Our Favourite Melodies

Hi everyone,

I was just listening to Mozart's Dove Sono, from Figaro, and it struck me that it's theme is probably my favourite melody of all. With that in mind, I have but one simple question: what's yours?

(Apologies if this is an excruciatingly obvious topic...)

Do also post a link to a suggested performance:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLM5CFACTtA

It's difficult for me to just choose one out of all of the melodies that I love, but this one may be my favorite and is certainly at the top of the list. It's the one from around the middle of the first movement in Tchaikovsky's 6th. Basically the entire part from 5:10 to 11:00 is what I'm referring to.

http://youtu.be/yDqCIcsUtPI?t=5m10s

Man, you drove me crazy trying to find out which one is my favorite... (*eternal crisis*)

BUT, I believe that Samuel Barber's violin concerto's first theme would be my best guess :P In fact, many things in this concerto are perfect for me, but the first theme's melody even more perfect.

Here's a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWnPa__zJvg

The harmony and the use of the orchestra also make the difference here.

The Brahms Violin Sonata in D minor No. 3.  First heard it on a scratchy cassette tape my uncle dubbed for me when I was about 12.  Still makes me burst out crying every time I listen to it.  I love the whole thing, but try from 4:00 to about 5:30.  

http://youtu.be/eFFRAJP55f0  

I can't pick just one!  Come on!  

http://youtu.be/ZRuYQ9KRJms

And I love the irony that this is such an exquisitely gorgeous melody, sung by a ditzy little character with no depth whatsoever.  

Hi everyone,

I was just listening to Mozart's Dove Sono, from Figaro, and it struck me that it's theme is probably my favourite melody of all. With that in mind, I have but one simple question: what's yours?

(Apologies if this is an excruciatingly obvious topic...)

Do also post a link to a suggested performance:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLM5CFACTtA

Renee Fleming used to babysit for a choir buddy of mine.  Lucky duck.  

Off the top of my head:

• Carla Bley, Utviklingssang: http://youtu.be/klD0eu24JkU
• Kenny Wheeler, Opening to Music For Large & Small Ensembles: http://youtu.be/EcECrHxbhDw
• Kenny Wheeler, Smatter: http://youtu.be/myKkvyOxYXA
• Tom Waits, Johnsburg, Illinois: http://youtu.be/UEI-UCU-BM0
• Ornette Coleman, Lonely Woman: http://youtu.be/DNbD1JIH344
• John Coltrane, Love Supreme pt. 2 Resolution: http://youtu.be/O6pSffe4k60
• Charles Mingus, Goodbye Pork Pie Hat: http://youtu.be/6sfe_8RAaJ0

Lascia Ch'io Pianga, which is Italian for Let Me Weep, Handel's most beautiful aria, and he's written many beautiful arias, more than most! The tempo is a dream and the strings without vibrato are almost unbearable. And then there's the voice ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2rUEAyqpEM

Whew... Such a question could keep me around for the rest of the day... There are so many, many melodies I can count among my all-time favorites, that listing them all could be a long, time-consuming task.

Nevertheless, I could give a few answers (I promise to post the links as I'm able to search them all Links added!).

Short answer: almost anything by Tchaikovsky.

Slightly longer answer, in no particular order:

1) The first few measures of Rachmaninov's 2nd Symphony, Op. 27, 3rd movement.

2) The soaring love theme from Tchaikovsky's The Tempest, Op. 18 (this section starting at 16:27)

3) The horn solo from Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony, Op. 64, 2nd movement. (Yeah, call it overplayed, but I'm just answering a question). Starts at 1:07.

4) The main themes from Mahler's 4th Symphony, 1st movement.

5) The opening theme from Wagner's Rienzi Overture (starts at 1:32).

6) Don Jose's Aria, from Bizet's Carmen, Act II.

7) Tchaikovsky's Rose Adagio, from The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Act I (starting at 1:13).

8) John Williams's Flying Theme, from the score for ET.

9) The second theme from Tchaikovsky's Orchestral Suite N° 3, Op. 55, 1st movement (starting at 2:32).

10) The full 2nd movement from Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata, Op. 13.

11) Haendel's For Unto Us a Child Is Born chorus, from Messiah, Part I.

12) Rachmaninov's Vocalise.

13) Air on the G string, from Bach's Orchestral Suite N° 3. (Again, call it overplayed or whatever)...

14) Puccini's famous aria Nessun Dorma, from Turandot. (Likewise).

15) Hymn and Chorus from Tchaikovsky's The Maid of Orleans, Act I (starts at 11:25).

16) The closing melody from Tchaikovsky's Letter Scene, from Eugene Onegin, Act I.

17) The second theme from Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony, Op. 58, 2nd movement (starts at 22:58).

18) The main theme from Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto, Op. 64, 1st movement.

To be continued...

Beethoven - Symphony no. 7, second movement.

Simple yet profound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J12zprD7V1k

Short answer: almost anything by Tchaikovsky.

I echo Austenite's sentiments there, and the Brahms Violin Sonata that pateceramics mentioned is also favorite. Since we're making lists, I'll add these to my tally as well. Not your typical classical answers to the 'favorite melody' question but these are beloved to me.

The Grey Havens theme from Return of the King: http://youtu.be/iAz5QfH1uxg?t=5m47s

Korra's theme from LoK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pcxrdP3ums

This is an impossible question to answer....so many!!!! Some of my favorites (in no particular order):

1. The theme from the 2nd movement of Beethoven's 5th Piano Concerto

2. The themes from the 1st movement of Beethoven's 3rd Piano Concerto

2. The Kyrie movement from Mozart's C minor Mass

3. The final movement of Mahler's 3rd symphony

4. The 18th variation in Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini

5. Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances (Particularly the 1st movement)

5. Any theme from Mahler's 4th (so many of them, especially the last movement "Das himlische Leben")

6. Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet....so many wonderful melodies

7. Any aria from Bizet's Carmen

8. The MANY different leitmotifs woven together at the end of Wagner's Die Walküre

9. The 1st and 2nd movement of the Barber Violin Concerto

and so many more! 

*Proceeds to download everything.*

Man, you drove me crazy trying to find out which one is my favorite... (*eternal crisis*)

BUT, I believe that Samuel Barber's violin concerto's first theme would be my best guess :P In fact, many things in this concerto are perfect for me, but the first theme's melody even more perfect.

 

Here's a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWnPa__zJvg

 

The harmony and the use of the orchestra also make the difference here.

But what about the The Andante? Second mvt? http://youtu.be/8fRZRl4JQWg

Here's another one that comes to mind, Schubert's Fantasy in F minor for Four Hands: http://youtu.be/gbwPQ-s37p4

right now some Romanian compositions:

George Enescu - Balada op.44

i always liked Ion Ivanovic - Valurile Dunarii (Waves of the Danube)

the Romanian Rhapsody n.1

Ciprian Porumbescu - Balada pt vioara

Ciprian Porumbescu - Hora Detrunchiatilor( /the dance of the decapitated)

or

Gheorghe Zamfir - the lonely shepherd (can make you cry)

George Enescu - Ciocarlia

Canta cucu de rasuna Bucovina

Here's another one that comes to mind, Schubert's Fantasy in F minor for Four Hands: http://youtu.be/gbwPQ-s37p4

Yes, that one is indeed a great melody! It is one of my favourites too.

Another favourite melody of mine is Chopin's nocturne Op. 9, No. 1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtIW2r1EalM

I might add more of my favourites to this post as they occur to me.