Recommendations for soothing symphonic compositions

Vaughn Williams' "Fantasia on a Theme from Thomas Tallis" is pretty laid back.

This is the recording we have... Everything on it is soothing to ears.

Try Angela Hewitt's album of Faure piano music on Hyperion. Great music, beautifully played.

Hyperion is an excellent source of classical music.

Each month they offer a free sampler album, available for download in Flac.  

It's a nice way to sample some new music for no cost and then you can buy what you like. Many albums are available as downloads, some as studio masters.

This thread has reminded me to catch-up, thanks HH!

Richard

Hi Shaun,

I recentley tried to answere this question for myself after installing UnitiQute 2 in our bedroom. I needed to put together playlists of soothing music, but most of my classical stuff is on LP's.

Have you tried listening to Classic FM?  I have it on the Qute most of the time, when not playing Wavs from USB sticks. The sound quality is not as good as Radio 3, but good enough to help you decide which classical pieces, you may like.

The problem with orchestral music and relaxation, is that, more often than not, the tracks on each album are loud and stimulating, followed by quieter, calming movements. I'm buying classical, mainly on CD/hi-res downloads, these days, and making playlists for the Qute, by editing the louder movements out.

I like realaxing with piano music sometimes, Chopin Nocturnes, played by Daniel Barenboim, on Deutsche Gramophon is one of my favourites.

Vaughan Williams, The Lark Ascending; Mahler 5, Adagietto; Barber, Adagio for Strings; Vaughan Williams, Serenade to Music, EMI 7 64022 2.

When you say 'symphonic', I assume you mean pieces for medium to large orchestra. If I'm right, try:

• Any slow movement from a Bruckner symphony
• Mozart concerti for Clarinet and Flute-n'-Harp or Serenade for 13 wind instruments
• Rodrigo's Concierto di Aranjuez and Fantasia para una gentilhombre (try John Williams with Louis Fremaux on Sony Classical)

If I'm wrong, and you'd be equally happy with non-orchestral works, try these as well/instead:

• Chopin Nocturnes (Maria Joao Pires on DG would be my choice)
• Any Debussy piano music, with the possible exception of the Etudes, which are more challenging than they are soothing (Jean-Yves Thibaudet on Decca for my money)
• Some of Arvo Part's works have a modernistic/hypnotic which might suit you
• Renaissance polyphonic choral music is a real love of mine - try Victoria's Requiem with Paul McCreesh on DG Arkiv, or Willian Byrd's mass settings with Peter Phillips on Gimell

Mark

How about Vaughan Williams Pastoral Symphony (No. 3) I have Richard Hickox conducting the LSO on Chandos.

Alternatively you could play the Rite of Spring by Stravinsky, after which most things will sound soothing!

Ravel's Symphonic music to me is soothing piece of work. My fave is by Boulez and Cluytens.

Shaun.

My vote goes to Grieg - Peer Gynt Suites. There are quite a few passages I'm sure you'll recognise.

As Klyde commented above, there is a often a lot of contrast between the  movements in a classical piece. There are plenty of samplers out there along the lines of 'Most relaxing music ever ' etc or collections of slow movements from various works. Use the slow movements as an introduction to the complete works and then get the 'full picture'.

Not all slow movements are relaxing e.g. the last movement of Mahler's 9th symphony is very deep and profound, as are the slow movements of works such as Schubert's String Quintet and Beethoven String Quartet in A minor, Op 132

I find Satie's piano music, especially Gymnopedies, very relaxing and if you are a listener to Classic FM you will almost certainly heard music by Einaudi which is often very relaixing or soothing.

There is also a very good cd on the Naim label by the Eberle Quartet playing music by Gates, Bridge and Barber - well worth a listen. 

Try the Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings.

Also try the Dvorak Serenade for Strings, and his Serenade for Winds.

The Holberg Suite by Grieg is also very nice, as is Mysterious Mountain by Hovhaness.

BBM 

My first thought BBM  .........

Many thanks to everyone for their suggestions.....

S

I'd recommend recordings from Christopher Hogwood's Academy of Ancient Music - the use of original instruments in smaller venues was intended to give performances more like those the composer would have heard. Bach, Telemann, Handel, Mozart, plenty to choose from. I never thought I'd be interested in listening to choral music, but their performance of Handel's Messiah, which was given to me as a present many years ago, still captivates me every time I listen to it. 

More chamber than symphonic. IMO, Roger Eno's "Between Tides" deseves a place in anyones chillout collection.

Yeah Ebor is right but I would say any Debussy music.

You're very kind, William.

On a related note, I was delighted at one of John Field's nocturnes which Radio 3 played this morning and which might fit the OP's bill:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04p52hf

[scroll to about halfway down the page]

The recording they played was from Telarc, so will be fabulously recorded to boot.

Mark

Vaughan Williams Pastoral Symphony., Beethoven's 7th Symphony, Sibelius 2nd. 

If you're OK with symphonic music with singing then there's Gorecki's 3rd (symphony of Sorrowful Songs) and Der Abshied from Mahler's Das Lied von Der Erde.

Beethoven wrote two Romances for violin and orchestra that really are quite nice. David Oistrakh is hard to beat in Beethoven's violin compositions...

BBM

Discovered Vaughan Williams recently.  Have a Decca recording on CD including the wonderful The Lark Arising. Have. 6 CD box set coming for Christmas. Recommend RVW totally.

Shaun, in my view there are no 'soothing pieces of work'. Music grabs your attention, and it works in mysterious ways. I suggest you try the Karajan Beethoven Symphonies set, currently widely on offer as  download. Then immerse yourself in them for a while. They may very well sooth you eventually, but will take you on an amazing roller coaster of emotions.