Recommend me some stirring music.
December 7, 2009 8:57 AM   Subscribe

I'm looking for stirring, uplifting, poignant orchestral music.

I was just watching Love, Actually with the wife, and was really moved by the orchestral theme during the big lovey happy-ending parts. So I'm looking for more big, melodic music with poignant melodies and counterpoint. The music reminded me a bit of the Ode to Joy maybe--I'm not a classical music buff at all so I don't know where to begin here.

Suggestions?
posted by vraxoin to Media & Arts (32 answers total) 29 users marked this as a favorite
 
Holst's Jupiter comes immediately to mind.
posted by Metroid Baby at 9:01 AM on December 7, 2009


2nd movement of Beethoven's 5th Symphony.

Orchestral version of Schoenberg's Verklarte Nacht (Transfigured Night).
posted by Jaltcoh at 9:05 AM on December 7, 2009


I think a lot of the answers from this one apply here.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 9:12 AM on December 7, 2009


Well, Ode to Joy is from the fourth movement of Beethoven 9, which I highly recommend! In fact, all of the Beethoven symphonies probably fit your criteria (the 7th is my personal favorite).

If you like Beethoven 9, then you'll also probably like the Brahms symphonies, oh which there are 4. The first is often called 'Beethoven's 10th' because of how closely it resembles Beethoven's 9th.

The symphonies of Vaughn Williams and Darius Milhaud are also lovely - very sweeping, very melodic.

Really a lot of the music of the romantic period (~1800 - ~ 1900) would probably be up your alley. Here's a list.

Post romantic composers you might like: Mahler (all 9.5 symphonies), Copland (esp. Quiet City, Rodeo, the orchestral arrangement of Appalachian Spring), Britten (esp. the Four Sea Interludes), Bernstein (esp. the 1st symphony and Chichester Psalms), Tavener (esp. the Protecting Veil), Higdon (Concerto for Orchestra), Danielpour (esp. the Urban Dances, American Requiem)...

There's lots more, but this is a start.
posted by Lutoslawski at 9:16 AM on December 7, 2009 [1 favorite]


I'm not sure if you're looking just for western classical music, but if you're willing to explore a bit you may enjoy the eastern twist of the soundtrack from Hero. Some stirring violin arrangements and chorale work in there, and the kind of epic scale only the Chinese can provide. It's not altogether different in structure from the European music others have mentioned so it might suit your tastes. Also it's from this century. ;-)
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 9:27 AM on December 7, 2009


Piano Concerto No. 2 by Rachmaninoff.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 9:32 AM on December 7, 2009


The third movement of Mozart's Gran Partita (Serenade No. 10 for winds in B flat major, K. 361/370a).

It is, in my opinion, the most beautiful piece of music ever. I find it to be the things you describe: stirring, uplifting, and poignant, though it isn't what you'd describe as "big." I particularly enjoyed the vocal arrangement of it that appeared as the track called "Human Orchestra" on the soundtrack for the film Bright Star earlier this year.
posted by ocherdraco at 9:34 AM on December 7, 2009


A bit of Elgar might do you a treat, too.
posted by holgate at 9:37 AM on December 7, 2009


Try the orchestral works of Max Reger, Cesar Franck, Henri Duparc (Be sure not to miss Poem of Love and the Sea!)
posted by aquafortis at 9:38 AM on December 7, 2009


Seconding Copland. Fanfare for the Common Man is definitely one of the most stirring and uplifting pieces I know.
posted by coppermoss at 9:41 AM on December 7, 2009 [1 favorite]


For piano-only, try "Claire De Lune" by Debussy - one of my favourite pieces of all time, and perfect sunset music!

If you fancy a bit of choral uplifting, try "Agnus Dei" from Fauré's Requiem. The soprano solo moment in the middle puts tears in my eyes almost every time.
posted by greenish at 9:42 AM on December 7, 2009


If you like the score from Love, Actually you may find that the entire genre of "emotional music for movies" is to your liking. If that's the case, then I would actually caution against jumping into things like Mahler or Barber or Elgar, which would probably be some of the more obvious starting points for someone interested in lush, classical music.

Instead I would suggest you look into similar contemporary composers. Craig Armstrong, who did the score for Love, Actually, isn't really on my list of filmscore composers worth paying careful attention to. This isn't meant to be an exhaustive list, but here are some names and a couple titles you might be interested in knowing if lush movie music is your thing:

Michael Kamen: Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Mr. Holland's Opus, What Dreams May Come
James Horner: Bicentennial Man
John Williams: Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, AI, Indiana Jones, Empire of the Sun
Alexandre Desplat: The Queen, The Painted Veil
Howard Shore: The Lord of the Rings
Elliot Goldenthal: Frida
James Newton Howard: Lady in the Water
Rachel Portman: Chocolat
posted by greekphilosophy at 9:42 AM on December 7, 2009


Almost anything by Brahms would fit the bill.
posted by bearwife at 9:49 AM on December 7, 2009


Elgar's 'Nimrod'.
posted by plep at 10:01 AM on December 7, 2009


"Vltava/Die Moldau" from Ma Vlast (My Homeland) by Czech composer Bedrich Smetana. [Czech speakers, please forgive the lack of accents in there.] I heard it for the first time last year at the symphony and it was incredibly moving. I came home and downloaded a great version from the Indiana University Philharmonic. I am not particularly knowledgeable about classical music, nor is it something I regularly listen to, but I listen to this piece a lot.

I agree with the person above who said you would probably like music from the Romantic period.

According to the Wikipedia entry for Ma Vlast, the main musical theme for "Die Moldau" is adapted from an Italian folk song, "La Mantovana," and also appears in the Israeli national anthem, "Hatikvah." And it also says when you fly Czech Airlines, they play this tune upon landing!
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 10:03 AM on December 7, 2009 [1 favorite]


Finlandia is pretty damn inspiring.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 10:03 AM on December 7, 2009 [1 favorite]


Mozart Sonatas & Solos

like this CD

Sonatas #3 and #4 are personal favourites. I find #4 very stirring.
posted by thermonuclear.jive.turkey at 10:07 AM on December 7, 2009


If you're looking for big melodies then I will second Rachmaninov as a recommendation. The 2nd Piano Concerto (mentioned above) is the most famous of his works and was used to lush romantic effect in the film Brief Encounter. The 2nd Symphony is also crammed full of soaring tunes.

Tchaikovsky also had more than one or two memorable tunes up his sleeve. Plus he really knew how to end a piece of music.

Two other pieces whose melodies have been used to great effect in films are:

Saint Saens - Symphony No 3 (Organ Symphony). Used in Babe.
Handel - Zadok The Priest. Used in The Madness Of King George.
posted by jonnyploy at 10:18 AM on December 7, 2009


The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (one of the world's top orchestras, based in Amsterdam) recently opened up its vaults and made ten symphonies available for free download (with registration). All of the recordings are quite good, and since you can't beat the price you might as well download them all. Two in particular stand out for me. One is Sibelius' Symphony No. 2; the finale is stirring, emotional, rousing, and everything you want above.

The other standout in this batch is their recording of Mahler's Symphony No. 1, with Leonard Bernstein conducting. This is currently my favourite recording of my entire classical collection, and has been since shortly after I downloaded it myself last year. Everything I said about the Sibelius above applies to this Mahler recording as well, only several notches more so. Really, it's that fantastic. If you are not exhilarated by the brass arpeggios at the very end of the movement, you may in fact be dead; have someone check your pulse. I know I'm gushing, but damn.
posted by Johnny Assay at 10:24 AM on December 7, 2009 [2 favorites]


Maybe only because I've seen the film, but the Warsaw Concerto can move me to tears.
posted by pjern at 10:33 AM on December 7, 2009


Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending
posted by tylerfulltilt at 10:53 AM on December 7, 2009


Not classical music, but I often find Sigur Ros stirring, uplifting, and poignant.
posted by backwards guitar at 10:54 AM on December 7, 2009


Aaron Copland does it for me. Fanfare for the Common Man, Rodeo, etc.

Second greekphilosophy's idea -- movie music is composed with the express purpose of eliciting emotion. I'd look back at Grammy winning film scores.
posted by cross_impact at 11:08 AM on December 7, 2009


As far as movie soundtracks are concerned, I like Maurice Jarre's score for "Dead Poets Society," which is big, anthemic, and, as a bonus, has BAGPIPES!

I'll nth Beethoven's Symphonies. The 6th is now and will forever be my favorite.
posted by elmer benson at 11:15 AM on December 7, 2009


I have always found Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition to be very uplifting when done by a full orchestra.
posted by jessamyn at 11:19 AM on December 7, 2009


I hope this isn't too nerdy, but the Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack is phenomenal.
posted by Herschel at 11:47 AM on December 7, 2009 [2 favorites]


My suggestions often lean toward the choral, but there you go.

Bernstein, Finale from Candide (Make Our Garden Grow) -- oh, such great text, too.
Brahms, German Requiem -- here's the fourth movement.
Vaughan Williams, A Sea Symphony -- here's the second movement, which starts slow but picks up at the end.
Mussorgsky, "Great Gate at Kiev" from Pictures at an Exhibition

The thing that absolutely never ever ever fails to make me close my eyes and get misty: Kiri Te Kanawa and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir doing "Climb Every Mountain." (Not the same here, but the arrangement is the important thing.) They have this single ridiculous chord change at the end that is giving me goosebumps just thinking about it. Oh...
posted by Madamina at 12:04 PM on December 7, 2009


Ennio Morricone's score from The Mission is overplayed, but still gets me.
posted by Kafkaesque at 1:08 PM on December 7, 2009


If we're going to go the Beethoven route, I'll echo Lutoslawski and say try the 7th. The second movement, in particular, might be my favorite piece of music of all time. Any words I'd use to describe it wouldn't do it justice.

Perhaps someone's already mentioned this too, but for sweeping and stirring, there's always Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture

Finally, have a gander at the Forrest Gump suite. It's pretty much exactly what you're looking for. :)
posted by bookgirl18 at 1:13 PM on December 7, 2009


I find the Unfinished Symphony by Schubert to be poignant - the first movement is poignant and mysterious and the second poignant and uplifting. It might be a bit too Sturm und Drang-y for what you're after but I really love this piece of music and thought it was worth mentioning. I wish I knew more about classical music but I also love the piece by Smetana that hurdygurdygirl recommends above and bracket them both together in my mind as 'pieces of music that are about rushing through woods' (but of course the Smetana piece is about a river...)

(can you get access to BBC downloads? if so the Radio Discovering music programme about the Unfinished Symphony is here)
posted by calico at 1:26 PM on December 7, 2009


Oh my! Rachmaninoff! An egregious omission on my part. Rachmaninoff's second symphony (and my music school friends will cringe to hear me say it but i don't care) will bring you to tears. You'll love it.
posted by Lutoslawski at 3:29 PM on December 7, 2009


Aram Khachaturian's "Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia."
posted by Iridic at 9:18 PM on December 8, 2009 [1 favorite]


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