world with his refined orchestral sound.

This performance, featured on his 1964 album “The Incomparable Mantovani,” is a vocal-free orchestral reconstruction of a jazz standard composed by Bart Howard.

It’s distinguished by the “cascading strings”—a waterfall-like string ensemble—that elegantly conveys the romantic world of the original.

Created in collaboration with arranger Ronald Binge, this sound was also used at the time for demonstrating audio equipment.

It’s a perfect track for a relaxing evening or when you want pleasant background music.

Warwick AvenueDaffy

Duffy – Warwick Avenue

While the 60s-tinged phrases and wistful, nostalgic sound are striking, she is a captivating singer whose voice carries a bittersweet nuance—slightly tremulous yet steady at its core—that is neither simply powerful nor purely soulful, and she radiates a uniquely compelling presence.

HeavenBryan Adams

Bryan Adams – Heaven (Official Music Video)

It’s no exaggeration to say he was a central figure in the mainstream of ’80s American rock.

The kind of melody that sticks in your head after a single listen is this song’s greatest allure.

Though it’s a classic love ballad—slick, sugary lyrics sung wistfully with a husky voice—there’s a difference between adding flashy sonic embellishments and having a synesthetic ability to “color” sounds.

The drum touch on this track alone feels a bit off, but it’s an undeniable fact that no one surpasses mix engineer Bob Clearmountain, whose exquisite sense of balance and high-level technique dramatically elevated the baseline for orthodox ’80s rock sound.