hauntingly beautiful music

[uforgot]

Strauss Horn concertos

Niel Gow's laments (fiddle tunes)

Pavane for a dead princess by Ravel (I like it on french horn)

A French Horn that is played well is certainly a beautiful instrument!

[OakLeaf]

yeah, like Mr. S., "hauntingly beautiful" music isn't what really moves me emotionally. I tend to go for the big Romantic pieces - things like Liszt's Les Preludes or First Piano Concerto, any Brahms symphony, that sort of thing.

Popular songs that I can't actually listen to without crying are ones that trigger the old feelings of loss and rootlessness from my childhood - Dixie Chicks' "A Home," the video of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time," ekoostik hookah's "Ohio Grown" especially when I've been away for a while (and in spite of its goofy bridge).

[KathiCville]

Meditation de Thais by Massenet and Bach's partitas for cello, both mentioned above.

Plus Arvo Part's Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten. The first time I heard it I was driving and had to pull over to the side of the road to listen. I wish I could find that particular recording, because the tolling bells were richer than the ones on Part's Sanctuary.

The main theme to the film Schindler's List, composed by John Williams. Always brings tears.

The boys choir Libera---"Always With You" from their album Angel Voices. Other pieces on the same CD.

Also the theme from the French film "Veronique, Veronique."

[uforgot]

I consider this beautiful, but not hauntingly so...before my math/physics teacher life I was a band director. In college we had to pick a symphony to analyze, so I picked someone I wasn't familiar with, Prokofiev. A blind date but a successful marriage since! I love his music, especially Symphony No. 1. (Classical symphony). I've also tried to talk many a bride into walking down the aisle to Mussorgsky's Promenade from Pictures at an Exhibition. It sends chills down my spine. I only succeeded once and it was beautiful! My niece's wedding and I arranged the piece. Started with accoustic guitar and flute for the bridesmaids (It was outdoors and I had to work with what her friends could play) and when Anna appeared, heavy organ. Brought tears to my eyes but I didn't miss a note! (I played the organ) Everyone loved it.

[Aggie_Ama]

The only one I can think of as hauntingly beautiful: Pacabel's Cannon- my Dad walked me down the aisle to it. I get goosebumps just hearing a few cords. It makes my mom cry.

Ones that hit me in a different way usually emotional response and haunting but not necessarily beautiful:

Hallelujah- Jeff Buckley or Leonard Cohen version. Both just give me chills. Actually I would say it is hauntingly beautiful.
The Dance by Garth Brooks. I cannot hear it and not see the video in my mind which makes the song even more painful.
The River by Garth Brooks. This one inspires me.
Dream Weaver- it was a friend who was murdered's favorite and it just makes me feel like he is near. The song really creeps me out, I heard it the other day and got really cold.
The Living Years by Mike and the Mechanics- I don't know why but this song makes me think of my mom's father who died the day after I turned one. He has always haunted me in a way because my brother idolized him and my mom swears he waited to die for my party. The first time I heard this song I was 9 or 10 and cried profusely. It was an odd reaction for a child and I still feel it when I hear.
Amazing Grace- there are certain singers that really get to me.
Angry All the Time (find Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis singing it Tim and Faith can't hold a candle to the original)- there is so much pain and honesty in the song. Bruce hit it out of the park when he wrote that one.

[Kimmyt]

Definitely Hallelujah! I really like the Rufus Wainwright (I think?) version though.

There's a song on the latest Kathleen Edwards cd, I think it's called Run. It is beautiful and haunting.

For classical music I am much more into big showy bombastic pieces (think, Stravinsky's Firebird) but Adagio for Strings is an amazingly beautiful piece of music.

I'm pretty sure our high school concert band played Pictures of an Exhibition, I'll have to dig it up and listen to it!

[Aggie_Ama]

Annie Lennox. She was performing last night at the AMA's ("why") and her voice has a haunting way about it. My friend I mentioned that was murdered got me into her about the time she released Medusa. Her voice is so amazing, I really love her and she is an inspiring woman all around.

[jesvetmed]

There are some really good songs on these lists... and many I've not heard of. I'll take the time to look them up. There are a lot of classical songs that are truly amazing -- many I don't know the names for!, but appreciate all the same.

Here's some of my favorite more contemporary that bring chills and tears for me:

Bruce Spingsteen's "City of Ruins / Rise Up" about 9/11. Here is a live version that is so amazing -- Springsteen at his best here.

Also from the same cd: You're Missing... between the words and the haunting violin, it gets me every time.

Angel by Sara McLaughlin: Chokes me up every time I hear that commercial with the very sad dog and cat faces attached to that haunting song.... I can't take it. I'm practically sobbing if I watch it.

I know there are many others, but none I can come up with right this second.

[Meaux]

I've also tried to talk many a bride into walking down the aisle to Mussorgsky's Promenade from Pictures at an Exhibition. It sends chills down my spine.

That was my processional at MY wedding! How cool is that? We had a trumpet trio play it. My mom always liked the idea of it too, and I love Mussorgsky, so I went along with it. Both my husband and I are SERIOUS music-philes and wanted to have very untraditional music at our wedding. That's so cool that someone else liked that piece for the same purpose!