# Compositions what cheer up you up always.



## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

So are there any compositions what cheer you up no matter how bad day you have had?
For me its Beethovens 9th symphony, it produces increased amounts of joy for me now matter how many times i listen to it. The whole symphony is just so perfect! First movement opening with a humming sound and all the sudden it explodes. When i listen to the first movement it really makes me feel like that the music is taking me for a journey. Second movement is like journey moving forward while you admire the beauty of the earth. Then the touching slow third movement. You cant even use words to praise the fourth movement enough. Its just climax after climax! Like a symphony in a symphony! and and the end of it i feel like i have arrived to a great place. 

Pardon my cheesy rambling but that's just how i feel about the Symphony!

I think that Bernstein and Vänskä have recorded the best versions of the 9th.


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## Taneyev (Jan 19, 2009)

Tchaikovsky's string sextet and third symphonic suite. 
Dvorak's violin concerto.
Saint-Saëns suite algerienne
Smetana's piano czech polkas and dances.
Gottschalk's piano pieces
Chabrier's pintoresque piano pieces.
....


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## Klavierspieler (Jul 16, 2011)

Most Beethoven, especially _Waldstein._


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## Vesteralen (Jul 14, 2011)

I can't honestly say that music alters my moods. At best, certain types of music can _enhance an existing mood_. I don't ever remember putting on a certain type of music just to cheer myself up.


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## StevenOBrien (Jun 27, 2011)

Most of Mozart's music, especially the act I finale of Don Giovanni:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMaD_2zEFa4#t=1h13m40s


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## Andreas (Apr 27, 2012)

I think the finale of Schubert's Great C Major symphony is one of the most sweeping, life-affirming pieces of music I know.


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## shed (Dec 18, 2011)

Mendelssohn's 4th symphony


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## Merve (Jun 7, 2012)

Most of Beethoven depresses me so I find this interesting.

In any case I have a very specific piece I do use for this exact purpose: Bach's keyboard concerto no.4 in a major. Never fails the job. Better yet if you keep listening through 5, 6, 7........


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)




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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

Merve said:


> Most of Beethoven depresses me so I find this interesting.
> 
> In any case I have a very specific piece I do use for this exact purpose: Bach's keyboard concerto no.4 in a major. Never fails the job. Better yet if you keep listening through 5, 6, 7........


I dont know how to explains this very well i try.

I feel that the Beethovens music has the sense of a " Victory through difficulties". That applies to all his pieces!
( at least to those which i have heard) I feel that he is prepared to share his life more than any other composer and with his music tells who you can achieve victory also his music also tells us you shouldn't give up no matter what!


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## Norse (May 10, 2010)

I can't say that I often use music to brighten my mood if it's bad, (at least not very consciously) but the first single thing that comes to mind when thinking of spirit lifting, 'feel-good' music for me is Handel's "May no rash intruder" from Solomon. It makes it hard to feel too bad about life.  Not that there's anything particularly spectacular about this piece, it just has a nice blend of 'happy' and worry-free laid-backness. (I'm used to Gardiner's recording, for all I know others may not have quite the same effect.)


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## crmoorhead (Apr 6, 2011)

I agree with your sentiments on Beethoven's 9th. I esp like the finale with the joyous proclamation of unity. I find it very inspiring and uplifting. Other things that I am always in the mood for:

Bach: Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor (My favourite piece, bar none. To me, it expresses every emotion possible in one piece)
Bach: Mass in B Minor (Esp the Gloria section, the I also love the Kyrie and the Sanctus. Or just all of it.)
Mozart: Papageno's and Papagena's duet from Die Zauberflote (always makes me chuckle)
Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No. 2 (Just something quirky about this I love)
Verdi: Too many arias to name, I just constantly have new favourite bits from his operas
Tchaikovsky: Capriccio Italien (Thumping stuff!)
Tchaikovsky: Orchestral Suite No. 3., 4th Movement
Liszt: Several Hungarian Rhapsodies. 2nd (obviously), 9th and 13th particularly
Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue (Why not?)
Elgar: Introduction to Dream of Gerontius (Bliss and beauty)
Mahler: Symphony No. 1, 4th Movement (So much energy!)


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

A lot like this, I really like music that gives me a boost, here are a few -

Saint-Saens - Piano Concertos 1 & 4
Haydn - _Sym.# 104, 'London' _& also _The Creation_
Handel -_ Messiah_
Hovhaness - _Sym.#22 'City of LIght'_
Beethoven - many of his things, esp. _String Quaret in A minor, Op. 132_, _Piano Concerto #4_, the _'Ghost' piano trio _(basically their endings, and the 'journey' getting there)
Janacek - _Glagolitic Mass_
Kodaly -_ Hary Janos Suite_
Milhaud - _Scaramouche_
Mozart - much of his things, eg. _Eine Kliene Nachtmusik_, the _'Hunt' String Quartet_

...and so on...


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## Turangalîla (Jan 29, 2012)

Boccherini's famous Minuet...I can never stay grumpy...


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## Hausmusik (May 13, 2012)

Schubert Symphonies #5 & 9
Mozart, Symphonies #35 & #41
Mendelssohn, Octet
Tchaikovsky, Violin Concerto
Beethoven, Razumovsky 1


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## LordBlackudder (Nov 13, 2010)




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## Merve (Jun 7, 2012)

Dear OP, after my comment yesterday, last night I found out that Beethoven's 9th is being played in Versailles when I'm going to be in Paris... Which made me change my mind very fast  What a beautifully happy piece indeed! I really hope I can go, sounds like a really amazing experience.

Eh I was exaggerating when I said most of Beethoven depresses me, I do see the whole triumph thing and I do have Beethoven pieces that I love very much, I just usually don't listen to it as happy music.

(Well that has changed now for the 9th because it's suddenly directly associated with my upcoming trip and I can't stop listening to it happily!!)


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## Klavierspieler (Jul 16, 2011)

CarterJohnsonPiano said:


> Boccherini's famous Minuet...I can never stay grumpy...


I hate that thing...


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Forever and always, this:






Even now as I listen to it again, I'm grinning!


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## humanbean (Mar 5, 2011)

Haydn 88


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## Ravndal (Jun 8, 2012)

Die Fledermaus overture always makes me smile


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## Arsakes (Feb 20, 2012)

Johann Strauss II works (Polkas and Marches more, then Waltzes), Some of Dvorak and Brahms.
Several of Haydn symphonies..
Beethoven Symphony #5,6,2


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## Jeremy Marchant (Mar 11, 2010)




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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Jeremy Marchant said:


>


:lol: I've seen that many times. I must say Bernstein's conducting is quite hilarious at some points!


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## Lenfer (Aug 15, 2011)




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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Lenfer said:


>


I'd prefer to watch Hilary Hahn play it, but whatever...


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## MaestroViolinist (May 22, 2012)

Vivaldi's Spring of course! Than there is most of Mozart's music.


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## MaestroViolinist (May 22, 2012)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I'd prefer to watch Hilary Hahn play it, but whatever...


Itzhak Perlman is better. ut:


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

MaestroViolinist said:


> Itzhak Perlman is better. ut:


I KNOW ITZHAK PERLMAN IS BETTER random text


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## Arsakes (Feb 20, 2012)

I can add: 
Schumann's Symphony No. 1, Op. 38 'Spring'
and 
Schubert's Symphony No. 2


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## MaestroViolinist (May 22, 2012)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I KNOW ITZHAK PERLMAN IS BETTER random text


Huh? white


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

MaestroViolinist said:


> Huh? white


I said: *I KNOW ITZHAK PEARLMAN IS BETTER
*_
_Hear me now?


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

The Overture to the Marriage of Figaro is about the happiest 4 minutes of music I know.

Other choices - Copland's HoeDown from Rodeo
The finale to Dvorak's Violin Concerto
Jupiter from the Planets
About 75% of the Barber of Seville
Finale to Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto
Many of Dvorak's Slavonic Dances
Hobbits from De Meij's Symphony 1


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

I have always thought that the piece of music that reminds of happiness the most is the _Bergamasca_ from Respighi's Ancient Airs and Dances suite no. 2


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## Jeremy Marchant (Mar 11, 2010)




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## Lunasong (Mar 15, 2011)

Huapango, José Pablo Moncayo


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## Jeremy Marchant (Mar 11, 2010)

As it is has just come up in another thread, here's this:


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## Klavierspieler (Jul 16, 2011)

Olias said:


> The Overture to the Marriage of Figaro is about the happiest 4 minutes of music I know.
> 
> Other choices - Copland's HoeDown from Rodeo
> The finale to Dvorak's Violin Concerto
> ...


Eh? filler text

:lol:


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## Jeremy Marchant (Mar 11, 2010)




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## Andreas (Apr 27, 2012)

I will add some more:

Bizet - Carmen Ouverture
Bach - Goldberg Variations: Variation 1
Ravel - Piano Concerto: 3rd movement
Shostakovich - Suite for Variety Orchestra (formerly known as Jazz Suite No. 2): March & Finale
Wagner - Meistersinger Prelude
Schumann - Symphony No. 4: Finale


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## peeyaj (Nov 17, 2010)

I want to jump in joy!


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## eorrific (May 14, 2011)

I prefer to watch some "easy" operas when I'm feeling down (Il Barbiere, Mozart's operas, especially Don Giovanni and Die Zauberflote, and Rigoletto), which almost always work, but these instrumental pieces have cheered me up in the past : Prokofiev's 3rd piano concerto, Ravel's piano concerto, Shostakovich's 1st and 2nd piano concerti, Richard Strauss' Till Eulenspiegel.


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

Klavierspieler said:


> Eh? filler text
> 
> :lol:


Johan de Meij, a Dutch composer wrote his Symphony #1 in 1989. Its a program symphony based on the Lord of the Rings books. It was originally a concert band work but it was transcribed for orchestra and premiered by the LSO. The movements are:

I - Gandalf
II - Lothlorien
III - Gollum
IV - Journey into the Dark
V - Hobbits

Here's movement V:


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## Arsakes (Feb 20, 2012)

Delibes - Sylvia, Dance of the Huntresses:





De Beriot - Violin Concerto No.1:





Korsakov - Mlada (Cortege), opera-ballet:






And

Wagner's 'The Ride of the Valkyries'
Liszt's 'Mesphisto Waltz'

I hope the links are correct. It's not easy for me to check them.


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

W. A. Mozart - Concerto For Two Pianos, K 365
W.A. Mozart Symphony No 29 in A major K 201
W.A. Mozart - The marriage of figaro overture
W.A. Mozart - The magic flute queen of the night aria
Jean Sibelius - Finlandia
+ Most of Beethovens music!


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## Fugue (Apr 26, 2011)

Waldstein - Beethoven
Sonata No.1 - Fugue - Bach
Cordoba - Albeniz
Sibelius Symphony No. 5 - First movement


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Arsakes said:


> Delibes - Sylvia, Dance of the Huntresses:


I don't know why, but that french horn melody makes me grin every time. I think it's because I get some funny image in my head from it, like somebody prancing along to the beat but in some absurd situation. Maybe a heroic slo-mo prance into Subway or something. :lol:


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## TheLovelyLudwig (Jun 19, 2012)

Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 First Movement always puts me in a good mood. And Vivaldi's "Spring" from the Four Seasons really makes me envision flowers blooming, birds chirping and the sun shining brightly whenever I hear it.

And I have to agree with the starter of this thread that Beethoven's Ninth always makes me feel elated no matter what.


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