# music to fly to



## johnmatthewhall (Jul 6, 2010)

Hi, I am looking for classical music to listen to while I fly. Ideally music that feels weightless and ethereal - soft, calm, relaxing. 

I know this is going to sound awful due to its association with a car advert but I'm quite a fan of Elin Manahan-Thomas' version of Eternal Source of Light Divine and I'm looking for music - vocal or otherwise - in a similar vein. As I'm sure you can tell i know nothing of classical music so all suggestions - no matter how obscure or obvious - will be welcome. thanks


----------



## Earthling (May 21, 2010)

First, you desperately _need _to invest in noise cancelling headphones. I fly a little bit each year and they make a huge difference-- especially with classical music. They are costly but well worth it (and you can use them with the noise cancelling feature switched off). Mine are by JVC and are comfortable as well. If you don't get noise cancelling headphones, its virtually impossible to listen to classical because anything with low dynamics won't be heard at all.

I don't always listen to "weightless and ethereal" music on plane flights, but here are some suggestions off the top of my head:

Debussy's *Afternoon of the Faun*
Vaughan Williams' *The Lark Ascending* (appropriate! LOL)
Wagner: *Prelude to Tristan und Isolde*


----------



## Jeremy Marchant (Mar 11, 2010)

_Twelve hours of sunset_ by David Bedford.
It is about flying west into the setting sun at precisely the rate needed for the sun to appear stationary. It's definitely weightless and ethereal in sound
CD on NMC Records


----------



## SuperTonic (Jun 3, 2010)

Rhapsody in Blue
Only because it reminds me of those old Southwest Airlines commercials.


----------



## Nix (Feb 20, 2010)

If you want ethereal then I'd strongly recommend Faure's Requiem. 

But as a suggestion, whenever I fly I always listen to Bach Cello Suites and Violin Partitas. These are the only pieces I've found that you can really hear everything when your in a noisy plain. No sudden dynamic changes, and only one voice to follow- so no harmonies to miss out on.


----------



## Earthling (May 21, 2010)

Nix said:


> If you want ethereal then I'd strongly recommend Faure's Requiem.


 On a _plane_!?!?  (LOL)


----------



## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

johnmatthewhall said:


> Hi, I am looking for classical music to listen to while I fly. Ideally music that feels weightless and ethereal - soft, calm, relaxing.
> 
> I know this is going to sound awful due to its association with a car advert but I'm quite a fan of Elin Manahan-Thomas' version of Eternal Source of Light Divine and I'm looking for music - vocal or otherwise - in a similar vein. As I'm sure you can tell i know nothing of classical music so all suggestions - no matter how obscure or obvious - will be welcome. thanks


In Delibes' opera _Lakmé_, the aria _Viens, Malika_ is the quintessential flying music, as proven by the ad for British Airways.


----------



## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

Mozart's symphony #41 evokes the feeling of the air element better than almost anything in my opinion, but it's not very "soft" or "ethereal"... but "weightless", certainly! And it totally has the feeling of flying! Powerful and happy flying, straight towards the sun, with bold strokes of wings.


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Mendelssohn - Italian symphony


----------



## bassClef (Oct 29, 2006)

633 Squadron and the Dambusters


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Walton's Spitfire music.....

Seriously though, Vaughan Williams 5th symphony and similar pastoral British works.


----------



## LordBlackudder (Nov 13, 2010)

you might like the rest of music from Sky Odyssey:

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=4841B3B2685FEA1D

this one is a stream i couldn't find it on youtube. it's track 3:

http://downloads.khinsider.com/game...soft-game-music-collection-vol.-11-expedition


----------



## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

I was once on a plain and the last movement of Sibelius' 5th symphony just came into my head. Very appropriate, as its big inspiration was a flock of swans (or cranes, can't remember off the top of my head) flying overhead. It evokes that feeling beautifully.


----------



## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

Flying by night?






Martin


----------



## Vor Gott (Jan 26, 2011)

To be honest, Mahler is the first that comes to mind (after _Die Walküreritt_ from the constant bombardment in the media) when I think of flying. Although, I would much rather listen more "optimistic" music while in flight.

Wait, come to think of it, Beethoven's Fourth symphony would be _fantastic_, in my opinion, for take off, starting at the first movement. Give at a listen and see if you agree!

Have a nice (and musical) flight!


----------



## Meaghan (Jul 31, 2010)

World Violist said:


> I was once on a plain and the last movement of Sibelius' 5th symphony just came into my head. Very appropriate, as its big inspiration was a flock of swans (or cranes, can't remember off the top of my head) flying overhead. It evokes that feeling beautifully.


!!

I clicked on this thread so I could say exactly that; I kid you not. Last time I was on a red-eye flight, I listened to the last movement of Sibelius 5 as the sun was starting to come up over the clouds. I had never associated the horn theme with sunrise before, but I have ever since. Wonderful flying music.


----------

