What? Another Playlist Prompt?!

In this, my third call for songs for a community playlist, I am appealing to your sense of beauty. I've named the playlist “The Most Beautiful” because I want the song you pick to be, in your opinion, the most stunning that you’ve ever heard.

I know that’s a tall order! It's meant to be something you ponder for a while or go hunting for if you already have a song in mind. ;D

What inspired me to choose this playlist is my own song choices, which I'll talk more about below. Despite knowing that musical tastes change over time, I chose these ones based on a few years of consistent estimation. Something about them has been solidified in my mind as stand-outs from the classical crowd. Yes, both of them are classical songs, and they're tied for me as "most beautiful."

Now, are they the most beautiful songs ever written or performed?

Certainly not.

(I wonder if anyone could determine that objectively...)

However, they have impacted me in moments where I could not have imagined any song better or more gorgeous. Therefore, the following two songs are my chosen examples of what kind of beauty I’m looking for in this playlist.

The first is Shostakovich’s Fugue No. 7 in A Major.

Incredibly enough, it contains no harmonic dissonance. It is, quite simply, the happiest, most positive song I’ve ever heard, and it was written by a man who, by all accounts, had few reasons to write such music, being repeatedly at odds with the Soviet government during his career. The thing about its beauty, to me, is how satisfying all the harmonies are. It’s the polar opposite of jazz, in my opinion; I find it amazing that such a song can exist.

The YouTube version includes the prelude, which I'm not sure was part of the original composition. It might have been, but not every recording of this piece includes it. Even though the two versions are part of the same recording my Alexander Melnikov, the Spotify version cut out the prelude.

The second is Edward Elgar's "Nimrod" from his Enigma Variations.

It's also a happy song, though in a different way, and one that brings tears to my eyes. It came on the radio soon after my grandpa’s death and it just reemphasized in my mind how singular I consider this song to be. I read that Edward Elgar wrote each of the Enigma Variations inspired by individual members of his family and friends. I can’t seem to find the best version of "Nimrod"—every one I hear seems to be missing something—but I think this is the best I can find for now.

I have great respect for Elgar. I actually heard another piece of his on the radio this week and completely fell in love with it too.

Sidebar: This other version, below, is performed by a brass band. It's also stunning, more muted than the orchestral one, more velvety and immersive. Although I don't believe you can’t beat the sound of a whole orchestra playing this piece, I still recommend you give it a listen:

Please choose whatever song you'd like in whatever genre as long as it meets these two requirements:

1. The most beautiful song you've heard in a long time slash ever. You can send multiple if you can't choose between them; i.e., they tie.
2. Fits the brief of "beautiful," "gorgeous," "stunning" and all that these words connote in a musical piece. I'd rather the definitions not be creatively interpreted, such as translating them to mean "flawlessly performed," "brilliantly composed," "an example of rare talent," etc. I want the songs to be a reflection of your own sense of beauty and musical taste.

So, send me some songs! The most beautiful you’ve ever heard. Think on it, and put the link in the comments below. And if this prompt inspires you to write a longer piece, I’d love to read it!

When the comments peter out, I'll make the playlist on Spotify and YouTube and write the follow-up article for you all to read and listen to and, hopefully, enjoy!

Thank you to everyone who's been following this series. I plan to keep it going for the foreseeable future. I have two more in the chamber as we speak, and they are a departure from the first three, more...soundtrack vibes. ;D

Cheers!