# Melancholic Strings



## Garry (May 6, 2018)

I'm trying to improve my knowledge of classical music, and want to start in a part of the genre where I feel I initially gravitate to most naturally, which is the soul-aching, brooding, melancholic pieces, typically (but not always) for strings, that can be incredibly moving, and have those spine-chilling moments in the score that make your hairs stand on end! Not sure how best to describe it, but I've started to put together a list with some examples. But my knowledge is very limited - can you help? *What else should I be listening to?*

Barber: Adagio for strings 
Albinoni: Adagio in G minor
Mozart: Requiem
Grieg: "Ase's Death" from Peer Gynt
Tallis: Fantasia on a Theme
Mahler: Symphony No. 5: Adagietto
Schubert: String Quintet in C
Schubert: Piano Trio in Eb, 2nd Movement 
Skempton: Largo
Wagner: Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde
Tchaikovsky: Romeo & Juliet Overture
Tchaikovsky: Symphony 6 - Movement 4 - Karajan
Tchaikovsky : Violin Concerto in D major
Shostakovich: Symphony No.5 - Third Movement
Shostakovich: Symphony No.5 - First Movement
Shostakovich : Chamber Symphony Op. 110 a
Bartok: Third movement from Concerto for Orchestra
Borodin: nocturne from second string quartet
Beethoven: Allegretto from seventh symphony
Beethoven: Moonlight Sonata
Bach: Adagio from violin concerto in E major
Bach – Chaconne in D minor
Bach: Air on G String
Dvorak "New World" Symphony 2nd Movement
Rachmaninov: Vocalise
Rachmaninov: The Isle of the Dead
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto Number 2
Mozart: Clarinet Concerto, 2nd Movement 
Bizet: L’Arlesienne Suite No. 1
Sibelius: The Swan of Tuonela 
Elgar: Nimrod from Enigma Variations 
Part: Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten
Harris: Symphony Number 3
Wagner: Funeral Music, Götterdämmerung
Chopin: Nocturne no 7 in C sharp minor

I wasn't particularly looking for choral/operatic, but I've listed below some beautifully melancholic pieces that stood out when I was searching. *Any other choral/operatic pieces like these I should be listening to*?

Puccini "E lucevan e stele" from Tosca
Purcell: "When I am Laid in Earth" from dido and Aeneas
Whitacre: When David Heard
Handel – “Lascia ch’io pianga” from Rinaldo
Allegri – Miserere
Faure – Pavane (choral version)
Faure – Cantique de Jean Racine 

Fauré - Requiem

Grieg – “Solveig’s Song” from Peer Gynt


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## DavidY (May 6, 2018)

Garry said:


> I wasn't particularly looking for choral/operatic, but I've listed below some beautifully melancholic pieces that stood out when I was searching. *Any other choral/operatic pieces like these I should be listening to*?


How about?: Szymanowski: Stabat Mater


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## Vik (May 6, 2018)

Here are som IMO fantastic pieces, in random order.

Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas (Purcell, *Stokowski arr*)
Ich Ruf Zur Dir (Bach, Busconi) Alfred Brendel version
Mozart Piano Concert 23
Komm, Susser Tod (Bach, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra)
O Mensch, Bewein Dein Sunde Gross (also BBC Orchestra)
Geir Tveitt: Welcome with Honor
Verdi: La Forca del Destino ("Jean de Florette")
Bach: Mein Jesu! Was fur Seelenweh. Stokowski version
Beethoven, Piano Concert 5/Emperor, Adagio
Bach: O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden
Arvo Pärt: Für Lennart in Memoriam
Luigi Boccherini: Cello Concerto 9, Adagio (*Tunde Balogh*)
Bach: "Siciliano"(BWV 1031)
Brahms: Symphony 3, III poco Allegretto
Pärt: Silouans Song
Johann Johansson: Good Morning, Midnight
Chopin: E minor prelude, Opus 28


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## Garry (May 7, 2018)

These are wonderful suggestions, thank you. My heart-wrenching orchestral playlist is shaping up nicely!


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## Garry (May 7, 2018)

Beethoven: Quartet in A minor, Op. 132
Alan Silvestri - Cast Away Theme (the only film soundtrack on the list so far, but I love these sort of pieces too)


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## Garry (May 7, 2018)

I'm not sure if this will work, but I've now compiled these into an iTunes playlist which you can download https://itunes.apple.com/ch/playlist/melancholic-orchestral/pl.u-YpEpt1od9VP?l=en (here). 

Please suggest other pieces that you feel fit this general theme, and I'll keep the playlist updated.


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## DavidY (May 7, 2018)

Garry said:


> I'm not sure if this will work, but I've now compiled these into an iTunes playlist which you can download https://itunes.apple.com/ch/playlist/melancholic-orchestral/pl.u-YpEpt1od9VP?l=en (here).


Ah you've chosen the recording I have on CD of the Szymanowski. 
There's something about the purity of Elzbieta Szmytka's voice which I really like. 
I recommend adding the other movements too though - 4 and 6 are particular favourites of mine, especially if you want melancholy.


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## Vik (May 7, 2018)

Garry said:


> I'm not sure if this will work, but I've now compiled these into an iTunes playlist which you can download https://itunes.apple.com/ch/playlist/melancholic-orchestral/pl.u-YpEpt1od9VP?l=en (here).
> 
> Please suggest other pieces that you feel fit this general theme, and I'll keep the playlist updated.


This is the Komm, Susser Tod version I was thinking of:
https://itunes.apple.com/no/album/komm-susser-tod-bwv-478-arr-by-l-stokowski/263267235?i=263268742
The one you have there is another song with the same name.  
(And the Verdi piece on your list is just a playback version for opera singers  )


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## Garry (May 7, 2018)

Vik said:


> This is the Komm, Susser Tod version I was thinking of:
> https://itunes.apple.com/no/album/komm-susser-tod-bwv-478-arr-by-l-stokowski/263267235?i=263268742
> The one you have there is another song with the same name.
> (And the Verdi piece on your list is just a playback version for opera singers  )


Great, thanks - sorry, yes, I do need to do some tidying up. I just did lots of copy/pasting at first, but will refine it as I go through and listen, but thanks for pointing those out.

Hope others will jump in and recommend other pieces - there’s an enormous amount of expertise in this genre on this forum, and many have strongly encouraged that listening to great pieces is the best way one can learn, so come on guys - what are your go to pieces for melancholic orchestral?


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## dtcomposer (May 7, 2018)

One I haven't seen on here is the Gorecki 3rd symphony. The second movement especially.


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## Markus Kohlprath (May 7, 2018)

Adagios from Bruckner I would not forget.e.g. 8 Symphony and my favorite the 5th.


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## Garry (May 8, 2018)

ok, added all the corrections recommended above, and some other updates (I previously had what must have been the world's worst rendition of Albinoni's Adagio for Strings!) - thanks to all for your contributions. 

Please feel free to check out and download the iTunes playlist (at the same link https://itunes.apple.com/ch/playlist/melancholic-orchestral/pl.u-YpEpt1od9VP?l=en (here)). 

Thoroughly enjoying listening to these and discovering new favourites: there's now 71 pieces, and nearly 10hrs of music. 

Any other recommendations to add?


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## fretti (May 8, 2018)

Schönberg was in a way I think always depressed/melancholic:


And especially his 12 tone technique gives (at least) me always a "strange" feeling (sometimes in a good way, sometimes it's just tense...):


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## Garry (May 8, 2018)

fretti said:


> Schönberg was in a way I think always depressed/melancholic:
> 
> 
> And especially his 12 tone technique gives (at least) me always a "strange" feeling (sometimes in a good way, sometimes it's just tense...):




Great! Now added. 

Also playlist now in alphabetical order of composer, so easier to find anything specific:

Albinoni (1)
Allegri (1)
Bach (9)
Barber (1)
Bizet (1)
Beethoven
Boccherini (1)
Borodin (1)
Brahms (1)
Bruckner (7)
Casadesus (1)
Chopin (2)
Dvorak (1)
Elgar (1)
Faure (4)
Foote (1)
Gorecki (1)
Greig (2)
Harris (1)
Mahler (1)
Mozart (3)
Part (4)
Puccini (1)
Purcell (1)
Rachmaninoff (2)
Schonberg (2)
Schubert (3)
Sibelius (2)
Shostakovich (2)
Silvestri (1)
Skempton (1)
Suk (1)
Szymanowski (3)
Tchaikovsky (4)
Tveitt (1)
Verdi (1)
Wagner (2)
Whitacre (1)
Williams (1)


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## JTJohnson (May 8, 2018)

Garry said:


> I'm not sure if this will work, but I've now compiled these into an iTunes playlist which you can download https://itunes.apple.com/ch/playlist/melancholic-orchestral/pl.u-YpEpt1od9VP?l=en (here).
> 
> Please suggest other pieces that you feel fit this general theme, and I'll keep the playlist updated.



Please do a Spotify one and make me very happy


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## Garry (May 8, 2018)

JTJohnson said:


> Please do a Spotify one and make me very happy



Sorry, I'm not a Spotify user - iTunes only here I'm afraid! 

I'm continuing to add more though, so my previous list is already outdated...


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## Garry (May 8, 2018)

JTJohnson said:


> Please do a Spotify one and make me very happy


Actually, maybe you're in luck: perhaps you can import the iTunes playlist in spotify, as it suggests here (sorry, but no idea how well it works, as I don't have spotify).


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## JTJohnson (May 8, 2018)

Garry said:


> Actually, maybe you're in luck: perhaps you can import the iTunes playlist in spotify, as it suggests here (sorry, but no idea how well it works, as I don't have spotify).



I was just being lazy. Good spot Garry, leave it with me mate


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## Sami (May 8, 2018)

MAHLER


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## Garry (May 8, 2018)

Sami said:


> MAHLER


Yup, Mahler is on there, but only 1 piece right now - do you have recommendations for specific pieces?


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## Blake Ewing (May 8, 2018)

Durufle’s Requiem
Saint-Saens 3rd Sym


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## Garry (May 8, 2018)

Blake Ewing said:


> Durufle’s Requiem
> Saint-Saens 3rd Sym


Beautiful! Now added. 

Also prompted me to add Danse Macabre by Saint-Saens.


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## CGR (May 8, 2018)

Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 - 2nd Movement - Adagio (1964 recording: Géza Anda & The Berliner Philharmoniker - Deutsche Grammophon)


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## Sami (May 9, 2018)

Garry said:


> Yup, Mahler is on there, but only 1 piece right now - do you have recommendations for specific pieces?



5th symphony the 1st two movements
6th the finale
9th 1st and last movement
10th practically the whole thing
Lied von der Erde "Der Einsame im Herbst" and "Der Abschied"

Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen 1st movement and finale

Rückert-Lieder "Um Mitternacht"

Kindertotenlieder the whole thing

Piano Quartet


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## Sami (May 9, 2018)

CGR said:


> Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 - 2nd Movement - Adagio (1964 recording: Géza Anda & The Berliner Philharmoniker - Deutsche Grammophon)



Fantastic recording by the way, probably my fave


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## Garry (May 9, 2018)

Sami said:


> Fantastic recording by the way, probably my fave


Wonderful, thank you! Now added.

In appreciation of the contribution of forum members, I've renamed the playlist on iTunes as 'VI-Control Melancholic Orchestral". Ive posted a thread here to suggest that we extend this to other themes/genres; hope people take it up, and we could quickly have many playlists like this, covering a wide range of genres.

Enjoy!


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## Vik (May 9, 2018)

For Mahler, I'd add 1st and 3rd movement from Symphony 4 (and certainly agree about the 10th symphony, especially the 1st movement). Morricone: Casualities of War. The adagio from Bach's violin concerto in E minor (eg. Montero version for piano) is also good. And here's a borderline melancholic and special great little piece that is rather unknown: The Song of Songs by Karen Tanka (NB: the Joan Jeanrenaud version).


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## Garry (May 9, 2018)

Vik said:


> For Mahler, I'd add 1st and 3rd movement from Symphony 4 (and certainly agree about the 10th symphony, especially the 1st movement). Morricone: Casualities of War. The adagio from Bach's violin concerto in E minor (eg. Montero version for piano) is also good. And here's a borderline melancholic and special great little piece that is rather unknown: The Song of Songs by Karen Tanka (NB: the Joan Jeanrenaud version).



Thanks: I added the other Mahler pieces, and Bach's was already in there, but unfortunately, there are no pieces by Karen Tanka on iTunes :(

Also, that's the first Morricone suggestion (now added), which is a bit surprising. I wonder if there are other suggestions for him? Or indeed John Williams (now added all of Schindler's List, perfect for this genre).


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## Garry (May 9, 2018)

Similarly, what are the tear-jerker Zimmer pieces that should be added?


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## Garry (May 9, 2018)

Garry said:


> Also, that's the first Morricone suggestion (now added), which is a bit surprising. I wonder if there are other suggestions for him? Or indeed John Williams (now added all of Schindler's List, perfect for this genre).


Similarly, what are the tear-jerker Zimmer pieces that should be added?


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## fretti (May 9, 2018)

Garry said:


> Similarly, what are the tear-jerker Zimmer pieces that should be added?


Other then Schindler’s Liste I can‘t really think of any melancholic pieces in film music...but I don‘t know to many films wich would support such music...as in my experience most there is more of a heroical sadness or just plain sad; but imo not so much that inner driven sadnes/pain from a psychological standpoint (but again don‘t know all movies)


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## Vik (May 9, 2018)

Garry said:


> unfortunately, there are no pieces by Karen Tanka on iTunes



Or rather, I don't know how to spell Tanuka. 
https://itunes.apple.com/no/album/the-song-of-songs/51250442?i=51250141


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## Garry (May 9, 2018)

fretti said:


> Other then Schindler’s Liste I can‘t really think of any melancholic pieces in film music...but I don‘t know to many films wich would support such music...as in my experience most there is more of a heroical sadness or just plain sad; but imo not so much that inner driven sadnes/pain from a psychological standpoint (but again don‘t know all movies)



I think the use of Barber's Adagio for Strings for the theme music of the film Platoon was probably the first piece of classical music I was truly moved by, and was probably the single piece responsible for my no longer overlooking classical musical as an adolescent, and got me interested in and appreciative of the genre.

There are a few other orchestral pieces from film I've started to add that really suit the genre (e.g. Braveheart, Gladiator), but it's my sense that this is a rich vein of material. Others will sure be able to name numerous...


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## Garry (May 9, 2018)

Vik said:


> Or rather, I don't know how to spell Tanuka.
> https://itunes.apple.com/no/album/the-song-of-songs/51250442?i=51250141


 Now added!

Edit - wow, that's amazing! Great recommendation.


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## fretti (May 9, 2018)

Garry said:


> I think the use of Barber's Adagio for Strings for the theme music of the film Platoon was probably the first piece of classical music I was truly moved by, and was probably the single piece responsible for my no longer overlooking classical musical as an adolescent, and got me interested in and appreciative of the genre.
> 
> There are a few other orchestral pieces from film I've started to add that really suit the genre (e.g. Braveheart, Gladiator), but it's my sense that this is a rich vein of material. Others will sure be able to name numerous...


Touching and moving certainly yes. There I also know numerous. Just read your original post again where you named that too, just answered according to the title where you ask (especially) for melancholic pieces so my misunderstanding there...
HZ probably some stuff of Lion King, and King Arthur
Narnias the Battle can trigger goosebumps.
Beautifull Lie (JXL and HZ)
Vikings are told of Ragnars Death (I think it’s called that from Trevor Morris) to name a few wich give me those feelings


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## Garry (May 9, 2018)

fretti said:


> Touching and moving certainly yes. There I also know numerous. Just read your original post again where you named that too, just answered according to the title where you ask (especially) for melancholic pieces so my misunderstanding there...
> HZ probably some stuff of Lion King, and King Arthur
> Narnias the Battle can trigger goosebumps.
> Beautifull Lie (JXL and HZ)
> Vikings are told of Ragnars Death (I think it’s called that from Trevor Morris) to name a few wich give me those feelings


Perfect - will add these too... Thank you!


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## LandWaterSky (May 9, 2018)

I think that defining the term "melancholic" is very tricky.

You can point to subject matter if the music is referential - i.e. a requiem or tragic opera. You could consider the sad words of a song or a non-religious choral piece. There are also innumerable musical qualities: major/minor chords, atonality, volume, pitch, tempo, performance.

If "somber sounding" is what I'm getting from your interests, in terms of choral music I'd suggest:

Brahms - German Requiem - Levine/Chicago is my favorite recording. And, as I referenced above...the majority of requiems by mainstream composers are melancholic.

Also see Sergej Rachmaninov - Vespers

There are many more string and choral pieces by Arvo Pärt than those mentioned above. The piece is (sadly) almost cliché now from overuse in movie soundtracks, but everyone should listen to "Tabula Rasa" at least once in his/her life.

Also there are a long list of works by Philip Glass. While not strictly choral or string oriented, the soundtrack to "Koyaanisqatsi" is powerfully dark. Other minimalists, particularly Steve Reich, offer a lot of somber works. Check out "Different Trains" by Reich.

Uncovering new avenues of musical inquiry is exciting stuff. Good luck on your search!


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## madfloyd (May 9, 2018)

I'm not sure this is melancholic but it sure is emotional. Plus, there's no Herrmann representation yet!


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## Garry (May 9, 2018)

madfloyd said:


> I'm not sure this is melancholic but it sure is emotional. Plus, there's no Herrmann representation yet!



Wow, and there we go with our first Bernard Hermman track! Thanks, now added.


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## Garry (May 9, 2018)

LandWaterSky said:


> I think that defining the term "melancholic" is very tricky.
> 
> You can point to subject matter if the music is referential - i.e. a requiem or tragic opera. You could consider the sad words of a song or a non-religious choral piece. There are also innumerable musical qualities: major/minor chords, atonality, volume, pitch, tempo, performance.
> 
> ...



Some great suggestions - now added.


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## Bollen (May 12, 2018)

DavidY said:


> How about?: Szymanowski: Stabat Mater




Szymanowski is quickly becoming one of my favourite composers since I heard his King Roger opera... But I was surprised not to find my favourite composer listed here:


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## DavidY (May 12, 2018)

Bollen said:


> Szymanowski is quickly becoming one of my favourite composers since I heard his King Roger opera...


I love the start of King Roger, and there were a few other bits I remember liking in there, but there are other chunks I'm pretty neutral about. 
Perhaps that's because I'm not generally a fan of the opera form overall.


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## Bollen (May 16, 2018)

DavidY said:


> I love the start of King Roger, and there were a few other bits I remember liking in there, but there are other chunks I'm pretty neutral about.
> Perhaps that's because I'm not generally a fan of the opera form overall.



Yeah, same here actually. I can't stand the sound of opera singing, but sometimes they surprise me (it helps if some of the singers have a more subtle vibrato). I can think of only a handful of operas I've heard that I went yes! That's wonderful!


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## Leon Portelance (Jun 21, 2018)

Garry said:


> Beethoven: Quartet in A minor, Op. 132



One of my favorite pieces, I love the last movement.


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## Heledir (Jun 22, 2018)

How about Ralph Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis:


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## Garry (Jun 22, 2018)

Heledir said:


> How about Ralph Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis:



Yes, that one is in the playlist - quintessential to this theme I think. Love this one.


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