# "The most serenely beautiful instrumental music"



## PetrB

"The most serenely beautiful instrumental music"

Intention: to list, [ideally without contentious added comments on the taste of others] a work, works, or a movement of an instrumental piece which you think measures to the criterion of 'SERENELY BEAUTIFUL'

Since this is western art music, many a movement will get more animated or agitated. I'm limiting this 'challenge' to exclude works or pieces which, like the adagio of Schubert's Quintet in C, go to an agitato Sturm und Drang Section, which is perfectly placed in that piece, but by the SERENE criterion, disqualifies it. This is a matter of degrees, the Adagio Assai of the Ravel G Major Piano concerto, though it gets 'active,' I would say 'qualifies.' Choices, at your discretion, of course, then....

Keep SERENE most in mind. There are myriads of beautiful slow movements, Mozart piano concerti, as one example: some of those are 'very dark, as in nearly 'tragic.' Somehow, Tragic and Dark do not quite fit the 'serene' billing

There is no constriction that all must be in a major key, tonal, or atonal. The more periods of music and styles represented, the better. One would imagine with SERENE, overall tempi will likely be on the slower side.

Instrumental only. Single instrument to large / largest ensembles is fine. Any and all forms, Concerti, included.

Starting this SERENELY BEAUTIFUL instrumental music thread rolling:

Stravinsky ~ Apollo, for string orchestra (revised, 1947) The composer conducts the Columbia Symphony Orchestra:













Morton Feldman ~ Piano and String Quartet





Your turn....


----------



## Dodecaplex




----------



## aleazk

(the chord at 5:02 is the definition of serenity)


----------



## pjang23

I guess that means the middle movement of Mozart's 23rd piano concerto doesn't qualify 
















And the greatest of them all:


----------



## Art Rock

Mahler - Adagietto from Symphony 5.


----------



## aleazk

More Ravel :


----------



## neoshredder




----------



## neoshredder

Here are others.


----------



## Pizzicato




----------



## Xaltotun

Sibelius: Andante festivo.


----------



## Stargazer

I really like the idea of this thread!! This was actually something I was thinking about the other day...I was trying to think of slow movements that stay "slow" and don't have a violent section somewhere in the middle....it was actually much harder for me to come up with any than I thought it would be.

And I believe these qualify!


----------



## GraemeG

Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Tallis.
GG


----------



## PetrB

Pizzicato said:


>


Lol, the first official 'Romance' - romantic piece, with its also very famous 'first' pre-romantic era Sturm und Drang section, but, hey, it IS Mozart


----------



## peeyaj

The second movement (Andante con moto) of Schubert's Unfinished symphony is what would I call ''serenely beautiful''. How could a man of 25 could compose that?






The slow movement of Schubert's Great C major is also serenely beautiful, especially when the oboe plays the first theme, with the winds marching.

Edit: I realize that the slow movement of Great C major had a violent outburst in the end.

So, I'll mention Schubert's Impromptu in G flat.


----------



## wolf

That is Mozarts 27th concerto mvt 2.

Also 




Albinoni Oboe famous concerto, but this is with pizzicato strings...

And of course...


----------



## Ukko

I suppose I am an outlier, but Barber's Adagio for Strings isn't the only sort of music I find serene. There is a the-struggles-are-over serenity in some dirges, for instance the 1st mvt of Beethoven's 'Moonlight' sonata.

Probably, in order to find serenity after the struggle, one first has to struggle.


----------



## Jeremy Marchant

Surely this counts


----------



## Jeremy Marchant

... and these


----------



## tgtr0660

Two serenely beaitiful movements with little pretentiousness, simple, saccharine some would say, but that fit this thread:











There's too many long beautiful serene movements that won't fit here in my opinion because they contain too much drama or tension. Even the above mentioned adagio from Beethoven's 9th is probably too tragic to be considered a serenely beautiful movement. The same with most slow movements of the master of the adagio, Bruckner.

Of course Mozart will reign supreme here and Bach will have a few mentions but true simple serene beautifulness needed a dose of French-ness which I just provided.


----------



## tdc

^ That Ligeti Lontano is a nice piece...but - _serene_? 

Unease, darkness, tension and danger would be words that would come to mind for me listening to that one.


----------



## Jeremy Marchant

tdc said:


> ^ That Ligeti Lontano is a nice piece...but - _serene_?
> 
> Unease, darkness, tension and danger would be words that would come to mind for me listening to that one.


Don't personally hear those. Maybe it's because I don't associate chromaticism - even extreme chromaticism - automatically with negative emotions. _Lontano_, after all, just means _distant_.


----------



## tdc

Some off the top of my head...

Allegri - Miserere

Gabrieli - Sonata pian' e forte from Sacrae Symphoniae

Ravel - Pavane pour une infante defunte

Ravel - Adagio from PC II

Ravel - Introduction et Allegro 

(The Passacaille from Ravel's Piano Trio earlier mentioned is one of my favorite movements in all of music, though somehow to me it contains too much 'weighty emotion' to be completely serene.)

Villa-Lobos - Preludio from Bachianas Brasilieras No. 2 (this one has some tension but for me the serenity wins out)

Bach - Mvt. 2 of Brandenburg Concerto no. 2 

Bach - Mvt. 2 from BWV 1060


----------



## Petwhac

This thread is anti art music.


----------



## tgtr0660

Petwhac said:


> This thread is anti art music.


----------



## Petwhac

tgtr0660 said:


>


Holding a mood is not what art music's about. That's for wallpaper, film music, library music. If you're looking for something to make you feel serenity, meditate. 
That's not to say there aren't serene moments of course there are, but if you are hoping not to have the mood suddenly or gradually alter during the course of a movement then you will be disappointed by most of post Baroque and pre minimalist music. And mood definitely has nothing to do with either of those styles anyway.
This is what western art music has to offer, the working out of dramatic structure, the interplay and development of themes for it's own sake and not to create a mood.


----------



## tgtr0660

^The last two paragraphs explain what you wanted to say really clearly and with that I can agree.


----------



## sah

Gregorian chant.
Satie - Gymnopédies nº 1 and nº 2.


----------



## aleazk

>


Very nice piece, Jeremy, I liked a lot.


----------



## Olias

"Grovers Corners" from *Our Town* by Aaron Copland. Its the epitome of serenely beautiful. (its the first 3 minutes of the video below):


----------



## violadude




----------



## Thethinkingthinker

Soulful and serene


----------



## DeepR

*edit 
lol I posted a choral piece, ahh it's hangover day


----------



## DeepR




----------



## alandc

Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending


----------



## PetrB

neoshredder said:


>


actually, an arrangement of another guy's tune, no longer in the original key.


----------



## PetrB

See Separate additional entry, "Pachelbel Variants." prompted by Neoshredder's posting of Pachelbel's Canon in D.


----------



## PetrB

Adding to the Pachelbel Canon in D listed by NeoShredder:

Brian Eno Three Variations on Canon in D, I - Fullness of Wind





George Rochberg's String Quartet No. 6, III - Variations (on Pachelbel) 'for Isaac Stern'


----------



## PetrB

Jeremy Marchant said:


> Surely this counts


I find this one far more beautiful and interesting than 'Atmospheres.' I'd not call it 'serene' really, but I've left that to the individual sense and discretion of those who care to post.


----------



## PetrB

Jeremy Marchant said:


> ... and these


yes indeedy, I had thought of them both. Happy they are up.


----------



## PetrB

Petwhac said:


> This thread is anti art music.


Other than one '**** on every contributor and reader of this list,' and their wholly insincere and calculatedly antithetical to the premise of the thread posted link, there is nothing BUT art music in this thread, at least so far.


----------



## Petwhac

PetrB said:


> Other than one '**** on every contributor and reader of this list,' and their wholly insincere and calculatedly antithetical to the premise of the thread posted link, there is nothing BUT art music in this thread, at least so far.


Eno? Hahaha, I rest my case.


----------



## PetrB

*a few more of 'the usual suspects'*

J.S. Bach, Italian Concerto, II





The already mentioned Ravel G major piano concerto; II - Adagio assai, link is a nice performance at an unusually slower tempo:





Samuel Barber ~ Canzone, for flute and piano, or violin and piano. Also as reworked in his
Piano Concerto; II - Canzone





Wolfgang Mozart: Quintet for Piano & Winds in E-flat major, K. 452 - II. Larghetto 





Camille Saint - Saens ~ from 'Carnival of the Animals' -- "Aquarium" -- original chamber registration with Glass Armonica





Igor Stravinsky ~ Violin Concerto, 3rd Movement; 'Aria II'





Claude Debussy ~ Nuages, a little 'disturbing tension / menace,' but what the hey....





Joaquin Rodrigo ~ Concierto Serenata Para Arpa Y Orquesta; II - Intermezzo





John Adams ~ Violin Concerto: II - Chaconne: "Body Through Which The Dream Flows ."


----------



## aleazk

Ravel: La vallée des cloches, from Miroirs. Played very slow and calm by Richter here:


----------



## aleazk

Bach Violin Concerto - BWV 1041 - 2. Andante:






Bach - Double Violin Concerto in D minor 2nd movement, Largo:


----------



## PetrB

Petwhac said:


> Holding a mood is not what art music's about. That's for wallpaper, film music, library music. If you're looking for something to make you feel serenity, meditate.
> That's not to say there aren't serene moments of course there are, but if you are hoping not to have the mood suddenly or gradually alter during the course of a movement then you will be disappointed by most of post Baroque and pre minimalist music. And mood definitely has nothing to do with either of those styles anyway.
> This is what western art music has to offer, the working out of dramatic structure, the interplay and development of themes for it's own sake and not to create a mood.


Serene is a quality, not 'a mood' - perhaps you would like to start a thread asking for ambient and new-age "Hot tub and scented candle music," as Louis Andriessen named it, then you could discuss 'not art music.' I was looking for a sustained 'calm' - not a lack of modulation, lack of orchestration shifts, etc. There is plenty here which is antithetical to your 'anti' premise. I also thought some who look at this who are Not Members might first, it is to be hoped first and not only, look at a list like this one. I believe all art should 'disturb' - how much and in what manner is not for anyone to dictate except the maker.

Look at the two links I offered up as the first within the OP. Hope at least one, the Stravinsky, with its series of movements, different tempi, different dynamics, holds up to your scrutiny.


----------



## PetrB

Petwhac said:


> Eno? Hahaha, I rest my case.


Pachelbel / Eno -- you're way too eager to be 'utterly right,' LOL!


----------



## Petwhac

PetrB said:


> Pachelbel / Eno -- you're way too eager to be 'utterly right,' LOL!


I'm just trying to make a point against the sort of 'Relaxing Classics' type marketing which I see a lot of and which misrepresents what most of Western Art Music strives for and is unique for, namely dramatic development or symphonic 'argument'. Structure,dialogue.
That Eno piece is just dissected Pachelbel with lots of added reverb, echo and panning. Sonic wallpaper.
But just to show I'm not that grumpy, here's my contribution.


----------



## violadude

Petwhac said:


> Eno? Hahaha, I rest my case.


I like Brian Eno...his pieces can be quite beautiful and I would consider some of it "art music."


----------



## violadude

PetrB said:


> I find this one far more beautiful and interesting than 'Atmospheres.' I'd not call it 'serene' really, but I've left that to the individual sense and discretion of those who care to post.


As far as Ligeti goes, I think this underrated work of his takes the title of the most beautifully serene piece he wrote.


----------



## DeepR

Ambient is the ultimate serene and meditative music to me. I like to listen to it in bed with headphones. It makes my mind go to places that are way out of reach for classical music. My mind could never get in a similar state by listening only to dry accoustic sounds.
Different music for different purposes.
I like Eno too. This is one of my favorites that would fit the topic title perfectly:


----------



## aleazk

violadude said:


> As far as Ligeti goes, I think this underrated work of his takes the title of the most beautifully serene piece he wrote.


since 5:50 it starts to sound like Gesualdo


----------



## Romantic Geek

I've got a couple that come to mind.

First off, anything ever by Arvo Part. But this one is particularly effective.






Dvorak's Piano Quartet in Eb Major, second movement.






Saint-Saens's Symphony #3, second movement (or first movement, second part...depending on how you divide the movements)






Grieg's "Arietta" from Lyric Pieces, Op. 12






MacDowell's "At an Old Trysting Place" from Woodland Sketches (not any good recordings on youtube...but here's one anyway)






Beethoven, Piano Concerto #3, second movement






Vaughan Williams - Fantastia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis






Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 23, second movement






Grieg - Piano Concerto in A minor, second movement


----------



## LordBlackudder

the most serene ive ever heard was a MIDI. so ill give some of this instead.


----------



## QuietGuy

Ravel's _Le Jardin Feerique_ from the Ma Mere l'Oye ballet. [Orchestra] Including the majestic fanfare at the end.


----------



## Stargazer

QuietGuy said:


> Ravel's _Le Jardin Feerique_ from the Ma Mere l'Oye ballet. [Orchestra] Including the majestic fanfare at the end.


Thank you sir, for necroing one of my favorite threads on this forum!

I saw this one performed live recently, it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life!


----------



## Richannes Wrahms

The adadio from Mozart's Serenade No. 10 in B-flat major, which is his best serenade (evidently I don't get the Eine kleine Nachtmusik is such-good-much-great-wow nonsense).






In the realm of videogame music, this short "Misterioso":


----------



## GGluek

This violates the rules, but the Benedictus in Missa Solemnis is, in both subject matter and effect, as serene as they come.


----------



## Andolink

Vaughan Williams' Symphony No. 5


----------



## aleazk

violadude said:


> As far as Ligeti goes, I think this underrated work of his takes the title of the most beautifully serene piece he wrote.


This one too: White on White (the canon at least)


----------



## Blancrocher

Mozart's "Adagio in B minor" for piano--played here by Mitsuko Uchida.

*p.s.* It can be played more serenely, mind you.


----------



## Rhythm

This might impose on one's sense of serenity, but not _too_ long a time.

http://youtu.be/TooYPQtVUik
Lyra Angelica - Adagio (1/4) | William Alwyn
Suzanne Willison, harpist​
That link above isn't working right now. This one does.


----------



## Woodduck

Serenity is pretty uninteresting if it excludes all tension or pathos. In music there's often at least a hint of sadness or mystery or some such feeling. Wagner may be one of the last composers to come to mind here. I don't think anyone has mentioned him yet, so I'll nominate the prelude to Act I of "Lohengrin," which builds inexorably to a powerful climax yet never interrupts its slow, deep breathing or its warm radiant glow. This serenity is epic and revelatory, like a mountain sunrise, stirring strange emotions while transcending them.


----------



## Itullian

Prelude to Parsifal


----------



## Woodduck

Itullian, I'd thought of the first half of that prelude, as well as the Good Friday music (of course in the opera there's singing in that passage), but for me there's much pain mixed with the bliss. The restatement of the opening theme in the minor embodies the antinomy, and then the second half of the prelude is, I think, quite deeply disturbing. Wagner reaches way down into the psyche in this opera, I think - but don't get me started on him!


----------



## DeepR

violadude said:


> I like Brian Eno...his pieces can be quite beautiful and I would consider some of it "art music."


Yes, I think it is. It's a pity ambient is being put down by some. It has its own, seperate qualities. Ambient can be among the most beautiful and serene music and still be much more than just some pad sounds with lots of reverb.


----------



## cjvinthechair

Tchaikovsky - Romeo & Juliet
Delius - Walk to the Paradise Garden
Rautavaara - Cantus Arcticus
Franssens - Harmony of the Spheres


----------



## senza sordino

I agree that the Delius just mentioned is serenely beautiful.

Delius Walk to the Paradise Garden
RVW Lark Ascending
Grieg Second Movement of the Piano Concerto
Dvorak Second Movement of his ninth symphony
Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet Juliet's Theme
Bach Second movement of the Concerto for Two Violins

_I had two others in my short list, but they were singing. Note to self: read the title of the thread carefully_


----------



## SARDiver

Copland's Appalachian Spring comes to mind when I think of serene music.


----------



## Serge

Beethoven's third movement in the 9th.


----------



## Blake

DeepR said:


> Yes, I think it is. It's a pity ambient is being put down by some. It has its own, seperate qualities. Ambient can be among the most beautiful and serene music and still be much more than just some pad sounds with lots of reverb.


Ambient is absolutely beautiful. Patience, subtlety of touch, depth of vision, etc… It's certainly not music for the monkey-minds.

Damn does that sound elite, or what? Still… there's truth in there, I'm sure of it. And I'm very much a fan.


----------



## Alypius

I'm kinda surprised that no one has yet suggested Debussy's _Reverie_ (1890). It came to mind immediately. I scanned the preceding pages assuming that it would have been suggested early on. In any case, here's a YouTube of it. Performance by Jean-Efflam Bavouzet:


----------



## PetrB

Woodduck said:


> Serenity is pretty uninteresting if it excludes all tension or pathos.


Thank goodness, then, the call was not for new-age fare


----------



## PetrB

Alypius said:


> I'm kinda surprised that no one has yet suggested Debussy's _Reverie_ (1890). It came to mind immediately. I scanned the preceding pages assuming that it would have been suggested early on. In any case, here's a YouTube of it. Performance by Jean-Efflam Bavouzet:


Funny, I'd think that one "too busy." To my way of thinking, though it is as disturbing as it is beautiful, if it were one Debussy piano piece, I'd choose the Prelude, Book I no. 6 _Des pas sur la neige."_


----------



## Alypius

One other obvious one comes to mind:

Arvo Part, _Fur Alina_


----------



## Richannes Wrahms

Also known as the true Babushka of Daphnis et Chloé and La Mer. Not sure if it can be considered serene enough though.


----------



## Orfeo

*Alexander Glazunov *
Chant de Menestral
Sérénade du troubadour (Andantino) from suite "From the Middle Ages."
Andante from Symphony no. VII.

*Sergei Rachmaninov*
"Ah, You Vanka! You Are So Dashing" (Largo), from Three Russian Songs.
Vocalise.

*Anton Bruckner*
Adagio from Symphony no. VII.
Adagio from Symphony no. VIII.

*Nikolay Myaskovsky*
Lento Assai - Andantino (Ma Non Troppo) from Symphony No. XVII. 
Adagio from Symphony no. XX.
Adagio from Symphony no. XXVII.

*Sir Arnold Bax*
Epilogue from Symphony no. III.

*Sergei Lyapunov*
Andante sostenuto from Symphony No. I.

*Eduard Tubin*
Molto Moderato from Symphony no. IV.

*Kurt Atterberg*
Andante from Piano Concerto in B flat minor, Op. 37.

*Johannes Brahms*
Poco allegretto from Symphony No. III.

*Lydia Auster*
Moderato from Piano Concerto in G major (1952)
->




*Jean Sibelius*
The Love Song from Scenes Historiques no. II.

*Heino Eller*
Elegia for Strings (1931).
Five Pieces for Strings (1953).


----------



## Chad

william bolcom Hymne a'lamour


----------



## AH music

Richard Strauss - "Serenade" Op 7 (for wind instruments).

Edited to add something else, even if rather different from the above - Castelnuovo-Tedesco 2nd movement Andantino alla Romanza from Guitar Concerto no 1 Op 99.


----------



## omega

*Messiaen !*

Samuel Barber's _Adagio for strings_, or the 2nd movement from his Piano Concerto:





Mahler's _Adagio_ from the fifth symphony.

But if I had to choose only one, it would be _Louange à l'Immortalité de Jésus_ from Messiaen's _Quartet for the End of Time_ :


----------



## Alfacharger

The Road and Finale from Bernard Herrmann's score to Fahrenheit 451.


----------



## PetrB

DeepR said:


> Yes, I think it is. It's a pity ambient is being put down by some. It has its own, seperate qualities. Ambient can be among the most beautiful and serene music and still be much more than just some pad sounds with lots of reverb.


I agree, but having combed through fair amounts of it, I find very little which actually holds my interest, ergo, not effective. Much of it is a brief intro in a sort of promising vocabulary, only to break within the one-minute mark or less into some sort of generic pop format underlying it... more than disappointing.


----------



## Blake

PetrB said:


> I agree, but having combed through fair amounts of it, I find very little which actually holds my interest, ergo, not effective. Much of it is a brief intro in a sort of promising vocabulary, only to break within the one-minute mark or less into some sort of generic pop format underlying it... more than disappointing.


Have you heard any Mathias Grassow? I don't know if you enjoy that style, but he's a grandmaster.

Some great albums:

_Clear Light of Death
Calibration
Dissolution
The Fragrance of Eternal Roses
Transpersonal_


----------



## PetrB

Vesuvius said:


> Have you heard any Mathias Grassow? I don't know if you enjoy that style, but he's a grandmaster.
> 
> Some great albums:
> 
> _Clear Light of Death
> Calibration
> Dissolution
> The Fragrance of Eternal Roses
> Transpersonal_


I checked a few up on youtube (Himalaya 2012 for one.)

Not for me, I found it a cliche ridden sort of "alternative pop musician with electronic toys does drones."

_Antarctica Iceland_ showed a hint of some o.k. choice of events, but it bores and mildly annoys. He is barely into anything like a full harmony, imo. If better than most, he is in that genre slot which I think there is far too much of nearly the same, and with which I think many are far too easily impressed. Thanks for the try, though.


----------



## Blake

PetrB said:


> I checked a few up on youtube, not for me, cliche ridden sort of 'alternative' pop musician with electronic toys does drones, _Antartica Iceland_ showed a hint of some o.k. choice of events, but it bores and mildly annoys. He is barely into anything like a full harmony, imo. If better than most, he is in that genre slot which I think there is far too much of, and with which I think many are far too easily impressed. Thanks for the try, though.


It's really not music for intellectual stimulation or nit-picking a section. More of a meditative event where the whole album is a dive. He really is great at what he does, but it's not to impress the theoretical minds. If you ever get inspired enough, actually listen to a full album when you're ready to get out of your head a bit.

Oh, and he's no cliche copy… as he was one of the pioneers of that movement. Don't be so quick to judge.

All's good. :tiphat:


----------



## PetrB

Vesuvius said:


> It's really not music for intellectual stimulation or nit-picking a section. More of a meditative event where the whole album is a dive. He really is great at what he does, but it's not to impress the theoretical minds. If you ever get inspired enough, actually listen to a full album when you're ready to get out of your head a bit.
> 
> Oh, and he's no cliche copy… as he was one of the pioneers of that movement. Don't be so quick to judge.
> 
> All's good. :tiphat:


I can 'do' these, no problem whatsoever. 
Lawrence English: 
Soft Fuse




Waves Sheer Light





Markus Reuter ~ Todmorden 513 





Whether Grassow is the pioneer or not, I'll then say he invented a resounding cliche that still I somehow associate with 'former pop / rock sensibility gone alternate drone electronic' -- hard, I imagine, to understand why 'that sound' triggers that, but it is somehow to these ears far more facile, shallow, and I don't find the Grassow pieces 'working' for me like the cited pieces above.... it comes down to my preference for one person's musical imagination over another, I suppose


----------



## mtmailey

I find string music to sound the best such as string trios ,quintets,quartets,sextets,octets,duos & string orchestras.


----------



## Blake

PetrB said:


> I can 'do' these, no problem whatsoever.
> Lawrence English:
> Soft Fuse
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Waves Sheer Light
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Markus Reuter ~ Todmorden 513
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Whether Grassow is the pioneer or not, I'll then say he invented a resounding cliche that still I somehow associate with 'former pop / rock sensibility gone alternate drone electronic' -- hard, I imagine, to understand why 'that sound' triggers that, but it is somehow to these ears far more facile, shallow, and I don't find the Grassow pieces 'working' for me like the cited pieces above.... it comes down to my preference for one person's musical imagination over another, I suppose


You see, Grassow has trained in Tibetan Singing Bowls and traveled over the world studying sound and it's manipulation of the psyche. I just feel he deserves a bit more respect than this "alternative pop" - how horrid….

But yes, I'm well aware of the other guys you've stated, but haven't been too interested in them. Different strokes, I suppose.


----------



## Morimur

*Eduard Artemyev: 'Meditation' from the film, 'Stalker' / Dir. A. Tarkovsky*

Simple but highly effective music...


----------



## PetrB

Vesuvius said:


> You see, Grassow has trained in Tibetan Singing Bowls and traveled over the world studying sound and it's manipulation of the psyche. I just feel he deserves a bit more respect than this "alternative pop" - how horrid….
> 
> But yes, I'm well aware of the other guys you've stated, but haven't been too interested in them. Different strokes, I suppose.


Clearly, that study of sound and the manipulation of the psyche has a few holes in it, i.e. it misses a number of souls out there... not that their psyches are radically different from the 'collective psyche.' Just listen to some Steve Halperin 'healing music,' to see what I mean: it seems a lot of people find it meditative and relaxing, all I hear are cotton-candy show tune seventh chords in an ambient soup, and it has the opposite of its desired effect upon me -- all it does is irritate in the extreme


----------



## Blake

PetrB said:


> Clearly, that study of sound and the manipulation of the psyche has a few holes in it, i.e. it misses a number of souls out there... not that their psyches are radically different from the 'collective psyche.' Just listen to some Steve Halperin 'healing music,' to see what I mean: it seems a lot of people find it meditative and relaxing, all I hear are cotton-candy show tune seventh chords in an ambient soup, and it has the opposite of its desired effect upon me -- all it does is irritate in the extreme


Haha, This isn't your pseudo-spiritual or "new-age" music like you're referring to. This is the real stuff.

I'm not going to continue arguing with someone who has given such little investigation and is so easily inclined to make radical opinions with very little experience. Simplicity, subtlety, and resonance are prime factors of this music. As I said, if you're continually looking to be impressed by theoretical, intellectual showcases then this is simply not for you. I guess you couldn't rest and listen to an album with Tibetan Singing Bowls or Indian drones, eh? It's in a much similar vein. But I realize that those with a hyper-active mind won't be attracted to such things.

No harsh feelings. We're still e-buddies.


----------



## PetrB

Vesuvius said:


> Haha, This isn't your pseudo-spiritual or "new-age" music like you're referring to. This is the real stuff.
> 
> I'm not going to continue arguing with someone who has given such little investigation and is so easily inclined to make radical opinions with very little experience. Simplicity, subtlety, and resonance are prime factors of this music. As I said, if you're continually looking to be impressed by theoretical, intellectual showcases then this is simply not for you. I guess you couldn't rest and listen to an album with Tibetan Singing Bowls or Indian drones, eh? It's in a much similar vein. But I realize that those with a hyper-active mind won't be attracted to such things.
> 
> No harsh feelings. We're still e-buddies.


If I still had a cassette player and the cassette, I would still be playing Karma Moffett's Singing Bowls, etc. 

I just didn't find much at all in the music of the fellow you mentioned, like so many do or don't about anyone's music.


----------



## Blake

PetrB said:


> If I still had a cassette player and the cassette, I would still be playing Karma Moffett's Singing Bowls, etc.
> 
> I just didn't find much at all in the music of the fellow you mentioned, like so many do or don't about anyone's music.


Of course, I don't mind likes/dislikes at all. It was the radical opinions you made after listening to a couple youtube videos, hah.

Buy yea, I think we've exhausted this exchange.


----------



## stevederekson

Brahms 4 Second Movement.


----------



## hpowders

Brahms 2 Second Movement.


----------



## Alfacharger

Scene d'Amour from Berlioz's Romeo et Juliet symphony.


----------

