Most achingly-beautiful music

"Nessun Dorma"; Pavarotti of course, but almost any version will bring tears.
"Siegfried's Funeral March", preferably Soti, but as above.
Side 2 of "The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle.

Terence Blanchard "A Tale of God's Will (a requiem for katrina)". This is an amazing and haunting CD, especially the second cut "Levees". I've had this in my cd player non-stop for the last week since it was delivered.

I bought this after reading a review of it in the Washington Post. It was released this month (Agust '07), and is a must have for all Jazz fans!

This is Beethoven at his peak. What a stroke of genius! The achingly beautiful spun-from-gold melody.... the dynamic build... the majesty and nobility... the first piano notes falling like a light misty rain over the orchestra.

For me-- the single greatest stretch of music of any kind ever penned. In the right hands, that is--- it's easy to rush it and ruin the thing entirely.

As for an aria-- the most beautiful sung thing I've ever heard is Beverly Sills' performance of 'Ruhe zanft... mein holdes leben' from Mozart's Zaide.
My god-- what incredible legato and breath. The voice is diamond-bright and radiant. Unearthly beautiful. Superhuman.

Sorry -- forgot to say it's the second movement of the Emperor-- piano concerto no. 5!!

Abramsmatch,

Can you recommend a version of this piece? There are so many!