If we want to include jazz, I can’t think of anything sadder than Mingus’s Goodbye Porkpie Hat, the one written for the then-recently-deceased legend of jazz. That sax solo is sad all the way to 11.
Classical - The march from the last movement of Vaughan Williams’ 2nd symphony is not only sad but frightening. (Pretty muuch all of his 3rd and 7th symphonies are pretty miserable, too. The second movement of No.3 with its quote of ‘The Last Post’ is particularly tear-jerking)
Folk and/or rock - ‘The Snake’s Farewell to the Emerald Isle’ - Horslips, ‘Little Wing’ (yes, the Hendrix tune) - The Ric Sanders Band (Sort of folk/jazz/blues)
Soundtracks - ‘Lament for the Kakapo’ from the BBCTV series ‘The Life of Birds’
Albinoni: Adagio in G Minor
Vaughan Willilams: Fantasia On A Theme By Thomas Tallis
I couldn’t agree more! Even without the context of the movie. Williams is a genius and this piece is the prime example. The flavors. The ethnicity. The cry. I’m choked up just typing this as I think of that piece. It’s definitely for violin but I have heard some passable guitar versions, too. Nothing like Itzak, but what is?
Gets me every time.
Also, the soundtrack for Brokeback Mountain: the main theme is beautifully elegiac.
Even though I’ve mentioned a couple of pieces that answer your question more directly, I’ve come back to mention what immediately sprang to my mind when I read the OP. There’s an album Stan Getz did with a string ensemble led by Hershy Kay and arrangements by Eddie Sauter called Focus which came out in the early 60’s not too long before Getz went on to Bossa Nova fame and fortune. The music isn’t really sad throughout, but there are several pieces that show (at least for me) to what degree sadness can be expressed in music. The arrangements were done so as to leave a “hole” for Getz’s tenor sax to fill and he supposedly improvised his portion entirely.
The link may allow you to hear a few sections to see if that fits in with what you’re hunting for. Try Track 4 “I Remember When” for the flavor I’m remembering even though the snippet is too short to catch the whole mood.
Well, I came in here to recommend Adagio for Strings and Moonlight Sonata. But since I’m a little late to the game let me add some more.
Kenny Wayne Shepherd has a song called While We Cry which is essentially a instrumental of Pearl Jam’s Yellow Ledbetter. Coincidently, it is on KWS’s CD Ledbetter Heights.
Stevie Ray Vaughan has a good one called Rivera Paradise on his last album, ‘In Step’. He wrote it for a friend’s funeral. He also has a song called Lenny on his ‘Texas Flood’ album that he wrote for his wife. Not really sad, but very mellow. He also does an instrumental version of Hendrix’s Little Wing on ‘The Sky is Crying’ album. Again, not really sad, but soothing.
I also like to listen to Joe Satriani’s Always with Me, Always with You when I’m in a mood like you describe. It’s on his ‘Surfing with the Alien’ CD.
I know you said no lyrics, but Plant’s voice is easy to ignore in Led Zeppelin’s The Rain Song off their ‘Houses of the Holy’ CD (I believe). It’s mostly an instrumental anyway. Over half the song is without lyrics. It’s perfect for gazing out a rain streaked window on a gloomy day.
Back to classical music, Pachelbel’s Canon in D is rather melancholy as well, but some people might associate it with weddings too much.
“Yes It Is” by Johnny A. This was originally a Beatles tune, but it’s positively beeautiful by Johnny.
I can’t recommend Tabula Rasa by Arvo Part more strongly (link to listing on Amazon).
This work was featured in a New Yorker article about the composer and how highly respected he is. When describing this work, they commented on how people with terminal illnesses have come to regard this work with special affection because it captures the melancholy and release of their situation.
That was enough for me - I got it and have found it to be truly, subtly, complexly beautiful.
I second Kizarvexius’ nomination of Ralph Vaughn Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
I offer up the Largo in Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins and Orchestra in D Minor - BWV 1063.
Weep on!
The Final Peace, Jb’s blues and Suspension all by Jeff Beck
I thought of one of my own. It’s the Karak theme from the Homeworld soundtrack.
There’s an absolutely wonderful version of that on the *Celtic Woman * DVD.
Just a slight hijack to say that Jeff Beck is the best guitarist out there…
I’ll go along with this.
I find Usual Apsect’s Mr. Blue to be sad. It’s a dance song, but it sounds very melancholy to me.
See aforementioned Adagio for Strings by Barber. The version in Homeworld is sung by a choir and is called Agnus Dei.
While not exactly sad, Chopin’s Noctures tend to be very introspective.
Tori Amos - Over It
eels -
Bride of Theme From Blinking Lights
Last Days of My Bitter Heart
Blinking Lights (For You)
Going to Your Funeral Part II
There are one or two military-band arrangements of one or another evening hymn tune with the Last Post. We did one last Nov 11th that led off with “The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended” and segued into the bugle solo (actually played by our cornet soloist on this occasion) and my eyes are stinging just as I think about it.
The closing section of The Dream of Gerontius, “Softly and gently, dearly ransomed soul” is quite a tear-jerker too, though maybe it works best in context. I read a review of the Barbirolli recording I have, where the review said “if this doesn’t break your heart, it’s time for a transplant”.
Ah, having listened to it, I see that you’re right. Thank you.
Thank you everyone! I can barely keep up with all the suggestions, so this is great :).
A lot of what I’d recommend has already been said so I’ll just say this - personally I find a lot of ‘authentic’ Andean music to be heartbreaking. Rumillajta should be easy to get hold of, try the song “Mothers and Children”, despite the upbeat tempo I find “Hermano Chay” gut wrenchingly desperate towards the end -I don’t know what it is, something to do with the key, the breathy pan pipes and voice competing with the more piercing wind instrument but there you are. (Not all of their work is instrumental but if you don’t speak the language …)