# The most inspired Slow movements



## terotero

What do you think are the most inspired orchestral slow movements ever?
Come to think but of a few:
Beethoven: 9th symphony 3rd mvmnt
Elgar: Enigma variations, Nimrod
Schumann: 2nd symphony 3rd movement
Schubert: Unfinished 2nd movement
Bruckner: 7th symphony 2nd movement
Mahler: 10th Symphony adagio


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## Manuel

Mahler's fourth


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## Handel

Haydn's 99th symphony, 2nd movement.


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## Manuel

Does the Romance from Wieniawski's second concerto count here? I mean, there's an orchestra there, somewhere...


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## opus67

LvB Sym6 Mvt2
Brahms Sym3 Mvt3


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## ChamberNut

Terotero, by inspired slow movements, do you mean where the composer was inspired, or what we the listener find inspiring?


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## terotero

ChamberNut,
Good point...but I will ask you does it make any difference?...an inspired work is inspiring it is the magic of art (from heart to heart).


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## ChamberNut

OK, some orchestral slow movements that I find inspiring:

Beethoven - Symphony No. 6 _Pastoral_ 2nd mvt

Bruckner - Symphony No. 4 _Romantic_, 2nd mvt

Mahler - Symphony No. 5, 4th mvt. Adagietto

Mozart - Clarinet Concerto 2nd mvt


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## Guarnerius

Mahler: Symphony No. 5 Adagietto (You dementics ;o) anybody remembered this one of the most famous slow movements ever?)
Bruckner 4, 5, 7, 8. They all are heartbreaking ;,-(
Chopin both piano concertos slow movements, why not Grieg also..
Opera intermezzo's like Manon Lescaut, Tosca, Adriana Lecouvreur, etc. so many...


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## Oneiros

Górecki's Third.


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## Manuel

Oneiros said:


> Górecki's Third.


Which Movement? rolleyes: )


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## Handel

Manuel said:


> Which Movement? rolleyes: )


The slow one?


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## Oneiros

Manuel said:


> Which Movement? rolleyes: )


The 4th.


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## ChamberNut

Guarnerius said:


> Mahler: Symphony No. 5 Adagietto (You dementics ;o) anybody remembered this one of the most famous slow movements ever?)
> 
> 
> 
> Guarnerius,
> 
> This dementic posted it before you.
Click to expand...


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## Guarnerius

Dear ChamberNut,

I throw myself on my knees before You Senior Member! *doing worshipping gestures*. Can You ever accept my deepest apologies ;o).
Must confess, I read all too quickly that list and erroneously saw there was mentioned Symphony No. 4 (while it was the 4th mvmnt). Sorry for that. So tomorrow I'll have to contact my optician to give me a new pair of looking glasses


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## Rondo

Beethoven's 4th, 2nd Mvt...sublime!


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## ChamberNut

Guarnerius said:


> Dear ChamberNut,
> 
> I throw myself on my knees before You Senior Member! *doing worshipping gestures*. Can You ever accept my deepest apologies ;o).
> Must confess, I read all too quickly that list and erroneously saw there was mentioned Symphony No. 4 (while it was the 4th mvmnt). Sorry for that. So tomorrow I'll have to contact my optician to give me a new pair of looking glasses


You are forgiven  And forgive me for not mentioning Grieg's Piano Concerto 2nd mvt. Fantastic horn passage before the entrance of the piano.


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## terotero

Add Mozart's Bassoon Concerto 2nd movement, piano concerto no 23 2nd movement


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## Rondo

I take that back, on second thought I would have to mention the second movement of Nielsen's third. The solo voices in that are out of this world!!!

I don't know what made me forget that one, I shouldn't act on impulse!


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## Handel

I might add Haydn's 2nd movement from his string quartet op. 20 no 2.


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## opus67

Handel said:


> I might add Haydn's 2nd movement from his string quartet op. 20 no 2.


I would add a couple of other slow movements from his other quartets, if only terotero had allowed to us to list chamber works.


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## opus67

terotero said:


> piano concerto no 23 2nd movement


The second movement to PC 20 is one of the most beautiful movements he has written, IMHO. While technically it's part of an orchestral work, the piano reigns supreme mostly.


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## Kurkikohtaus

If you like pain, suffering and the possible feeling of exaltedness that these may bring...

*Sibelius 4th, mvmt III*.


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## Lisztfreak

ChamberNut said:


> And forgive me for not mentioning Grieg's Piano Concerto 2nd mvt. Fantastic horn passage before the entrance of the piano.


Horn? Isn't that trumpet?


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## Lisztfreak

Here's what I can remember off the top of my head:

Bruckner: 5th, 7th, 8th and 9th symphonies.
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.4
Liszt: Purgatorio from Dante Symphony
Sibelius: 4th symphony (just as Kurki says!)
Elgar: 1st symphony, 3rd mvt.
Beethoven: 7th and 9th symphony
Shostakovich: 11th symphony, 3rd mvt. In memoriam
Honegger: 3rd symphony 'Liturgique', 2nd mvt. De profundis clamavi
Ravel: Piano Concerto in G


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## terotero

Beethoven 7th! Where is the slow movement...I think it is an "Andante" and should be played as such......interpreters usually use too slow tempos for it making it falsely an Adagio.


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## ChamberNut

terotero said:


> Beethoven 7th! Where is the slow movement...I think it is an "Andante" and should be played as such......interpreters usually use too slow tempos for it making it falsely an Adagio.


It's neither. It is marked _Allegretto_.


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## terotero

Opus67, do you mean Mozart's piano concerto No 21 or 20?


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## terotero

Yes ChamberNut
People tend to forget that. Have you listened to it in a fast tempo (other than Norrington's)?


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## ChamberNut

terotero said:


> Yes ChamberNut
> People tend to forget that. Have you listened to it in a fast tempo (other than Norrington's)?


No, I've never heard a fast tempo version. Only moderate or way too slow.


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## opus67

terotero said:


> Opus67, do you mean Mozart's piano concerto No 21 or 20?


20. I haven't yet really familiarised myself with the 21st as much as I have with the 20th concerto. But as I mentioned in another post, I heard the Moonlight sonata for a few seconds in the slow movement of the 21st  , so it's probably as good, if not better, than the slow movement of the 20th.


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## Edward Elgar

The slow movement that springs to my mind is Saint-Saens 3rd Symphony 2nd mvnt.


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## terotero

Well I thing Mozart's PC no21 is more appealing than no 20, but of course it is a matter of taste.


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## terotero

ChamberNut,
Try Herbert Kegel's interpretation....I think it is the best so far.


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## terotero

I find it strange how "inspired" is interchanged with "heartbreaking" and "sorrow". I personally don't think that an inspired work has to be sorrowful, take an example Schubert's unfinished symphony (no8) the second movement.


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## Edward Elgar

terotero said:


> I find it strange how "inspired" is interchanged with "heartbreaking" and "sorrow". I personally don't think that an inspired work has to be sorrowful, take an example Schubert's unfinished symphony (no8) the second movement.


Slow movements are often either sad or relaxing. The inspiration stems from the manipulation of these emotions into a finely constructed work of art.


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## terotero

Elgar,
I don't think that "relaxation" is an emotion, I think it is the relief from emotions.
I also think that there are other emotions that had been expressed in slow movements.

One thing I would just like to ask....is it really the sadness that is inspiring in the music or the emotion of "love" that is behind that sadness; i.e. loss of a loved one,...etc?


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## Guest

Tchaikovsky 6th- 4th Movement, VC in D, 2nd Movement.
Brahms 3rd- 3rd Movement


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## Edward Elgar

terotero said:


> Elgar,
> I don't think that "relaxation" is an emotion, I think it is the relief from emotions.
> I also think that there are other emotions that had been expressed in slow movements.
> 
> One thing I would just like to ask....is it really the sadness that is inspiring in the music or the emotion of "love" that is behind that sadness; i.e. loss of a loved one,...etc?


You've just said sadness can be induced by love, so can't pleasure be induced by relaxation? Also, I clearly stated that it's most commonly saddness and relaxation felt in slow movements; I didn't rule out the possibility of other emotions being felt in slow movements.


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## Edward Elgar

I'd also like to credit Notserp89m on his great taste!


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## opus67

I see that no one has mentioned Beethoven S3M2 until now.


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## Guarnerius

--> To Terotero,


What a genius realization! I mean the original idea mixing up the concepts like "inspiration, heartbreaking and sorrow etc. with most inspired mvmts".

Surely, they don't mean the same thing... but surprisingly often people tend to think so? As odd would be to claim that music like Albinoni Adagio could be relaxing?! No waaay...! definitely not. On the contrary, what an emotional turmoil there is!

So it is not only the tempo of music, which matters... Surely the chords, modulations, genres, colors have their effect. Hmmm... feels that it is difficult to define some "absolute limits" - U C, people tend to link their own experiences to those melodies, which they were listening at the moment when things happened. For somebody they can be totally different than for the others. Final conclusion: the main thing is, I guess, that important thing is that everybody could find their own preferitions and enjoy them fully... Chaque-un a son propre goût!


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## Gustav

many slow movements that Bruckner wrote are beautiful beyond words can describe


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## terotero

May be the true meaning of "inspired" is in Gustav's comment "beyond words can describe".
However, I feel that it is the outpouring emotion "whatever it is and even sometimes not fully understood, but well felt" that makes a work inspired.


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## oisfetz

Nocturno of Borodin's second SQ. One of the most beautiful mouvements 
ever composed for any ensamble.
Also one of the greatest italian melodies ever; second mouv.of Paganini's
second v.c.


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## Manuel

oisfetz said:


> Nocturno of Borodin's second SQ. One of the most beautiful mouvements
> ever composed for any ensamble.


I love that one. But I don't think it can outrank the _Elegia _from Arensky's Trio in d minor.


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## oisfetz

Or any of the slow mouv.of Dvorak's SQ from op.34 on


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## Chi_townPhilly

1) Bruckner Symphony #7: 2nd movement.
1a) Bruckner Symphony #8, Nowak edition: 3rd movement.

Hate to have to choose between these two. Even though I prefer the 8th as a complete work (by a slight margin), I guess I prefer the slow movement of the 7th, (by an even slighter margin).


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## World Violist

The first movement of Brahms' German Requiem is absolutely inspired. The third movement of Mahler's first is shattering. I have to listen to Mahler more, just got the complete symphonies and Das Lied von der Erde...


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## Guarnerius

oisfetz said:


> Or any of the slow mouv.of Dvorak's SQ from op.34 on





Chi_town/Philly said:


> 1) Bruckner Symphony #7: 2nd movement.
> 1a) Bruckner Symphony #8, Nowak edition: 3rd movement.
> 
> Hate to have to choose between these two. Even though I prefer the 8th as a complete work (by a slight margin), I guess I prefer the slow movement of the 7th, (by an even slighter margin).


No wonder the Adagio movement of 7th is so touching, while the composer was inspired by the news of Wagner's death. And later, the same movement was performed (as arrangement for wind instruments) in his own Requiem Mass in 1896.

Surely also the 8th is awesomely effective, sheer music from Paradise! Hmmm maybe I like even more the 1890 version by Robert Haas. There, near the end (about 8 minutes before) is a short passage which is totally unexpectable and different from those other more usually known versions. It is full of such a deep desperate sorrow one can ever imagine.

Summary: different versions can offer to the listeners one more better extatic experiences of wonderful music. No need to put them to the "priority order". Best result is to choose them both!


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## m.sandiego

Where to start..... Here are a few: 

Tchaikovsky Symphony # 6 - First movement
Bruckner - Of course 7 and 8 - 2nd movements
Mahler - Symphony # 3 - First movement 
Chopin - Piano sonata #2, 2nd movment
Beethoven - Symphony # 3, 2nd movement 
Barber - Adagio for Strings
Berlioz - Symphony Fantastiqe - Marche Au Supplice


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## Celloman

ALL Rachmaninoff slow movements
Vaughan Williams-2nd symphony, 2nd movement
Mendelssohn-Violin Concerto, 2nd movement
Mozart-Clarinet Concerto, 2nd movement
Rodriguez-Concierto de Aranjuez, 2nd movement
Rimsky-Korsakov-Scheherezade, 3rd movement


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## Rachovsky

*Inspiring*

Yes, I agree that all of Rachmaninoff's piano concertos are moving. For the most part, they are all slow as well. Although the piano is being placed extremely fast at points in his 3rd Concerto, the violins (or whatever instrument is the majority in the background), is just strumming along so serenely. Ahh, maybe I have no clue what I'm talking about.

I've never been a fan of the Largo movements of pieces. The only ones that I can truly listen to and enjoy them throughout is:
- Beethoven's 9th Symphony - 3rd Mvt
- Dvorák 9th Symphony - 2nd Mvt
- Anything by Rachmaninoff
Wagner's Gotterdammerung where I believe Siegfried has just died? Yes? No?

Other pieces such as Adagio for Strings, perhaps, almost lulls me to sleep. Not necessarily a bad thing in certain cases, right? 

Anyways, enough ranting.


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## World Violist

Sibelius' _Swan of Tuonela_ is awe-inspiring, too.


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## BuddhaBandit

Mahler's 1st, 3rd movement for me. I'm not sure if it's already been mentioned in this thread... but I find the whole "funeral march" bit to be very sublime.

WorldViolinist, I recently bought a CD with _Swan of Tuonela_ along with _Finlandia_ and _Valse Triste_ conducted by Bernstein.... it's relly magnificent... _Valse_ is one of my favorite Sibelius pieces.


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## World Violist

Oh, I love Mahler's 1st symphony, I think I mentioned the third movement as well...? It's just perfect.

The first bit of Finlandia is great (Can you tell who I'm listening to a lot now?), awe-inspiring. I remember, I played in the viola section of this recently, and it was so inspiring to me that ever since I've been trying to compose a piece in F minor. I've never quite finished...

Sibelius' Andante Festivo is absolutely gorgeous. I'm looking to buy the recording he made of it - the only recording of Sibelius conducting his own music. It's just too good to pass up.

Sibelius' third and sixth symphonies, second movements, are also very well written, as are the slow parts of the seventh symphony.


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## EricIsAPolarBear

I tend to prefer slow movements.

Pretty obvious, but the two that stand out for me are
Mahler's 5th Adagio
Bruckner's 7th Adagio


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## EricIsAPolarBear

I also really like Mahler 4'th Symphony, the third movement


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## Smeepers

I love the opening of Shostakovich 10th, but for a full slow movement, the 3rd movement of his 5th symphony.

Away from symhonic music, I loved playing the 2nd movement of the Martinu Flute Sonata.


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## Ephemerid

Some of these pieces have already been mentioned, but I'll add to this ever-growing list-- strictly larger scale stuff (I could add too much more for chamber music!):

Vivaldi: Adagio from "Autumn"
Bach: Air from Orchestral Suite No. 3
Beethoven: Third movement from String 4tet No. 16 (there is a transcription for string orchestra of this that is lovely)
Beethoven: Second movement from Piano Concert No. 5
Sibelius: The Swan of Tuonela
Debussy: The Afternoon of a Faun
Barber: Adagio for Strings (though I prefer the original string quartet)
Britten: Part III from Sinfonia da Requiem
Ives: The Unanswered Question
Shostakovich: Second movement from Piano Concerto No. 2
Shostakovich: First movement of Chamber Symphony (transcription of 4tet No. 8)
Stravinsky: The finale from Apollon musagetes
Stravinsky: Second movement from Symphony of Psalms and the last half of the third movement
Stravinsky: The berceuse from The Firebird
Stravinsky: Orpheus-- the scene where he leads Eurydice out of Hades and looks back at her (the most saddest SILENCE in that moment!)
Gorecki: First movement of Symphony No. 3
Part: Second movement of Tabula Rasa
Takemitsu: Tree-Line
Takemitsu: "Hell's Picture Scroll" from the Ran soundtrack (the third castle battle scene)


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## Ephemerid

I almost forgot: 

The second movement of Vivaldi's Guitar Concerto No. 15!


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## World Violist

I've come to the conclusion that almost any slow movement by Sibelius or Mahler is going to be inspired to some degree. They're late romantics, though; they have the right to write inspired slow movements whenever they want to.


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## shsherm

The movie Death in Venice used Mahler 5th 4th movement as part of the score. I heard a joke about this where two movie producers were viewing the movie and one asked the other "Who wrote that music". "Gustav Mahler" he was told so the first producer said "Let's get him to write the score for our next movie". 
Great music played when JFK was killed.


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## altiste

The slow movement of Tippett's 2nd Symphony in C Major "Adagio molto e tranquillo". Contains an exquisite extended melodic line.


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## confuoco

First of all: *Brahms: Symphony No. 4, 2nd movement*
then:
Dvorak: Symphony No. 9, 2nd movement 
Elgar: Enigma variations, Nimrod
Sibelius: Violin concerto, 2nd movement
Brahms: Piano concerto No. 1, 1st movement
Brahms: Piano concerto No. 2, 3rd movement
Ravel: Piano concerto in G
Bartók: Piano concerto No. 3, 2nd movement


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## Lisztfreak

A question for *confuoco*: Are you from Slovakia or from Czech Republic?


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## confuoco

Lisztfreak said:


> A question for *confuoco*: Are you from Slovakia or from Czech Republic?


From Slovakia, but study in Czech Republic in Brno, city of Leos Janacek


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## Lisztfreak

confuoco said:


> From Slovakia, but study in Czech Republic in Brno, city of Leos Janacek


Nice to hear. I've been to Brno recently, and I find it a very pleasant city. Not as breathtaking as Prague, of course, that would be too much to ask, but it's quite interesting in its own way. 
I guess it didn't take you long to learn Czech, did it? The two languages are pretty close. I can understand a lot while people talk slowly, but the inn-keepers of Prague have a bad habit of chattering so quickly that all the bonds between our Slavic languages become rather useless...  And we always had to resort to English in the end. The same story happened in Bratislava. A pity.


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## confuoco

Lisztfreak said:


> Nice to hear. I've been to Brno recently, and I find it a very pleasant city. Not as breathtaking as Prague, of course, that would be too much to ask, but it's quite interesting in its own way.
> I guess it didn't take you long to learn Czech, did it? The two languages are pretty close. I can understand a lot while people talk slowly, but the inn-keepers of Prague have a bad habit of chattering so quickly that all the bonds between our Slavic languages become rather useless...  And we always had to resort to English in the end. The same story happened in Bratislava. A pity.


Maybe this is for Non-classical discussion forum. Sincerely, I don't find Brno very nice city (however, better than Ostrava ), even though I love it. But it is true, that Brno has great panorama with its cathedral.

I haven't learn Czech, just speak Slovak and it is no problem. Unfortunately, I haven't been in Croatia yet, but from photos and reports I suppose it is one of the most beautiful countries all around the world.

Takže neviem posúdiť, či sú naše jazyky naozaj také podobné, že je možné sa navzájom dorozumieť


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## Lisztfreak

confuoco said:


> Unfortunately, I haven't been in Croatia yet, but from photos and reports I suppose it is one of the most beautiful countries all around the world.


Oh, what a compliment!  But I can't say - it's surely beautiful, however I haven't seen all the other countries in the world!



> Takže neviem posúdiť, či sú naše jazyky naozaj také podobné, že je možné sa navzájom dorozumieť


I also cannot judge whether it's really possible, but try this:

Također ne mogu prosuditi jesu li naši jezici najzad toliko slični da je moguće međusobno se razumjeti.


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## confuoco

Lisztfreak said:


> Također ne mogu prosuditi jesu li naši jezici najzad toliko slični da je moguće međusobno se razumjeti.


 Excellent! But I am not sure if I would be able to translate it in reverse direction .

Oh, this is my 100. post! So easy to become Senior Member?


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## Lisztfreak

Too easy. And there's nothing beyond that, except if you are appointed an assistant administrator.


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## SamGuss

Shostakovich Symphony No. 7 "Leningrad" - movement 2.


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## BAWIG05

Dvorak: Cello Concerto ("Slava"/Karajan)
Mozart: VC 3 (Oistrakh playing while conducting the Berlin Philharmonic) 
3rd movement of Copland's Rodeo (no joke) (Antal Dorati/Detroit Symphony)
Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1: (Played slowly by Zimermann on DG)
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5: Leon Fleisher/George Szell


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## World Violist

The last movement of Mahler's 9th is downright amazing.

And you can't go wrong with the slow movement of the Eroica, either. It's got one of my favorite non-Bach fugues ever written right in the middle!


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## Rondo

I haven't kept up with this thread, so if someone has already mentioned it bear with me. I have to add "Nimrod" from Elgar's _Enigma Variations_ as a choice here, as well. It may not be from a symphony, but it is part of a larger work, hence my contribution.


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## Ivan Sergeyevich

Mahler's unfinished tenth: the adagio.


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## World Violist

The first movement of Tchaikovsky's Sixth symphony.


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## opus67

Beethoven Op. 59 No. 1, Mvt. 3


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## woodwind_fan

Tchaikovsky 5th Symphony 2nd Movement
Shostakovich 5th Symphony 3rd Movement
Rachmaninoff 2nd Symphony 3rd Movement (cheesy, but lush!)


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## SalieriIsInnocent

Beethovens 7th symphony 2nd movement.
Barber - adagio for strings


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## bertalm

Howard Hanson - adagio from symph.2 (also end theme of Alien movie)
Mahler's 4th's adagio
Mahler's 3rd's adagio
Mahler's 6th's adagio
Mahler's 9th's adagio
Mahler's 10th's adagio
R.Strauss - Tod und Verklärung


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## Zombo

2nd movement of the Piano Concerto No. 2 by Shostakovich... simple and very effective...
2nd movement of the Barber piano concerto...
Adagio from the Concierto de Aranjuez...(Rodrigo)
Second movement of the Piano Concerto in F (Gershwin)
I love the second movement from the Piano Concerto of Khachaturian!

and finally... the second movement of Dvorak 9...


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## World Violist

I have to add to my growing list the second movement of Shostakovich's cello concerto. It's among those extraordinarily haunting, atmospheric pieces of music that just doesn't let you go. And the transition to the cadenza is absolutely spellbinding, just magical.


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## Zombo

the slow movement of the ravel piano concerto is also very very good


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## Elgarian

I thought I'd mentioned this before, but it must have been in some other thread. Anyway, one of the loveliest slow movements I know is the 3rd movement of Parry's second (Cambridge) symphony (though it may seem too treacly for some). This may not be the greatest symphony ever written, but by golly it is packed with tunes and is one of my personal favourites.

You can hear the first minute of the _Andante_ 3rd movement here (click on the little yellow quaver next to track 3): 
http://www.theclassicalshop.net/details06MP3.asp?CNumber=CHAN%208961


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## Atabey

Mahler - Symphony No.1 3.movement
Mahler - Symphony No.5 4.movement
Mahler - Symphony No.6 2. or 3. movement (depends on conductors choice but the one with the title andante moderato)
Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No.3 2.movement (the fantasia in it is music worth living for)
Brahms - Symphony No.3 3. movement
Brahms - Symphony No.2 2. movement

My absoulte favourite-Beethoven - Symphony No.7 2.movement (I know it is marked allegretto,but Furtwangler takes it adagio and his interpretation is head and shoulders above any other i heard)

Beethoven - Piano Concerto No.4 2.movement
Mozart - Piano Concerto No.20 2.movement
Shostakovich - Symphony No.8 1.movement (It is marked Adagio)
Shostakovich - Piano Concerto No.1 1.movement
Shostakovich - Symphony No.7 2.movement
Shostakovich - Piano Concerto No.2 2.movement
Shostakovich - Symphony No.5 2.movement


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## World Violist

I just love the slow movement of Shostakovich's fifth symphony. One of the most moving things I've heard from the great composer. Haunting.


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## JoeGreen

the last movement( Adagio) to Tchaikovsky's 6th.

I always get goosebumps listening to it, so haunting and chilling yet beautiful. Especially when you put in the context of the movement that came before.

You can definetly feel the anguish and pain that Tchaikovsky was going through in his life.




Gosh, I love Tchaikovsky's 6th.


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## Kuhlau

I'm not going to read all 89 replies to see if anyone's mentioned the slow movement from Beethoven's Fifth Piano Concerto (but I bet they have ), so I'm just going to stick in another good word for it. 

FK


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## Lang

For me there are two adagios which tower above all other slow movements: that of Mahler's ninth, and that of Beethoven's Hammerklavier Sonata.


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## phoenixshade

As much attention as the "Emperor" gets (and _deservedly_ so, I must qualify), it seems partly at the expense of Beethoven's Piano Concerto no. 4. The 2nd movement is wonderfully introspective. I don't know if it's his _most_ inspired slow movement, but it definitely deserves mention...


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## SPR

Im surprised I did not see this one in this thread... or perhaps I missed it...

Haydn, 5th String Quartet Op 76. 2nd movement. Largo ma non troppo, cantabile e mesto.

whooooeee. (A Technical term). Its very good.


(edit)... of course, this is the orchestral section......


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## Atabey

phoenixshade said:


> As much attention as the "Emperor" gets (and _deservedly_ so, I must qualify), it seems partly at the expense of Beethoven's Piano Concerto no. 4. The 2nd movement is wonderfully introspective. I don't know if it's his _most_ inspired slow movement, but it definitely deserves mention...


Agree.I like it more than Emperor's slow movement.


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## Habib

Rachmaninov's Symphony No. 2 (3rd movt.) & Piano Concerto No. 2 (2nd movt.)
Gorecki's Symphony No. 3 (the whole thing, but in particular the last movement)
Ravel's Piano Concerto in G (2nd movt.)
Dvorak's Piano Concerto (2nd movt.)
Bartok's Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3 (2nd movts.)
Shostakovich's Symphony No. 10 (1st movt.)
Stravinsky's Violin Concerto (2nd & 3rd movts.)


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## terotero

It has been over a year now since I have started this thread.
Since then no one has considered any baroque music! has Bach fallen out of taste?
what about Handel, Vivaldi, Corelli and Teleman?


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## tahnak

*Inspiring Slow Movements by the Inspired*

Piotr Tchaikovsky: The finale rom Pathetique
Sergei Rachmaninov: Third Movement from the Second Symphony
Vocalise
Aleksandr Borodin: Third Movement again from the Second Symphony
Hector Berlioz: Third Movement from Symphonie Fantastique
Ludwig Beethoven: Third Movement of Choral
Johannes Brahms: Second Movement from the Fourth Symphony
Richard Wagner: Siegfried Idyll
Anton Bruckner: Third Movement of the Ninth Symphony
Anton Dvorak: Largo from the New World Symphony
Georg Handel: Largo from Xerxes
Richard Strauss: Tod und Verklarung
Jean Sibelius: His entire Seventh Symphony
Gustav Mahler: II Part of Symphony No. 8


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## satcom

Some great choices, but I don't see:

Second movement of Grieg's piano concerto !


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## Me.Antonia

I have to agree with earlier posts on the Adagietto from Maher 5--that was amazing to play.

Nimrod gets me every time (from Elgar)

Rachmaninoff's 3rd piano concerto, 2nd movement

Bruckner 4, 2nd movement

Aaron Copeland's Appalachian Spring has haunting and gorgeous slow bits.

Ben Britten's Requiem Aeternam (mvt. III) from Sinfonia da Requiem


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## livemylife

Rachmaninoff anything - esp. Symphony no. 2 3rd Movement


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## hdk132

terotero said:


> It has been over a year now since I have started this thread.
> Since then no one has considered any baroque music! has Bach fallen out of taste?


Well Bach wasn't exactly great at Orchestral writing, and he writes for voice like they are instruments, but:
Magnificat: III. Quia Respexit (gotta love the oboe d'amore)

And some solo things:
Sarabande from 1st piano partita
Goldberg theme
Loure from whichever violin sonata (my, that is gorgeous)

If I may mention a bit of hypermodern:
Edwards- Maninyas II. Intermezzo quasi cadenza (for violin and orchestra)


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## JTech82

The opening bassoon part to "The Rite of Spring" is beautiful. Where it's played in the instrument's higher register. That was a beautiful part and then here comes the chaos soon after.  Wonderful.

The second movement to Grieg's "Piano Concerto" is also very moving. There are just so many...


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## Conor71

Ive been listening to Ravels Piano Concerto In G a fair bit lately and am always blown away by its slow movement.


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## World Violist

Sibelius: Symphonies 2-7 all have wonderfully inspired slow movements/parts, especially in 3, 4, 6, and 7.
Mahler: um... self-explanatory? 6 and 9 are the most inspired. 8 has THE most inspired slow moment in all of Mahler.
Enescu: 3rd symphony. Nobody knows it. Everybody should.
Shostakovich: 5th symphony, 10th symphony (first movement RULES!!!)
Beethoven: 3rd symphony
Messiaen: Les Offrandes oubliées (Forgotten Offerings--I love the second part!)


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## Lisztfreak

World Violist said:


> Enescu: 3rd symphony. Nobody knows it. Everybody should.


Agree. A strange and totally original sound-world. Some say there's a programme to it - the first movement Purgatory, the second Hell, the third Paradise. Not that the_ programme _is original, but... the music surely is.


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