Most beautiful song ever written?

Subject: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Songwronger
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 06:44 PM

Some people claim that a song by Gustav Mahler called "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen," is the most beautiful ever written.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBTnAmWkxC0

That's a link to a recording of it by Janet Baker, on Youtube.

Not sure what the most "beautiful" song I've ever come across is, but this one's in the running.

A link to the song's lyrics, with translation from German to English:

http://glenngould.org/f_minor/msg04351.html

Mahler was an interesting composer. He liked to work themes and melodies from his songs into his symphonies.

What's the most beautiful song you've ever heard?

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: skipy
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 06:46 PM

Margarita, Harvey Andrew.
Skipy

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 06:54 PM

The Ash Grove is up there..as is Oleanna but words are too silly..I want to find the original fishing words. mg

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 07:12 PM

Rose of Allendale must rank highly.....

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 07:31 PM

If you mean a beautiful song beautifully sung, I'd have to go for "I Wish My Love Was a Red Red Rose" sung by Triona.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 07:45 PM

Subject to change but I'm in Banks and Braes of Bonnie Doon atm

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Bill D
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 08:17 PM

I love many of the Scottish melodies for sheer lovliness...but name ONE song as 'best'? I can barely imagine how people can ask anyone to choose.

Why not just ask for 'favorite beautiful songs'?

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: DrugCrazed
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 08:20 PM

Feel Their Hearts, used in Riverdance. A very pretty song.

Extra mentions: Circle Game (Joni Mitchell), When You Go (Jonathan Coulton)

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,Paul Burke
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 08:24 PM

Edi beo thu hevene quene
Folkes froure and angeles blisse
Moder unwemed and maiden clene
Sowich in worlde non other nisse


I'm an atheist too.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 08:26 PM

U for this one then Bill?

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 08:30 PM

"Song For Autumn" aka "Westlin' Winds," or "Song Composed in August" as recorded by the Old Blind Dogs. Words by Robert Burns. Tune was apparently originally known as "I had a horse, I had nae mair".

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Elmore
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 10:07 PM

Do you think that I do not Know? words Henry Lawson, Music Slim Dusty sung by Priscilla Herdman.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Bill D
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 10:19 PM

*smile*....Jon, Jock O' Hazledean is a favorite. I saw Jean Redpath open the 2nd half of a concert with it as people were mumbling and settling in their seats... BOOM... she hit those first notes hard and the audience was stunned. The Corries do a 'gentle' version, which is nice...but....

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: mg
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 11:29 PM

Raglan Road too of course. mg

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Louie Roy
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 11:30 PM

There are many but two of my favorite are let me call you sweetheart and Somewhere my love

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: PHJim
Date: 28 Aug 11 - 11:38 PM

My favourite performance (today) is Sham-A-Ling-Dong-Ding by Jesse Winchester.
I love Blind Mary by Turlough O'Carolan -no words, but lovely tune.
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry has some lovely lyrics

The second half of When You And I Were Young Maggie really appeals to me (perhaps because I'm married to a Maggie)

They say we are feeble with age, Maggie
Our steps are less sprightly than then
Your face is a well written page, Maggie
But time alone was the pen.
They say we are aged and grey, Maggie
As spray by the white breakers flung
But to me you're as fair as you were, Maggie
When you and I were young.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Mysha
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 12:10 AM

Greenfields - The Brothers Four
                                                                  Mysha

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 12:43 AM

Searching For Lambs said to be Cecil Sharp's nomination for most beautiful tune he had ever heard {or was it Vaughan Williams'?}.

~Michael~

Subject: Bokwritten?
From: frogprince
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 02:08 AM

One single choice? Yah, right... : )

All Along the Colorado Trail
Turning Toward the Morning, by Gordon Bok
Guantanamera

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Allen in Oz
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 02:48 AM

" T'was the Last Rose of Summer" must be up there somewhere

AD

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 03:41 AM

Sean O'Casey's Red Roses For Me, specialy when sung by Ronnie Drew.

All the songs mentioned so far are better than the one which started this thread.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 05:31 AM

Of course it's the marriage of a great melody with great lyrics that make a great song. For example, if we added an indifferent - or even just palin different - set of lyrics to "The Dawning of the Day" melody, I bet it wouldn't pop up on anyones most beautiful song list.
Interestingly, "Derry Air" did have different lyrics added before the "Danny Boy" words really caught the imagination.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: terrier
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 07:32 AM

I'd have to think more than a year and a day to sort out my favourite but one that always comes to mind is the duet from the Pearl Fishers.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 08:30 AM

In operatic terms, I should nominate much of Verdi: from Rigoletto, Caro Nome and the Duke's theme in the Quartet, Bella Figlia dell'Amore (+ La Donn'e Mobile, I suppose!); from La Traviata, Libiamo ne' lieti calici ...

And what about Die Lorelei? Muss-i Denn...?

Or Tomorrow Belongs To Me from Cabaret?

La Bella Ragazza Delle Trecchie Bionde? Sorrento? Santa Lucia?

or·or·or·or............

~M~

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 09:14 AM

"Most beautiful song ever written?"

'I Can See You Now' by Bruce Murdoch

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 12:25 PM

Turning toward the morning. (G.Bok)
Ava Maria (Schubert)
Unchained melody
Lara's theme from Dr. Zhivago

Priscilla Herdman could sing the phone book and melt me!

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,weerover
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 03:32 PM

The Lark in the Clear Air

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,Tinker from Chicago
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 05:14 PM

I do not usually like the works of Andrew Lloyd Weber. But when the Celtic Woman group does "Pie Jesu," I am transported.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: foggers
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 06:01 PM

If by beautiful you mean something that has a transcendant quality and great emotional impact, then that is a very personal choice.
For me, Jez Lowe's "The Last of the Widows" is the one; he waited to write a song about Easington's mine disaster in the 1950s until the last of the widows had passed away. It is a beautiful melody and deeply moving lyrics; just writing about it brings tears to my eyes!

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Peter Butler
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 06:03 PM

Silver Coin - Terry Hiscock

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Genie
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 09:48 PM

I hate it when someone asks me what my favorite song is. There are just way too many wonderful ones.
And, of course, so much depends on your genre preferences.

But among my favorites, especially on the melody side, are:

Greensleeves
Star Dust
O Mio Bambino Caro
Torna A Surriento
Die Lorelei
The Water Is Wide
Yesterday (McCartney)
Granada
Lorena
Over The Rainbow
The Tennessee Waltz
The First Time (Ever) -- the ORIGINAL Ewan McColl tune, not the 'refurbished' tune done by Roberta Flack and everyone since
Blues In The Night
Ode To Joy (Beethoven)



OK, maybe a lot of that is based on familiarity, and I'm probably overlooking a lot of tunes that just don't pop into my mind readily, but I do think those are beautiful melodies.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,999
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 10:21 PM

Silent Night

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,Azoic
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 10:21 PM

June Tabor singing "Lili Marlene".       http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lWDYeao6D4

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Bobert
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 10:28 PM

No dobt...

Marc Cohen's "True Companions"

Vince Gil's "I Believe in You" 2nd...

3rd goes to Martina McBride's version of "From the Ashes" (written by my friend Austin Cunningham...

B~

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Songwronger
Date: 29 Aug 11 - 11:29 PM

Today I was thinking of "Believe me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms." The first verse of that is perfect beauty, in my opinion. Music and lyrics perfectly blended.

Franz Schubert wrote a song cycle called Winterreise. Some say it's the most perfect set of songs ever written, though others criticize the lyrics as weak. But the music is great throughout. I especially like the first song, "Gute Nacht." Link below to a good version of it, Youtube, about 6 minutes long. Somber and haunting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc_GCguYgHw&feature=related

If that song sounds familiar, maybe you heard something like it in the soundtrack to Barry Lyndon. One of the pieces used in that score was the second movement of Schubert's Piano Trio #2. Has similarities to the first song in the Wintereisse cycle. Bunch of recordings of the Trio at the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xczdmh8elFs

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Genie
Date: 30 Aug 11 - 01:14 AM

Just realized I typed "O Mio Bambino Caro" instead of "O Mio Babbino Caro."   My bad.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,999
Date: 30 Aug 11 - 01:20 AM

I trust you won't let it happen again.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Banjiman
Date: 30 Aug 11 - 03:29 AM

Annachie Gordon (Child 239). (If Trad songs count as "written"!)

Very, beautiful, very sad and very disturbing in parts and just the most amazing melody.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: PHJim
Date: 30 Aug 11 - 11:46 AM

My mom thought that Here's That Rainy Day was the most beautiful song she'd ever heard. I agree that it's a lovely song.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Stringsinger
Date: 30 Aug 11 - 12:06 PM

I like Genie's list.

Here's some more. "All The Things You Are" by Jerome Kern.
"Stella by Starlight" by Johnny Mandel
"Over the Rainbow" Yip Harburg and Harold Arlen
I like "Lagan Love" and "Lark in the Clear Air"

Almost any tune by George Gershwin and Cole Porter. Hard to say most beautiful here.

"There's a Place for Us", "Tonight" and "Maria" from Westside Story are right up there.

I'm biased but i wrote a beautiful tune set to Yip Harburg's poem which I hope that someone, some day will hear.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Bert
Date: 30 Aug 11 - 12:13 PM

I'll go along with Songwronger

"Believe me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms."

although 'cailin mo ruinsa' is up there.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Aug 11 - 12:18 PM

Go find someone singing "Country Lassie" by Robert Burns. (Jean Redpath's version is probably the easiest to find) There are threads on it.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 30 Aug 11 - 12:59 PM

MGM mentions 'Searching for Lambs' and I agree, a truly beautiful tune. For a heartfelt love lyric 'I Live Not Where I Love' takes some beating. When one reaches the stage in life my wife and I are at Kurt Weill's 'September Song' become very poignant.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Gda Music
Date: 30 Aug 11 - 01:21 PM

What, no calypso mention yet? http://mightysparrowaz.blogspot.com/2008/08/lord-kitchener-with-his-ode-to-tobago.html

Graham

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,Seonaid
Date: 30 Aug 11 - 01:43 PM

"Nancy My Thousand Loves" as recorded (both with and without Gaelic lyrics) by harper Barbary Grant.
Check it out.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,Bluesman
Date: 30 Aug 11 - 02:40 PM

Gaye, Clifford T. Ward.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: DrugCrazed
Date: 30 Aug 11 - 05:37 PM

And now I've remembered Isara by Eluveitie (See! Death Metal bands can write nice songs!) and The Islander by Nightwish (See above).

There's also a lot written by Faure (Cantique de Jean Racine springs to mind, as does pretty much all of the Requiem) where I would die happy.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: kendall
Date: 30 Aug 11 - 07:41 PM

Juanita

..Nita, Jauanita, ask thy soul if we should part
Nita Juanita, lean thou on my heart.

Soft o'er the fountain, lingering falls the southern moon,
Far o'er the mountain breaks the day too soon.
In your dark eyes splendor where the warm light loves to dwell,
Weary looks yet tender, speak their fond farewell...

sorry, I get carried away by soppy love songs.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 30 Aug 11 - 07:46 PM

Nic Jones singing Ten Thousand Miles. I'd love to have that on CD.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 31 Aug 11 - 02:58 AM

kendall...I'll assume you are not referring to the version sung by Don Knotts as Barney Fife?

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: kendall
Date: 31 Aug 11 - 07:44 AM

Don't know. Never heard him sing it.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,HughM
Date: 31 Aug 11 - 08:04 AM

An Ataireachd Ard
Cearcall a'Chuain
Fear a'Bha\ta
Coshieville

(and I'm not even Scottish!)

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,Nick E
Date: 31 Aug 11 - 08:28 PM

Fear a'Bha\ta is a heart breaker, I relay love Stan Rogers 45 Years, not so much the tune but the genuine sentiment.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Songwronger
Date: 18 Dec 11 - 06:31 PM

Been hearing some beautiful songs lately (Christmas carols). I forget from year to year how beautiful some of them are. Amazing pieces of work.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: kendall
Date: 18 Dec 11 - 08:56 PM

Barney Fife couldn't carry a note with a co signer.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: fat B****rd
Date: 19 Dec 11 - 03:24 PM

The Flower Duet by Delibes
Bess You Is My Woman, Now by Gershwin
Just One More Day sung by Otis Redding

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 19 Dec 11 - 04:32 PM

'Til the Following Night by Screaming Lord Sutch!!

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Arkie
Date: 19 Dec 11 - 04:41 PM

One thing I love about threads like this, is all the great suggestions and the material to build a list of music that I must hear.

I do not think the following have been added yet:


The Song of the Wandering Aengus
Cornflower Blue
Palace Grand
Star of the County Down
Loch Tay Boat Song
Plasir d'Amour
Si Bheag Si Mhor
The Water is Wide

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,Captain Swing
Date: 19 Dec 11 - 06:13 PM

The Land O' The Leal

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Bobert
Date: 19 Dec 11 - 07:50 PM

I'm going add another vote for Martina McBride's "From the Ashes" written by my buddy, Austin Cunningham...

B~

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,Peter Trout
Date: 20 Dec 11 - 02:21 PM

"God only knows" Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys

Peter

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Commander Crabbe
Date: 20 Dec 11 - 08:07 PM

As beauty rests in the eye (or ears) of the beholder (listener), there must be many beautiful songs.

I can go with Elmore on "Do you think that I do not Know"

I can also suggest "Pe In Eirinn I" as sung by Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh

Pe in Eirinn I

Merry Christmas

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: mrdux
Date: 21 Dec 11 - 01:11 AM

a few more for you:

Joseph Canteloube's setting of "Baïlèro (Chant de bergers de Haute-Auvergne)"

Au bord de l'eau, and Après un rêve -- Gabriel Fauré

À Chloris -- Reynaldo Hahn

My Ain Countrie -- Jean Redpath

The Nearness of You -- Hoagy Carmichael

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: freda underhill
Date: 21 Dec 11 - 07:55 AM

Anything by Sean Keane

and if I'm not mistaken, here's Alison introducing hi m in this one..

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: freda underhill
Date: 21 Dec 11 - 08:29 AM

Here is an exquisite song by John Warner,
Newell highway, sung by Nancy Kerr

An Australian choir, Ecopella, singsa some very beautiful songs about the environment including All the wild wonders. Ecopella is conducted by Miguel Heatwole, an Australian singer and composer who is also a member of Triantan, a trio who sing Scottish and Irish songs in Gaelic and English.

The most intensely beautiful version of "last Farewell to Stirling" is sung by Anthony Woolcott of triantan, you will never hear a more beautiful rendition.


freda

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: glueman
Date: 21 Dec 11 - 08:38 AM

Is my team still ploughing? Butterworth
Wood Street, Judy Hauff
Spem in alium, Tallis

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: freda underhill
Date: 21 Dec 11 - 08:53 AM

Here's another John Warner one,
Anderson's Coast

and here's contender - James and Nancy singing jez lowe's the Bergen

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Neil D
Date: 21 Dec 11 - 11:58 PM

I don't know how to pick just one as the most beautiful. In the realms of classical and religious music there are hundreds of contenders. Even in the narrower field of Christmas music there are many beautiful melodies. I can't think of a more beautiful tune than "Gaudete". At the other end of the spectrum, and this may seem counterintuitive, I think Tom Waits has written some intensely beautiful songs. In spite of his ravished voice and reputation for gritty retrospectives on the seedier side of life, on repeated listening songs like "Innocent When You Dream", "Time" and "Jersey Girl" are just striking. Such a wide spectrum of beautiful songs is why I say it is impossible to chose just one.

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,solstice boy
Date: 22 Dec 11 - 12:14 AM

you lot intellectualise to much..


"Most beautiful song ever written" ???

it's the song that most affected your emotions when you were a raw inexperienced unspoilt by the horrible grown up world child..


in my case..

"Ring of Bright Water"..

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 22 Dec 11 - 03:44 AM

In my case its 'Who can fart the loudest?'

I intend to write the song next week. This mighty work will be an audience participation piece,geared to live performance and terrifically loud smelly farts - when evrybodys been eating sprouts over the Holy Festival.

When I unleash beauty of this song on the world, the earth will probably split open, the four horsemen of the apocalypse gallop out, and then gallop back in - when the smell hits them.

Just thought, I'd better warn you in advance.....

Subject: RE: Most beautiful song ever written?
From: GUEST,solstice boy
Date: 22 Dec 11 - 03:57 AM

Big Al..

if you can fart "Ring of Bright Water"...?????


[and there's over 40 years of childhood dreams loaded in that song..]