My Top 10 Favorite Melodies in Classical Music

There are many thousands of beautiful melodies in classical music in all three Eras of classical music, Baroque; Classical; and Romantic. So, I am going way out on a limb attempting to choose my 10 favorites. I will limit my choices to the symphonic and chamber works without voice [so I will not include any of the many beautiful operatic arias].

Remember, this will be my favorites of movements or pieces that contain beautiful melodies. I am not choosing my favorite 10 pieces of all time, which could and probably are completely different. 

Also, this is only my list, and not a definitive list from a group of musical scholars. I am sure there can be other lists of 10 totally different pieces, and none would be wrong, just a matter of opinions.  Also, I am sure I will look back on these 10 in the future and think to myself, “how could I miss this or that beautiful melody”.  🙂 

Now without further ado, please turn up the volume and enjoy my picks of pieces of classical music with beautiful melodies. I will go in reverse order, with my selection of number 10 first, and number one last:

#10 Felix Mendelssohn: Hebrides Overture:

#9 Edvard Grieg: “Peer Gynt”, Suite #1, Morning Mood:

#8 W.A. Mozart: Wind Serenade, “Gran Partita”, Movement 3, Adagio:

#7 Samuel Barber: Adagio for Strings:

#6: Bedrach Smetana: “The Moldau”:

#5 Serge Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto #2 in C minor, Movement 3, Allegro Scherzando:

#4 Frederic Chopin: Piano Concerto #2 in E minor, Movement 2, Larghetto:

#3 L.V. Beethoven: “Pastoral Symphony” #6 in F Major Movement 5 Allegretto:

#2 L.V. Beethoven: Piano Concerto #5 in Eb Major, “Emperor”, Movement 2, Adagio un poco motto:

and

#1 Sir Edward Elgar: Enigma Variations, variation #9, “Nimrod”:

Note: the conductor in this video is the great Daniel Barenboim who is celebrating his 80th Birthday today Nov. 15.

Thank you for listening.  I hope you enjoyed and will come back to listen to these beautiful melodic pieces often.  I know when I go on my morning walks I will turn to these to help me through my walks. 🙂