# Establishing a music compilation for someone with cancer



## jonesg (Jun 5, 2014)

I'm attempting to establish a music compilation - perhaps twelve pieces or so - for a family member who is currently very ill with cancer. I am open to suggestions in my selection, and thought I would ask the community on this site for some input in establishing this very important and meaningful collection. What do you consider to be the most beautiful, awe-inspiring classical compositions that move your deeply? The one's you would want to hear in your final hours. Here is my list thus far:

1) "The Moldau" from Ma Vlast - Bedrich Smetana
2) The Lark Ascending - Ralph Vaughn Williams
3) Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis - Ralph Vaughn Williams
4) 2nd Movement (Largo) from the New World Symphony - Antonin Dvorak 
5) Chichester Psalms - Leonard Bernstein
6) Symphony Number 3 in C Minor - Camille Saint-Saens

Maybe: 
Prince Igor, Polovtsian Dances - Alexander Borodin
Moderato, Coda, Appalachian Spring Sweet - Aaron Copland


Based on this list, do you have any suggestions that might concord with the overall mood and tone of these works? (assuming there is one). I'm really open to anything here; obviously, you're opinion might differ from mind, but I am certainly willing to give any suggested piece that I haven't heard before a fair listen. Thanks so much.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

I suspect that what you are attempting is commendable. But music I might like to hear in my "final hours" may not be correspondent with the desires of anyone else, so it would be errant of me to propose such pieces.

The works you've listed are rather familiar pieces, and they are not distinguished in any significant way from hundreds of other pieces you could have selected. If you are picking pieces you like, then continue on. You'll easily get twelve pieces that match these already selected in weight and tone and style. I see a lot of romanticism. You have a piece by Ralph Vaughn Williams, but you could easily add the "Romanza" movement of Symphony No. 5 or the second movement _Lento_ of Symphony No. 2. Likewise, the _Adagietto_ (movement 4) of Mahler's Fifth Symphony will blend in well here.

But tastes in music vary so much, I would not want the assignment you have. I will recommend you look at the six Bach _Brandenburg Concertos_ as possibilities, as well as Vivaldi's _Four Seasons_ violin concertos. These pieces provide a wide variety of moods and atmospheres, can be uplifting and life affirming, but also serve to remind us of our mortality. These are important things for all of us.


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## CypressWillow (Apr 2, 2013)

Are we to assume the the person with cancer is unfamiliar with Classical music, thus has no preferences of his/her own?


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

I'm inclined to agree that without knowing the person involved (my sympathies to them, you, and your family, by the way) it's next to impossible to know what would be appropriate.
So I'll just make one suggestion:
Mozart: Piano concerto no.23 - 2nd mvt, Adagio


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

SONNET CLV said:


> I suspect that what you are attempting is commendable. But music I might like to hear in my "final hours" may not be correspondent with the desires of anyone else, so it would be errant of me to propose such pieces.


I more than agree with the above.

The last bit of time for anyone is very much theirs. We have no idea of what music this family member cares for, or even if they care about music, classical or other. It seems you don't have much of an idea what they care for of music, either.

A personal visit and some time spent with the ailing is one of the best gestures, if you are close in any way, and even then the idea of taking that action should be based upon your assessment of if you mean something to them more than their meaning something to you.

I would, since you are asking here, during that visit ask them if there is any music they would like to have (some people have no attachment to music of any sort), and whether it is Vera Lynn Singing _The White Cliffs of Dover,_ a Frank Sinatra hit, or a piece by Mozart or Messiaen, then accommodate them and provide that which they requested.

What any one individual finds sentimental, glorious, or as the sound of serene well-being is so varied, there is just no guessing and getting it right. While the gesture of a gift of some music is thoughtful, _none_ from that list of pieces you named would be what _I_ would want to spend any time with in the best of circumstances, let alone if I were terminally ill.

Me, I would neither presume or presume to guess in such a circumstance.


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## jonesg (Jun 5, 2014)

Allow me to rephrase the original question in two separate questions:

1) Based on those initial six pieces I have listed, what other compositions might you expect to appear in the same list. I'm essentially asking for a recommendation here, as in "if you like the Lark Ascending, then you might want to listen to _______ as well" or "The Moldau and _____ are similar in tone. If you like one, you might like the other." 
2) What is YOUR OWN personal "top 12" list of classical music compositions and why.


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