Instrumental / classical pieces of music to cry to

[Shudacudawuda]

The title sounds sad doesn't it! But I mean this in a healthy 'emotional release' kind of way. Keeps me balanced.

I currently have a favourite piece of music that often moves me to tears and very occasionally I like to submerge myself in it and let the tears come.
It's called Shape of my Heart by Michael Logozar and it's absolutely beautiful.

I'd love some suggestions for other pieces like this if anyone has any? I can't keep listening to the same piece over and over again.
Do others do this too or am I a very sad individual?

Immunity by Jon Hopkins. It's gorgeous.

Ghosts by Thomas Newman

Keith Jarrett, Paris concert, is another great one

Bruch Kol Nidrei
Shostakovich piano concerto 2, second movement
Rachmaninov piano concertos - second movements
Dvorak Cello concerto, second movement
swan of Tuonela, Sibelius
Greig piano concerto second movement

I have loads. Could add many more!

Morricone is very underrated. I adore his music from Cinema Paradiso.

Handel - Aria "Lascia ch'io pianga", from Rinaldo

I have sung a few of these mentioned and stayed dry-eyed (concentration balances things out).

However, I'd say several parts of Madame Butterfly; not only 'One Fine Day in Summer' but, for me, it's the Flower Duet (not to be confused with the Lakme Flower Duet). The last chords with the flamboyant arpeggios and the vocal harmonies. Those words are about finding the hope of Spring (soon dashed though).

The lark ascending

Ending of Mahler 2 brings me to tears every time. Also Rachmaninov Paganini variations. And Silent Lucidity by Queensryche.

With rue my heart is laden - Vaughan-Williams setting of the AE Housman poem.
Britten's War Requiem

Lots of the pieces mentioned previously are nice, but they don't really move me. Instead I would suggest the final song of Richard Strauss' Four Last Songs called "Im Abendrot" where the final line asks "could this, perhaps, be death?" The previous song "Beim Schlafengehen" is also sublime. Death & Transfiguration is fantastic too.

I am a bit of a Mahler fan, so the last movement of the 2nd Symphony is one for me - it was on BBC4 from the Proms last week. Also the slow movement of Mahler's 4th Symphony is beautiful. Maybe it's the film, but the Mozart aria from The Marriage of Figaro that is played in The Shawshank Redemption gets me every time.

Also, not sure how this wasn't first on my list - Weelkes setting of When David Heard

Cavalleria Rusticana (Pietro Mascagni)
Particularly conducted by Georges Pretre. As the music builds my emotions just go haywire!

@ChairOfInvisibleStudies
Oh yes! Not sure why I didn’t think of When David Heard first. Thomas Tomkins was the one I was thinking of.

Mahler Symphony no 6 movement 3

O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi

Eclogue by Gerald Finzi

Not it doesn't have to necessarily be sad as such, I'm just looking for music that moves people to tears, provokes an emotional response, for whatever reason. I find it cathartic sometimes.
So thank you for your suggestions! I'll be listening to them all.

Oh fair enough — the thread seemed to be going that way at that point, and I thought maybe I'd got the wrong end of the stick

This is such a great list now, thanks all. ❤

Making new music discoveries is a real treat, I'm looking forward to working my way through them.

Love this thread. I'll add Spend in allium by Thomas Tallis; Bring us, O Lord God by Harris; Beethoven Symphony No 7 in A Major (the I've from the film The King's Speech); and Purcell's Funeral Sentences for Queen Mary.

I also like 'Es ist genug' by Sven-David Sandstöm on the Baltic voices 1 album. It means 'Is it enough' and always makes me think of a soul moving in to a heavenly place.

Some of Gabriel Yared's incidental music from the film The English Patient is very emotive. It's performed by the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.

Dvorak’ ‘American’ Quartet 2nd movement Il Lento. Hauntingly beautiful.

Lacrimosa from Mozart's Requiem

Gabriel's Oboe Ennio Morricone.
Dives and Lazarus Vaughan Williams.
The Armed Man.... Karl Jenkins.

I want this played at my funeral

m.youtube.com/watch?v=LGs_vGt0MY8