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!

Not religious, but 'some fantastic place' by Squeeze.

My dear mum recently had Gloria Gaynor's 'I AM WHAT I AM' at hers, while we did the photo slideshow. It was slightly comic but exactly what she wanted. She was 81 and not conservative though like OP's relative. Also George Harrison's My Sweet Lord, and dave Brubeck's Take Five which is a wonderful instrumental to come into because you can just keep repeating it.

My Dad had the theme to The Italian Job by Matt Munroe 'on days like these' to accompany his photo slideshow. Not a dry eye....

What about Cavatina (Stanley Myers's) or Albatross (Fleetwod Mac) - both sombre but beautiful instrumentals?

Did she enjoy a particular TV show? I've been to funerals where they have played the music for a soap and another a sports show

Mozart’s Moonlight Sonata is a safe bet. Karl Jenkins also has some suitable tracks (some religious many not). Go to Spotify Playlist tab and search for terms like “classical tranquility” or “calm classics”.

Ignore trolls.

Sorry for the difficult situation and time. xx

Oo I have one more: The Lonely Shepherd by Zamfir is beautiful and very fitting.

Highland Cathedral.I have a tear in my eye every time I hear it now.

I find some people so odd. This is a depressing thread because OP's poor husband grew up with a Mother who was difficult. He is now struggling to find something sufficiently neutral because he is wanting to be respectful and not broadcast their poor relationship to other people who knew her.

Those who are worried about this at their own funerals, here's something else to 'plan' for - my sister and I aren't going to our Mother's when she pops her clogs.

Best way to avoid all of this is just to live a good life and be a loving parent.

Albinoni Adagio
Ave Maria
Pie Jesu
Mozart Clarinet Concerto
Gabriel's Oboe - Morricone
Nimrod
The Swan - Sassoon
Einaudi
Spiegel Im Spiegel - Arvo Part

I chose Nimrod for my DF's funeral; the main theme from Swan Lake for my DM's; Moonlight Serenade for them both. They loved those melodies, and now they'll always bring back the funerals for me, but that's inevitable.

I also don't understand why there's been such a pointlessly unpleasant pile on; the OP made it clear that she wanted 'tasteful, sober, respectful' musical suggestions which fit better with her MIL's character than mushy ballads. Organising a funeral is a tricky emotional thing to navigate at the best of times, and it's harder when you don't have an easy-to-follow template of what someone 'would have wanted'. Good luck to you, @Lottapianos.

I have my funeral all planned out. My niece is in charge of everything. I'm having The Mission as I go on and the theme to the movie Champions as I leave.. And... Dancing Queen in the middle!!

Michael Nyman's music from the movie The Piano is beautiful and would work well I think.

Also just remembered Five Variants Of Dives And Lazarus by Vaughan Williams..

Any song featured in tree of life movie

www.soundtrack.net/movie/the-tree-of-life/

I agree with a nice piece of well known classical music and suggestions already made. Claire de lune by Debussy another suggestion

I don’t suppose anything similar would do, but I well remember the funeral of a very jolly chap - beautiful little old church, very quiet and sombre atmosphere - until the coffin was brought in to the resounding strains of one of his favourite G&S songs - ‘With cat-like tread…’ IIRC.
The atmosphere soared instantly - it was a lovely, joyous tribute to him.

Thank you SeriouslyCarol x

Highland cathedral
Adeimus by Karl Jenkins

both no words (well adeimus is nonsense words) but suitably sombre I think for a funeral?

I read this post this morning and then listened to 'Somewhere over the rainbow' Israel K version on one of my plays lists this afternoon, which made me think of your post. Not sure whether appropriate or not but it's a beautiful version, and the lyrics (in my opinion) aren't personal in the way you have described.