Music for a tricky funeral

[Lottapianos]

Planning MIL's funeral service. DP and I had a difficult relationship with her and we don't know much about her musical tastes. Would like some suggestions for tasteful, sober, respectful pieces of instrumental or sung music with the following caveats:

Nothing religious or spiritual
Nothing about love
Nothing mushy about 'family'
Nothing about what an inspiration the person was ('You Raise Me Up' etc)

For extra context, she was 76 and VERY conservative/ stuck in the past. Thanks for any suggestions, it's a tough one!

I like that suggestion

Also:
Going Home
Flowers of the Forest
Highland Cathedral

Air on a G string by JS Bach. Sombre in manner and appropriate for a funeral.

What a sad situation all round.

The crematorium should have some generic music they can play I would imagine. At my Grandmothers I don't remember there being any music beyond some random church organ stuff played as she was carried in. Which I am assuming no one chose as she had never been in a church other than to get married.

Sorry, Vaughn Williams!!

How about Spring Is Here by Bill Evans? It's jazz, but relatively melodic and polite piano jazz as it goes. Funerally appropriate but not too dour. And helpfully non-religious.

Failing that, it's an old compilation now but Classical Chillout (the one with the ice cube made to look like a candle) has some great stuff on there that could be helpful.

First 3 minutes of the second movement of Mozart concerto for flute and harp - K299, a beautiful piece of music.

The Lark Ascending is Vaughan Williams, not Purcell.

I'd pick the 2nd Movement of Beethoven's 7th. Personally.

Sorry, cross posted!

I have no ideas sorry but to those criticising at least the OP is sorting a funeral for someone who clearly has caused problems/pain in their life.

I would speak with the funeral director/crem staff they have experience with this, my father works for a funeral company, they've seen nd heard it all they will understand and can help.

What about something by Einaudi? Nice gentle piano music for a funeral. No emotive / hackneyed lyrics. Lots of examples on you tube.

https://www.google.com/search?q=einaudi&rlz=1CDGOYIenGB659GB660&hl=en-GB&prmd=vnsi&source=lnms&tbm=vid&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwitkuOA7af5AhWioVwKHZ2BC3cQQ_AUoAXoECAIQAQ&biw=414&bih=716&dpr=2#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:4ImZTkeCHgA,vid:4ImZTkeCHgA,st:978

Oh come on … It’s a public forum. You can’t limit responses to those you like.

What this thread has taught me is that I’d better be quick about making plans for my own death. The thought of people who despised me asking for advice on how to deprive my funeral of all meaning makes me shiver.

How about Jupiter from the Planet Suite by Holst?

Or Dvorak's Largo from New World Symphony (hovis advert?)

Bring me sunshine.
Worked very well at a funeral I attended.

As a flippant suggestion how about
Let's all look on the bright side of life?

Barber's Adagio for Strings. Sombre, associated with funerals but not funereal, very beautiful.

Fauré - Pavane
Satie - Gymnopédie no 1

Both quite slow classics that might be appropriate. Also like pp suggestion of Nimrod.

I hadn't thought of a classical piece, and there are some here that I'm not familiar with, so will do a bit of research this afternoon. Thanks to those who made helpful suggestions in good faith

Does it need to be a certain length? Maybe just something “Classical”.

anything from This list

Of course she can limit responses to the ones she likes. She's only asking for song recommendations, she doesn't want anyones opinion on anything else.

Are you on Spotify, OP? There's a funeral playlist on there with loads of possibilities

Then make sure those who will get the task, don’t have reason to consider you a complete arsehole.

Will it be a recording or are there limitations on what can be played by the organist / choir etc?
I would have though that you would be alright with some Bach - for example some of the slower preludes and fugues from the well-tempered klavier e.g.
particularly Prelude in B flat minor BWV 867, .
also maybe Prelude in B minor, BMV869, Fugue in A flat BVW 863, Prelude in A flat minor BVW 863.
Alternatively something well known like the many versions of Pachobel's canon here .
Faure Romances sans paroles Op17 no 3 - it's not very sad sounding but just sort of neutral and under 3 minutes if you need something to fill some time while people move about .

Perhaps the OP’s mil had no one else to arrange because she had pushed everyone else away.

so the op and her husband are having to pick up the job

what I would say @MuddlerInLaw that whilst you are funeral planning, might be an idea to try to understand that life isn’t black and white and families are full of complexities, and probably best not to make knee jerk assumptions

'Are you on Spotify, OP? There's a funeral playlist on there with loads of possibilities'

Yes I am, and I didn't know that was a thing, so thanks for the tip

Sorry you're finding it hard.
Under the circumstances, I think classical is your friend - good tunes with no (or undecipherable) words to be interpreted/misinterpreted.

Pachelbel's canon (pp mentioned)
Soave il vento from Cosi fan tutti
Chopin's nocturnes (any of them but no. 2 is recognisable and beautiful)
Prelude to Bach's cello suite no. 1

Or ask the funeral director for help - they'll have seen it all before.