Favorite simplistic yet elegant composition?

Pathetique. Which is French.. and translates to either "pathetic" OR "moving"/"touching"...

So... which do you think Beethoven meant..?

Moving/touching, I would think!

No. Pathetic, clearly. Beethoven was a notoriously difficult critic.

pathetos - “‘one who has suffered, subject to suffering’”

pathetic

* (arousing pity): pitiful, wretched, miserable

* (arousing scorn): disgraceful, shameful, despicable, dishonorable

i'm perfectly sure beethoven meant pathetic. learn a concept before laughing, you "moving"/"touching" americans.

No, I though you were saying I wrote it wrong, I wasn't talking about the meaning...

I only say that is very easy and beautiful at the same time...

This is my favorite "simple" piece.

YouTube - Chrono Cross Music - The Girl Who Stole the Stars

Poulenc's "Ave Verum Corpus"--both of them, the one from Carmelites (act 2 sc 4) and the standalone for SSA Choir.

For simplicity (or at least the appearance of) and elegance it's difficult not to think of Grieg for me. Many of the Lyric Pieces come into the category for me, particularly the Arietta from Op.12 (Number 1).

Another composition that jumps to mind is Rhubarb from Selected Ambient Works vol II by Aphex Twin.

Extract from Rhubarb, set to footage of bees

Here's my choice.

YouTube - Esbjorn Svensson Trio - Goldwrap

Great piece, but not too complex at all.

Arvo Part's Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten. It's literally just a descending A minor scale - but Part has each section of the orchestra play it at a different speed, so as the contrabasses (who have the slowest notes) descend over about 8 minutes they 'pull' the rest of the orchestra down in register. It's incredibly poignant too.