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The most soothing, relaxing and stress relieving CM works/recordings you know

1205 Views 28 Replies 21 Participants Last post by  pianozach
What are the most soothing, relaxing and stress relieving CM works/recordings you know?

I am on a short education trip abroad and have had to wake up early and be social to everybody for the whole day. Now I have a glass of chardonnay -- and what am I listening to?

Sibelius´ 6th Symphony in D, conducted by Paavo Berglund, performed by the CBSO.

For me there is nothing as relaxing or soothing as this. When I am for the moment fed up with the voice of the western individualism, I just cannot listen to whatever Sturm und Drang. The focus of the music needs to be outside the "Western Hero".

The only other piece of music I can think of at the moment that does the same is Beethoven´s Piano Sonata no. 15 in D major, op 28. "Pastoral".

(Maybe there is something about D-major and D-dorian modality that relaxes me.)

There must be many others as well. I just cannot think of any atm. I am just so tired -- and deeply grateful for these wonderful pieces of music.
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Previously, I put together a succession of four orchestral works by Charles Koechlin for getting to sleep (surprisingly pronounced "KAY-cla," thank you Josquin13):


They may work here also.
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How about the voice of station WWWaehnen - easy 101 for CM in Britain and Finland.

Patrick O'Neal formerly was the voice of burnt-out westerners about 40 years ago:
"WWWaehnen - easy 101 for CM in Britain and Finland" kind of rolls off the tip of the tongue. Yet Patrick O'Neal's selection "People" sounds more like AC (Adult Contemporary) than CM (Classical Music). To be sure Barbara Streisand had classical training and the whole station idea has cross-over appeal -- of the 1980's, that is.
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