I love that one. But I don't think it can outrank the Elegia from Arensky's Trio in d minor.

Or any of the slow mouv.of Dvorak's SQ from op.34 on

1) Bruckner Symphony #7: 2nd movement.
1a) Bruckner Symphony #8, Nowak edition: 3rd movement.

Hate to have to choose between these two. Even though I prefer the 8th as a complete work (by a slight margin), I guess I prefer the slow movement of the 7th, (by an even slighter margin).

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The hardest knife ill us'd doth lose his edge. Shakespeare- Sonnet 95

The first movement of Brahms' German Requiem is absolutely inspired. The third movement of Mahler's first is shattering. I have to listen to Mahler more, just got the complete symphonies and Das Lied von der Erde...

No wonder the Adagio movement of 7th is so touching, while the composer was inspired by the news of Wagner's death. And later, the same movement was performed (as arrangement for wind instruments) in his own Requiem Mass in 1896.

Surely also the 8th is awesomely effective, sheer music from Paradise! Hmmm maybe I like even more the 1890 version by Robert Haas. There, near the end (about 8 minutes before) is a short passage which is totally unexpectable and different from those other more usually known versions. It is full of such a deep desperate sorrow one can ever imagine.

Summary: different versions can offer to the listeners one more better extatic experiences of wonderful music. No need to put them to the "priority order". Best result is to choose them both!

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"Silence is the Greatest Music" - Herbert von Karajan

Where to start..... Here are a few:

Tchaikovsky Symphony # 6 - First movement
Bruckner - Of course 7 and 8 - 2nd movements
Mahler - Symphony # 3 - First movement
Chopin - Piano sonata #2, 2nd movment
Beethoven - Symphony # 3, 2nd movement
Barber - Adagio for Strings
Berlioz - Symphony Fantastiqe - Marche Au Supplice

ALL Rachmaninoff slow movements
Vaughan Williams-2nd symphony, 2nd movement
Mendelssohn-Violin Concerto, 2nd movement
Mozart-Clarinet Concerto, 2nd movement
Rodriguez-Concierto de Aranjuez, 2nd movement
Rimsky-Korsakov-Scheherezade, 3rd movement

Yes, I agree that all of Rachmaninoff's piano concertos are moving. For the most part, they are all slow as well. Although the piano is being placed extremely fast at points in his 3rd Concerto, the violins (or whatever instrument is the majority in the background), is just strumming along so serenely. Ahh, maybe I have no clue what I'm talking about.

I've never been a fan of the Largo movements of pieces. The only ones that I can truly listen to and enjoy them throughout is:
- Beethoven's 9th Symphony - 3rd Mvt
- Dvorák 9th Symphony - 2nd Mvt
- Anything by Rachmaninoff
Wagner's Gotterdammerung where I believe Siegfried has just died? Yes? No?

Other pieces such as Adagio for Strings, perhaps, almost lulls me to sleep. Not necessarily a bad thing in certain cases, right?

Anyways, enough ranting.

Sibelius' Swan of Tuonela is awe-inspiring, too.

Mahler's 1st, 3rd movement for me. I'm not sure if it's already been mentioned in this thread... but I find the whole "funeral march" bit to be very sublime.

WorldViolinist, I recently bought a CD with Swan of Tuonela along with Finlandia and Valse Triste conducted by Bernstein.... it's relly magnificent... Valse is one of my favorite Sibelius pieces.

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Take a look at the Bandit's blog, The Classical Corner.

Oh, I love Mahler's 1st symphony, I think I mentioned the third movement as well...? It's just perfect.

The first bit of Finlandia is great (Can you tell who I'm listening to a lot now?), awe-inspiring. I remember, I played in the viola section of this recently, and it was so inspiring to me that ever since I've been trying to compose a piece in F minor. I've never quite finished...

Sibelius' Andante Festivo is absolutely gorgeous. I'm looking to buy the recording he made of it - the only recording of Sibelius conducting his own music. It's just too good to pass up.

Sibelius' third and sixth symphonies, second movements, are also very well written, as are the slow parts of the seventh symphony.

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"Aufersteh'n, ja aufersteh'n
wirst du, mein Herz, in einem Nu!
Was du geschlagen
zu Gott wird es dich tragen!"
-Gustav Mahler

I tend to prefer slow movements.

Pretty obvious, but the two that stand out for me are
Mahler's 5th Adagio
Bruckner's 7th Adagio

I also really like Mahler 4'th Symphony, the third movement

I love the opening of Shostakovich 10th, but for a full slow movement, the 3rd movement of his 5th symphony.

Away from symhonic music, I loved playing the 2nd movement of the Martinu Flute Sonata.

Some of these pieces have already been mentioned, but I'll add to this ever-growing list-- strictly larger scale stuff (I could add too much more for chamber music!):

Vivaldi: Adagio from "Autumn"
Bach: Air from Orchestral Suite No. 3
Beethoven: Third movement from String 4tet No. 16 (there is a transcription for string orchestra of this that is lovely)
Beethoven: Second movement from Piano Concert No. 5
Sibelius: The Swan of Tuonela
Debussy: The Afternoon of a Faun
Barber: Adagio for Strings (though I prefer the original string quartet)
Britten: Part III from Sinfonia da Requiem
Ives: The Unanswered Question
Shostakovich: Second movement from Piano Concerto No. 2
Shostakovich: First movement of Chamber Symphony (transcription of 4tet No. 8)
Stravinsky: The finale from Apollon musagetes
Stravinsky: Second movement from Symphony of Psalms and the last half of the third movement
Stravinsky: The berceuse from The Firebird
Stravinsky: Orpheus-- the scene where he leads Eurydice out of Hades and looks back at her (the most saddest SILENCE in that moment!)
Gorecki: First movement of Symphony No. 3
Part: Second movement of Tabula Rasa
Takemitsu: Tree-Line
Takemitsu: "Hell's Picture Scroll" from the Ran soundtrack (the third castle battle scene)

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"There is no theory. You have only to listen. Pleasure is the law.” ~ Claude Debussy