Sad Classical, filled with longing

[postjack]

I've been listening to this Schumann Cello Concerto:

and am looking for more like this, but maybe even sadder, with a greater sense of longing. It helps if there are lots of complex passages as well. Maybe just drop a few composers on me, and their specific pieces, and I'll hunt down the performances.

obviously I'm a total classical amateur. so any help is appreciated.

[Dusty Chalk]

Well, I don't have that, so I have no idea what it sounds like, but the second movement of Schubert's 2nd Piano Trio in E flat is pretty melancholy, albeit a bit overplayed (since The Hunger). Also, the "The Old Castle" movement from Mussorgsky's Pictures...

I have to pick that up -- I love sad music and minor chords, it's in my (Russian) blood.

[postjack]

Well, I don't have that, so I have no idea what it sounds like, but the second movement of Schubert's 2nd Piano Trio in E flat is pretty melancholy, albeit a bit overplayed (since The Hunger). Also, the "The Old Castle" movement from Mussorgsky's Pictures...

I have to pick that up -- I love sad music and minor chords, it's in my (Russian) blood.

thanks for the recommendations, i'll check them out. yes, I suppose melancholy is the word I'm looking for. Sometimes melancholy rock music can come across as a touch emo, but melancholy classical always seems sincere.

the schumann alternates between melancholy and quirky. i'm looking for more pure melancholy.

[postjack]

saint-saens symphony no. 3 in c minor, op. 78 "organ"

very sad and beautiful! :'( and it has an organ in it, which earns bonus points.

[CD44hi]

amazing, powerful, and very sad...

ps. Looking for a bigger image, but could not find one...

[TheSloth]

amazing, powerful, and very sad...

ps. Looking for a bigger image, but could not find one...

That particular recording is an absolute reference. Well suggested.

[Chekhonte]

Starker is such a remarkable cellist. I would recommend his most recent recording of bach's cello suites.

The Aria of Bach's goldberg variations by Murray Perahia is also moving in a sad way.

[saint.panda]

I'm not expert by all means but here goes anyways:

Dvorak cello concerto. I like the one by Fournier with Szell but Rostropovich/Karajan is the one usually recommend. Both are great versions imo. Melancholic and uplifiting.

Rachmaninov piano concerto #2 (Ashkenazy, Zimerman are both really good on this one imo). Deep, stirring and certainly melacholic.

Brahms clarinet quintet (Emerson Quartet with Shiffrin). Very autumnal feeling. One of Brahm's final pieces in his life.

Dvorak symphony #8. Not really sad but it has that Eastern European melancholy thing. Best to get the DG Classics Kubelik with BPO that has both #8 and #9.

Elgar cello concerto (Jacqueline du Pre, EMI Classics). This one has "longing" written all over it.

Schoenberg's Transfigured Night. More dark than sad.

Mahler 5, 4th movement (famous from the movie Death in Venice I think). Just sad.

For lieder: Schubert Winterreise (one of the many Dieskau recordings, dunno which is the best) - sad sad sad

Second the Mahler Lieder recommendation, great stuff.

[en480c4]

Elgar cello concerto (Jacqueline du Pre, EMI Classics). This one has "longing" written all over it.

Agreed... My favorite classical piece by far.

[postjack]

doing a little more studying, I find that almost all the classical music that falls in the "sadness and longing" category is from the romantic period. so I'm trying out lots of different romantic composers.