Most consolatory piece of music?

[pianowolfi]

What is the most comforting or consolatory piece of music you know?

[imbetter]

most big works by liszt or chopin.

[quantum]

I hear Schubert as being consolatory a lot of the time.  The Impromptu Op 90/3 for example.

[counterpoint]

What is the most comforting or consolatory piece of music you know?

Do you mean, which piece sounds the most peaceful and positive?

I don't think, that this is the way, human psychology functions. If I am depressed, it mostly helps me to play depressed music, and if I am angry, it helps to play aggressive music. The Liszt Consolations help at nothing     

[pianowolfi]

Do you mean, which piece sounds the most peaceful and positive?

I don't think, that this is the way, human psychology functions. If I am depressed, it mostly helps me to play depressed music, and if I am angry, it helps to play aggressive music. The Liszt Consolations help at nothing     

Yeah in this case I mean peaceful and positve. I just realised that I'm not able to list a lot of pieces like that because to me it's often similar, I listen to so called "sad" music. One example of what I am looking for is Rachmaninoff prelude op. 32,13 d^b major. Or perhaps Mozart Symphony No 41 Jupiter, Finale. Or Bachs Air from the Orchestral Suite No 3.

[counterpoint]

Grieg Morgenstimmung 

[pianistimo]

chopin etude opus 10 #4 - it takes so much concentration - i can't help but focus on what chopin was trying to do.  when people think they need comfort - what they really need is something to distract them.  you know, like a ball of string for a cat.  at least this is how my mind operates.  otherwise, you just get worse instead of better. 

if i played soft easy music i would just be mad at myself later.  like liebestraume.  i must be really crazy because i'm ready to use schubert books for target practice. 

[gymnopedist]

Cavatine from Poulencs cello sonata, Pärts berlinermesse and fratres.

[rach n bach]

I typically get more out of a piece of music when I play it... so here are a couple piano pieces that I find fit this role:

Brahms op118 no2
Joplin's Solace
Beethoven Adieu to the Piano
Most Shubert...

RnB

[ahinton]

I'm still waiting for "soliloquy" to chip in and tell us that, for him, it's a toss-up between Xenakis's Synaphai and Finnissy's Fourth Concerto, but I guess I'd better just keep waiting.

In the meantime, I suppose that my only honest answer would have to be "one that I've not written myself"...

Best,

Alistair

[dnephi]

I'm still waiting for "soliloquy" to chip in and tell us that, for him, it's a toss-up between Xenakis's Synaphai and Finnissy's Fourth Concerto, but I guess I'd better just keep waiting.

In the meantime, I suppose that my only honest answer would have to be "one that I've not written myself"...

Best,

Alistair

No, silly.  The ending of the Vine Sonata No. 1.

Or, perhaps, Messiaen "Regarde du Pere."  That is emotionally powerful.

Dan

[ahinton]

No, silly.

I'm relieved that someone has noticed that I was being (quite deliberately) silly...

Best,

Alistair

[dnephi]

I'm relieved that someone has noticed that I was being (quite deliberately) silly...

Best,

Alistair

I would have hoped that you would have detected some caprice in my reference to Vine, which is actually quite consonant and accessible for a work of its time.

Anyhow, if someone thought that Synaphai was meant to console the soul, they would have bigger problems than detecting sarcasm.  I certainly

Dan

[opus10no2]

Chopin ballade 3 gives a nice feeling, the lightest of the ballades.

Should I also perhaps suggest Brahms op118no5 Romance possibly.

[cygnusdei]

Cantique de Jean Racine.

[arbisley]

I hear Schubert as being consolatory a lot of the time.  The Impromptu Op 90/3 for example.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have had a rather emotional last few days, and I was just practising this and it left me so wonderfully relaxed and soothed at the end, just what I needed!

some pieces by debussy I would also mention, Clair de Lune on the top of my list. Maybe also some bach, his organ works always make me feel happier than I had been two minutes beforehand, probably because my parents played his music so much when I was young, and because bach is a very spiritual composer.

[ahinton]

As a rule, Schubert leaves me about as "unconsoled" as it gets - but that's only because of a seemingly incurable temperamental lack of empathy on my part for most of his work, for which stance I have absolutely less than no excuse and which I have no doubt "pianistimo" is now adding to her (surely immensely long) list of the "sins" that I have committed. After listening to the big, late Piano Sonata in B flat, irrespective of who may have performed it, I almost feel an immediate need to listen to Elliott Carter's Concerto for Orchestra for something approaching consolation; by that I do not mean that the Schubert "disturbs" me profoundly or anything like that, but that it irritates me beyond all measure. I am not seeking to judge the piece or suggest that it is not a great work - merely that I simply cannot get my head around its alleged profundities and that it drives me nuts! I realise that this is a deeply disrespectful thing to have said, but it is honest and I can only ask others who will inevitably be incensed by my response to try to forgive it. That said, I remain fascinated by the directions in which Schubert seems to have been trying to go in those last months of his tragically short life when he seemed to begin to write far less and far finer music; another ten years and who knows what he might have achieved! As it is, I cannot but respect his legacy in its manifestations various in Mahler, Bruckner and Alkan...

Best,

Alistair

[quantum]

Cantique de Jean Racine.

I listened to this piece live for the first time a few weeks ago, and immediately fell in love with it. 

Excellent Music.

[pianowolfi]

I listened to this piece live for the first time a few weeks ago, and immediately fell in love with it. 

Excellent Music.

Ohhh yeah I forgot about that, I accompanied a choir with it years ago, I liked it very much!

[arbisley]

My brother played in an orchestra attached to a choir and they also sang that piece, absolutely wonderful to listen to. When I went to a performance of Handel's Messiah I felt so soothed and relaxed that I slept extremely well that night. Both my brother and my mum who also went to the concert said that same, never had such a good sleep before!

[tompilk]

Or, perhaps, Messiaen "Regarde du Pere."  That is emotionally powerful.

I agree. It's a wonderful piece. I might learn it. It doesn't look too difficult. Anyone her played it?
I'd also say that Le Gibet from Gaspard is consoling. Also Rachmaninov's Elegy.
Tom

[mephisto]

Maybe Schubert, in his late piano sonatas.

[ahinton]

Maybe Schubert, in his late piano sonatas.

"...but not for me" (as George Gershwin has it in a diffeent context), as I suggested before...

Best,

Alistair

[mephisto]

What about Alkan's Barcarolle? Or Bach's Sheep may Safely Grace, are they fine with you Hinton?

[pianowolfi]

My favorite comforting piece:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,25257.0.html

 

[pita bread]

Nothing does it like the Liszt Sonata.

[pianowolfi]

Nothing does it like the Liszt Sonata.

Well to me it is very comforting that someone can play this sonata as great as "Etudes" does. That was a really special listening experience

[tompilk]

Bach-Busoni Chaconne. It's such a serious yet sorrowful but thoroughly optimistic piece.
It makes me want to cry. It's so innocent. It's hard to describe what I feel when I hear it, but listen to it and it just takes you away with love for it.
Tom

[pianowolfi]

Bach-Busoni Chaconne. It's such a serious yet sorrowful but thoroughly optimistic piece.
It makes me want to cry. It's so innocent. It's hard to describe what I feel when I hear it, but listen to it and it just takes you away with love for it.
Tom

Same for the original violin version