# Most Romantic Piece of Classical Music



## TheBassoonist (Feb 4, 2013)

Hello everyone,

In honor of Valentines Day, I thought I would just pose a question- in your opinion, what would you consider to be the most romantic piece of classical music? It doesn't necessarily have to be composed in the Romantic Era either. Just wanted to hear what you all thought 

Happy Valentines Day!

-TheBassoonist


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## ProudSquire (Nov 30, 2011)

I've always loved this one, even it were meant to be a lullaby. :}






HVD


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

After ten seconds of thought I'll say the first movement of Bruch's first violin concerto.

Edit: thirty seconds of thought gives me the first couple minutes of Tchaikovsky's first piano concerto. I love that! I wonder if anything has ever been more ridiculously, unapologetically over the top? Of course Brahms' first piano concerto is pretty melodramatic as well, and Rachmaninov's 2nd, but Tchaikovsky's is a ballet disguised as a concerto.


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## Norse (May 10, 2010)

The Adagietto from Mahler 5 was the first thing that popped into my mind when thinking of 'love music'.. It's a very sort of 'deep and serious and tender' love, not so much 'charm and flirting'.


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## DrKilroy (Sep 29, 2012)

Turangalila of course!

Best regards, Dr


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## Turangalîla (Jan 29, 2012)

^ I agree, Turangalila wins hands-down.


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

After deliberating with myself for 10 seconds longer then Science: *Ralph Vaughan Williams* The Lark Ascending!

/ptr


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## DrKilroy (Sep 29, 2012)

The Lark Ascending is a good pick for listeners who are not acquainted with a little more modern music! 

Best regards, Dr

PS Of course, in case it was not clear, I adore anything written by Vaughan Williams.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

My wife would vote for Beethoven's Romances. But she's a big Shostakovich fan too, so there's really no telling.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)




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## Aries (Nov 29, 2012)

Rimski-Korsakow: Scheherazade






or Richard Wagner: Die Walküre/Tristan und Isolde


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

Some of Schubert's lieder are very romantic. This one is probably my favorite:


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

This will sound corny, but *Vaughan Williams' Tallis Fantasia*. I know it's not supposed to be romantic, but I've concocted a rich symbolism around it for myself that has nothing to do with the intent of the piece. I realize the syrupy string sonorities are a bit of a cliche too in this, but what the heck? There must be a reason we gravitate toward weepy string ensembles when we think of love. I mean, brass doesn't do it unless in rare occasions such as that wonderful distant mysterious horn at the beginning of *Holst's Venus*, another contender.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

I'll go with "Rage Over a Lost Penny".


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## OboeKnight (Jan 25, 2013)

Hmm Nocturne in C Sharp Minor by Tchaikovsky is so nice. That cello is so seductive....ahhh. I think Tchaikovsky was just really good at love themes.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Hilltroll72 said:


> I'll go with "Rage Over a Lost Penny".


Now _there's _cynical view of romance.


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## GGluek (Dec 11, 2011)

Beethoven's Op. 109 piano sonata.


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## Toddlertoddy (Sep 17, 2011)

Penderecki's Threnody


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

DrKilroy said:


> The Lark Ascending is a good pick for listeners who are not acquainted with a little more modern music!
> 
> Best regards, Dr
> 
> PS Of course, in case it was not clear, I adore anything written by Vaughan Williams.


That's somewhat condescending don't you think ?


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## Ravndal (Jun 8, 2012)

I think I must say Liebestraum by Liszt


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)




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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Ravndal said:


> I think I must say Liebestraum by Liszt


Guess what--I was thinking the same ! Was there ever a more romantic tune ?
This is the third Liebestraum and it started off as a song "O lieb' so lang du lieben kann" (O love as long as you can).
There are recordings available including the ever present DFD,but as usual he turns it into a rant.
Hildegard Behrens did a good one.


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## Ravndal (Jun 8, 2012)

moody said:


> *Guess what--I was thinking the same ! Was there ever a more romantic tune ?*
> This is the third Liebestraum and it started off as a song "O lieb' so lang du lieben kann" (O love as long as you can).
> There are recordings available including the ever present DFD,but as usual he turns it into a rant.
> Hildegard Behrens did a good one.


It certainly is one of the more romantic i know of, but Clair De Lune is at the top as well. Chopin Mazurka in A minor (no 13) is also very romantic in it's melody, but more melancholic. What i like with liebestraum, is that the emotion changes is very noticeable - some people call it shallow, i dont agree.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Ravndal said:


> It certainly is one of the more romantic i know of, but Clair De Lune is at the top as well. Chopin Mazurka in A minor (no 13) is also very romantic in it's melody, but more melancholic. What i like with liebestraum, is that the emotion changes is very noticeable - some people call it shallow, i dont agree.


They call it shallow because it's popular and not by some peculiar composer nobody ever heard of and those who did wished they had not !


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## Arsakes (Feb 20, 2012)

Saint Saëns 'Danse Macabre'
Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No.3
Schumann, Grieg and Tchaikovsky in general.
And Russians in general!


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## OboeKnight (Jan 25, 2013)

Arsakes said:


> Saint Saëns 'Danse Macabre'
> Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No.3
> Schumann, Grieg and Tchaikovsky in general.
> And Russians in general!


Hmmm...Danse Macabre is an interesting choice. I'm not sure if "dance of death" is quite romantic, but definitely a wonderful piece of music. I can see it as being flirtatious with Death itself. The waltz theme could be dancing around and around, playing with Death, and then in the end Death gets the final word.

Wow, I put a lot into that didn't I? Lol


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Arsakes said:


> Saint Saëns 'Danse Macabre'
> Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No.3
> Schumann, Grieg and Tchaikovsky in general.
> And Russians in general!


Danse Macabre is fairly romantic if you happen to be a skeleton.
But you've avoided the issue --what's your favourite ?


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## Cheyenne (Aug 6, 2012)

Bach's fifth Brandenburg concerto has always seemed to me to be romantic, I just often imagine the flute and the violin as two lovers, or something along those lines; it works surprisingly well especially in the third movement. The last movement of Vaughan Williams' Third Symphony always struck me as somewhat romantic, though this may, I'm afraid, undermine the 'true' nature of the piece. Also, Mendelssohn's violin concerto has something romantic to me.


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## Turangalîla (Jan 29, 2012)

I can't believe I forgot the second movement of Ravel's Concerto in G! So romantic, yet not schmaltzy, fluffy romance (think Tchaikovsky). It has a romance that is very deep, intense, and profound.

Go to 8:55.


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## LordBlackudder (Nov 13, 2010)




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## Bone (Jan 19, 2013)

DrKilroy said:


> Turangalila of course!
> 
> Best regards, Dr


Wow. Just...wow.
I'll be a good boy and just choose Tchaikovsky 6, 1st mvmt Andante. But Turangalila is a close 2nd


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## Arsakes (Feb 20, 2012)

moody said:


> Danse Macabre is fairly romantic if you happen to be a skeleton.
> But you've avoided the issue --what's your favourite ?


Suffice to say I mean(t) the Romantic as 19th century music.

I guess Mendelssohn's _Songs without words_ should be so Romantic (I've listened to only one of them).
I should figure more *love* related music in the future.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Arsakes said:


> Suffice to say I mean(t) the Romantic as 19th century music.
> 
> I guess Mendelssohn's _Songs without words_ should be so Romantic (I've listened to only one of them).
> I should figure more *love* related music in the future.


The OP was talking about honouring Valentine's day rather than the romantic period,that was the thing of it.


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## Norse (May 10, 2010)

Speaking of Songs without Words, I think the most romantic in this sense could be op.38/6, which is even structured like a duet between a female and male singer.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Alban Berg-Nacht


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## Alydon (May 16, 2012)

Has to be the Chopin Nocturnes for me, but never been attached to a female who was in to classical music!


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