Thursday Thirteen - 14 - 13 Favorite Pieces of Classical Music

1 - Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker
Pas de Deux: Adagio and Coda (romantic dance between the Sugar Plum Fairy and either the Prince or Peter)

2 - Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake
No. 28 and 29 Scene finale (the battle between Siegfried and Rothbart at the end, the tragic parting of the Swan and Siegfried)


















3 - Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet
No. 19-21 The Balcony scene/ Romeo's variation/ Love Dance



















4 - Puccini's Tosca
"E Lucevan le stelle" ("And the stars were shining") / the prison lament of painter Mario Cavaradossi

"How the stars seemed to shimmer,
the sweet scents of the garden,
how the creaking gate whispered,
and a footstep skimmed over the sand,
how she then entered, so fragrant,
and then fell into my two arms!
Ah sweetest of kiss, languorous caresses,
while I stood trembling, searching her features
concealed by her mantle. My dreams of pure love,
forgotten forever! All of it's gone now!
I die hopeless, despairing, and never before
have I loved life like this!"

















5 - Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries
Beginning of Act III of "Die Walkure" / about eight minutes in length, the Ride consists of four Valkyrie sisters who prepare to transport the fallen heroes to Valhalla. As the four other sisters join them, the Valkyries greet one another with their battle cries as the orchestra provides the thunderous, hair-on-the-back-of-my-neck-raising motif.
















6 - Puccini's Turandot
"Nessun dorma" ("None shall sleep") / the hope for victory by Calaf that he will be the one to finally win the heart of Princess Turandot

"The Prince - Nobody shall sleep!... Nobody shall sleep! Even you, o Princess, in your cold room, watch the stars, that tremble with love and with hope.
But my secret is hidden within me, my name no one shall know... No!...No!... On your mouth I will tell it when the light shines.
And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine!...

The Chorus of women - No one will know his name and we must, alas, die.

The Prince - Vanish, o night! Set, stars! Set, stars! At dawn, I will win! I will win! I will win!"

7 - Mozart's Requiem
Rex tremendae majestatis / this pretty much sums up my feelings about the Creator. I was lucky enough to sing this with my old choir in Toronto.

"Rex tremendae majestatis, King of awful majesty,
Qui salvandos salvas gratis, Who freely savest the redeemed,
Salve me, fons pietatis. Save me, O fount of goodness."


















8 - Carl Orf's Carmina Burana
I got to sing this amazing piece as well. What a heart-stopper!








9 - Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker
Snow Queen Pas de Trois (from the National Ballet of Canada version) or Tableau II, a pine forest in winter / the part of the winter scene that comes before the Waltz of the Snowflakes

10 - Puccini's Madama Butterfly
The "Humming Chorus"

While Butterfly awaits the return of her American lover when his ship returns to port in Japan, her lovechild and her servant Suzuki fall asleep when he does not arrive. But Butterfly never stops waiting. / this part usually has the men in the audience in tears

11 - Vivaldi's Gloria

Another choral piece I was lucky enough to sing. This goes through my head often.















12 - Satie's Trois Gymnopedies
The 1st Gymnopedie / one of my favorite pieces of music, and when my bridesmaids and I were arranging our bouquets, etc. before my wedding, I heard the pianist start to play this. I got chills and knew it was a good sign.









13 - Handel's Messiah
The Hallelujah Chorus / of course, which choir hasn't sung this one? But when we get to the part where we're singing "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" I have never been able to get through it without crying. It gives me shivers just thinking about it.