A few months ago, my emotions were ripped apart with the death of my dog. We knew it was coming, and I thought I was prepared for it. But no, not even close...
And with the nature of the past 14 months, I know a lot of people have lost beloved friends and family members. Grief always feels lonely, but someone grieving is never the only one.
So this got me thinking about the music that helps us through times of loss, grief, death. The large-scale requiems get a lot of attention (and are well-covered in many other places online: here and here for example). But what about the smaller-scale works for violin? For chamber groups?
So, with a happy heart and hoping to spread feelings of comfort and hope, here’s a Top 10 List of elegies and other music of sadness for solo strings and chamber ensembles — plus quite a few honorable mentions.
The ground rules:
Only composers who are well known within the classical music world.
Only works for solo violin/viola and for chamber ensembles. No orchestras.
The ranking is highly subjective. If you disagree with my choices, let me know about it in the comments. I welcome any and all views on this!
Top 10: Music for Mourning
10.
SHOSTAKOVICH
String Quartet No. 15
I. Elegy: Adagio
sheet music
We start out with the master of sadness and pathos. This movement is exactly what you’d expect from Shostakovich’s longest, slowest, darkest quartet. Well worth listening to. But you’ve been warned.
9.
HINDEMITH
Trauermusik (Music of Mourning)
for viola and string orchestra
sheet music
Written in a single afternoon, and first performed that very evening, it’s an elegantly simple expression of mourning, with a hint of hope. It narrowly edged out the Shostakovich to win 9th place.
8.
STRAVINSKY
Elegy for solo violin (or viola)
sheet music
Lonely and mournful, con sordino throughout, with a little fugue in the middle. Brilliant in its simplicity.
7.
SHOSTAKOVICH
Adagio (Elegy) For String Quartet
sheet music
Intimate and expressive. An arrangement of Katerina’s aria from scene 3 of Shostakovich’s opera “Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District.” Perhaps it’s that lyricism that gives it an edge over the Stravinsky.
6.
PUCCINI
Chrysanthemums (Elegy for string quartet)
sheet music
Passionate, lyrical, intimate, and his only work for string quartet. And the video below features a flawless performance by the amazing Enso Quartet.
5.
SAINT-SAENS
Elegy for violin, Op. 160
sheet music
Beautiful, and not too tricky to play (it gets just a tiny bit involved about 3/4 of the way through). Unlike the other works here, this is more a celebration of a life than a lamentation. Those two factors gave this little gem of a piece a big boost in ranking.
4.
VIEUXTEMPS
Elegy for viola and piano, Op. 30
sheet music
Full of all the pathos and intensity I normally think of for an elegy. …and all the virtuosity I’d expect from Vieuxtemps.
3. 🥉
BARTOK: String Quartet No 6
IV. Mesto
sheet music
The last movement of his last string quartet, written near the end of his life after being forced from his beloved homeland by WWII. The movement title translates as simply “Sad.” So while it’s not explicitly connected to death, it definitely expresses loss, grief, and sadness.
2. 🥈
BARBER: String Quartet, Op. 11
II. Adagio
sheet music
Longing, pain, pathos, passion ... and five flats. The quintessential music of sadness and beauty. The string quartet version is the original form of what many know as “Adagio for Strings.” Not explicitly an “elegy,” but forever tied to that notion by popular sentiment. (more about Barber, including the Adagio, in this other post)
1. 🥇
BEETHOVEN
String Quartet Op. 130
V. Cavatina
sheet music
Topping out this list is what many consider the most touching and intimate music ever written. It’s another one that’s not explicitly about loss — this one is pure, warming comfort. But the “beklemmt” section in the middle (that seems emotionally overwhelmed) has made countless music lovers wonder what he really had in mind. If you follow the “sheet music” link, it’s on pg 25 of the one with the bright blue cover.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Honorable Mentions
EADS
Elegy for violin and piano
sheet music
While doing research for this list, I came across this gorgeous piece by a composer I’ve been a big fan of for several years: Emerson Eads. He’s not quite famous enough — yet — to make it past Rule #1 above (only widely-known composers). But this piece is too beautiful not to give a nod to.
SAINT-SAENS
Elegy for violin, Op. 143
sheet music
A little more tricky to play than his Op 160 elegy (#5 above), but very lyrical. This one, too, is more a celebration of a life than sad mourning. Worth consideration, but it didn’t quite make it into the rankings.
FAURE
Elegy for cello, Op. 24
sheet music
Even though this list is only for violin and viola works, no list of elegies is complete without the work that every cellist of a certain level learns. And for good reason. Even though I’ve heard this countless times, the slow descent of the opening melody still tugs at my heart every time. (Also, some violists have been known to play this piece, so it’s not completely out of place here.)
TCHAIKOVSKY
Serenade for Strings, Op. 48
III. Larghetto elegiaco
sheet music
Watch the video. Right now. This performance by the conductorless chamber orchestra A Far Cry is too good to miss. (For a minute, I considered including chamber orchestra works in the ranking, but with a wealth of solo and quartet works to choose from, I had to make the decision to bump this to the Honorable Mentions. And this performance without conductor — and from memory — makes it close enough to chamber music that it’s not totally out of place here.)
Maggie (2007-2021)
What’s your go-to classical music for times of loss? (Or any other sad time?) I’d love to know. Just leave me a comment below.
I’m a violinist and private teacher in the Chicago area, and in a previous musical life I was in a professional string quartet. Teaching violin and chamber music are dear to my heart. Send me a note or leave a comment on a post — I’d love to hear from you.