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What brings tears to your eyes?

I'm not in a situation where I chose the music often. Usually, my recital piece has been picked out by my teacher. But I do know that if you can never move an audience unless you are moved yourself. The best actors are the ones who become the characters. An audience can see when something is contrived; they simply pick up the 'vibes'. When I sang Handel's Messiah with Albany Pro Musica, I was moved to tears during the Hallelujah Chorus, and I'm sure the director and the audience were too.

So, in answer to your question, there are hundreds of pieces that can move an audience to tears. Right now, I'm partial to Liszt's Liebestraum (I know, probably overplayed), Chopin's Nocturne Op. 48 No. 1, and Elgar's Salut D'Amour. A piece must move you to tears before it can have any chance of moving an audience to tears.

old people will cry over anything.

Yeah, I do!

Even over Gyro's posts?

Well you must try Elgar's Carissima. Though not originally written for piano (and not terribly pianistic in transcription), it is a delectable morsel and a microcosm of Elgar's sound world. Masters Music publish it in a collection "Four Pieces for Solo Piano".

Here you go with the Elgar again :rolleyes:

It might be valuable were the pianist always included with the music ..... in a positive sense that is.

ILH

A great deal has been written about music and the emotions. I do however respectfully feel it would be off topic to include music that makes one cry with joy, especially if played by others - unless others wish to include this.

An example in point. After a great deal of rehearsing Beethoven's Sonata No. 27 Op. 90, a while back, I am still not sure if any wet eyes arose as a result of my poor interpretation and fudged passages - or identifying with what I find with Op. 90, (ignoring any background to the work), namely its joyous sadness. Not the oxymoron that it appears to be.

If this thread included great pianists - then carefully selecting a list would be far simpler.

Just my proverbial two bits worth.

Kind regards,

ILH

The REAL question is whether it's due to a celestial or abysmal interpretation.

... or it may have nothing to do with either, but rather just poignant memories that a particular piece might evoke.

Regards,

Smetana's Little Onion should do it. (The video took over an hour to download, may your experience be faster.)

Isn't the music to that also known as London Derriere?

For me its Rachmaninoff Prelude Op. 32 No. 10 b minor. Its just so beautiful and I feel lonely when I hear it.

Debussy's Claire De Lune. How could anyone not mention this?

Loki, I agree... Op. 32 No. 10 is breathtaking!

How about the Fugue finale of Beethoven's Op. 110 sonata. Absolutely the most... glorious... ending ive heard.

Beethoven's String Quartet Op. 132 Movement (2 or 3?... the slow one) is rich with a joy of such purity, clarity, and honesty. It always makes me cry. Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't this piece written after a successful bout with his illness? Whatever the case, I think he captured the essence of God on paper with this piece.

Does it count if people laugh to tears when I play anything?

Anything I play in public will bring an audience to tears. But its usually because they are grieving for the composer over my hideous interpretation....