Most achingly-beautiful music

Aspirations by Gentle Giant from The Power and the Glory White Winds by Andreas Vollenweider The song ICE by Camel..... (best Guitar song ever !!)

Mjm, you presenile goose. You mean Schubert didn't write Four Last Songs? I certainly did not know that and was already looking for them!!! I don't know the Tchaikovsky. Can you suggest a recording?

Khrys -- ROTF! "Presenile" is just about right -- sheesh, who cares if my remnant of sanity lasts, as long as my ears do!?! Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto is beeyooteefull to me, but I admit that some find the dissonances and sheer, pyrotechnic technique hard to cuddle up with. My favorite version (oh, boy, here we go...) is Heifetz with the Chicago Symphony, Reiner conducting, on RCA, LSC 2129 (and re-released on vinyl by Classic Records). One site states: "Heifetz delivers a now-thought-to-be unequaled performance of Tchaikovsky’s beloved violin concerto, Reiner and the CSO, in top form, provide the perfect context for Maestro Heifetz’s dazzling performance." I couldn't agree more -- a performance that gives me chills and tears simultaneously.

What a GREAT thread - I can't believe I only just stumbled upon it. Some things that come to mind - 1) American Tune by Simon & Garfunkel - almost always leaves me all choked up. 2) Diamonds and Rust by Joan Baez - which is the most beautiful love song I have ever heard (particularly poignant when you consider that the subject is Bob Dylan) 3) The 2nd movement from Beethoven's 7th Symphony...heck, the whole damn symphony!! (as well as his 5th and 9th) 4) The Funeral March from Mahler's 1st Symphony 5) Several songs from the Getz/Gilberto album - Joao Gilberto can turn the most mundane song into an expression of pure beauty - the phrase "achingly beautiful" may just as well have been invented to describe his voice I am sure I have left out several that have moved me at one time or another. There is so much beautiful music, so little time. All this agonizing we do over components, and cables and room anamolies!! Sometimes I honestly cannot tell whether any of this music moves me more now with several thousand dollars of equipment than it did when I was a poor graduate student with a crappy stereo. So many of us audiophiles sometimes overlook the fact that the "Holy Grail" is mostly in the music and less so in the gear. Happy Listening! Shiv.

Srama - I wholeheartedly endorse all your sentiments. Which is why I initiated this thread, but never expected it to germinate in this way. It is very heartening to discover, that, although many of us obsess over our gear, the beauty of music (I believe) is what spurs us to chase after the "holy grail" of life-like musical reproduction. And that is why I feel that audio-lunacy is such a forgivable obsession! (Forgive me if I've sounded too preachy). Again, thanks a ton to all who have continued to share all their musical treasures with the rest of us (and make this such an addictive website). Mark