# What's your favorite instrumental? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 8, 2003, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-instrumental/180528 "2003-06-08T22:13:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Phoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Dragon\_Phoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-instrumental/180528/41 "2003-06-12T06:41:56Z")
Zooming in on pop/rock (as I think the intention was) rather than classical and jazz: 1. Samba pa ti (Santana) 2. Albatross (Fleetwood Mac) 3. Equinoxe II (JM Jarre) ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-instrumental/180528/42 "2003-06-12T11:44:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by danceswithcats \* > \*\*Mozart’s Serenade in G-the rondo-K525 \*\* Is that Rondo “a la Turka?” I love that song. ---
**Author:** ![verbenabeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@verbenabeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/verbenabeast)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-instrumental/180528/43 "2003-06-12T21:46:27Z")
“Cliffs of Dover” by Eric Johnson “Losfer Words (Big Orra)” by Iron Maiden “Always with Me, Always with You” by Joe Satriani and two bagpipe tunes that are traditional as far as I know (don’t know composers for these tunes, at any rate) “Going Home” and “Highland Cathedral” ---
**Author:** ![saramamalana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@saramamalana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saramamalana)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-instrumental/180528/44 "2003-06-13T01:39:10Z")
I’ve always enjoyed the overture to Tommy. And there’s this neat track by Blur I think called “intermission,” something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Gerome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Gerome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gerome)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-instrumental/180528/45 "2003-06-13T04:57:29Z")
“Blood Money” by Primal Scream is my fave. ---
**Author:** ![xcheopis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bc8723/32.png) [@xcheopis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xcheopis)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-instrumental/180528/46 "2003-06-13T05:04:47Z")
It’s a tie: **Lonesome Moonlight Waltz** by _Bill Monroe_ and **On Interstate 15** by _Wall of Voodoo_. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-instrumental/180528/47 "2003-06-13T05:48:27Z")
I never thought I’d hear mention of “Wall of Voodoo” on this board, let alone in a thread about instrumentals. Good work, xcheopis! ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-instrumental/180528/48 "2003-06-13T07:44:06Z")
Wipeout Sing Sing Sing (and a ton of other great "big band/swing songs that I don’t know the names of). Whipped Cream by Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-instrumental/180528/49 "2003-06-13T07:58:21Z")
AWB’s new mix of “Pick Up the Pieces”. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-instrumental/180528/50 "2003-06-18T05:10:48Z")
My favorite instrumental is definitely **“Matsuri”** by **Kitaro** , a 9-minute piece from his 1990 album [_Kojiki_](http://www.kitaro.net/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/index2.html?E+scstore) (Geffen 9 24255-2). The word _matsuri_ refers to a traditional festival held at a Shinto shrine. The melodic part has only two themes alternating, which are melodically simple but very captivating. There is little or no harmony involved, except for parallel thirds during the repeat of the second theme. The rhythm is very bold and vigorous, driven by Japanese _taiko_ drumming, a legacy of the traditional Shinto shrines. The bass line maintains a consistent throbbing pulsation throughout. The middle section, before the melody resumes, is a _taiko_ drum ensemble jam. It has the drummers exclaiming _"Huh! … Huh!_" in time to the rhythm every couple bars, so I hope that doesn’t disquality “Matsuri” as an instrumental piece. The melody, played on bamboo flutes and synthesizers, is in the Aeolian mode of E minor; the first theme is composed of a few simple up-and-down figures. The second theme is made of longer flowing phrases that cascade pentatonically down the scale and back up again in strong but graceful patterns. To me it sounds starkly beautiful and captivating. The overall feel I get from “Matsuri” is a clear vibe of virgin nature, the drums evoking the pure waterfalls over hard crystalline rocks in the mountains, the bracing wind blowing through the tops of tall trees in the Japanese forest, the unseen but felt presence of the _kami_ spirits animating the natural setting in which is glimpsed a Shinto temple where the festival is taking place. I totally love this piece. I never get tired of it. Its spiritual force is always refreshing and inspiring. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![SnugTheJoiner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@SnugTheJoiner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnugTheJoiner)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-instrumental/180528/51 "2003-06-18T07:03:07Z")
Waltz in A-Flat by Brahms ---
**Author:** ![Blown\_Injected](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@Blown\_Injected](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blown_Injected)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-instrumental/180528/52 "2003-06-18T07:15:02Z")
**MOBEY DICK** Led Zepplin ---
**Author:** ![Blown\_Injected](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@Blown\_Injected](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blown_Injected)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-instrumental/180528/53 "2003-06-18T07:16:59Z")
I forgot to add Very Very Loud My favorite changes often, but this one has lasted for awhile. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-instrumental/180528/54 "2003-06-18T07:20:50Z")
It’s a combination of two songs, one leading into a layering with the other. “Moonglow and Theme from _Picnic_.” **Kalhoun** : > [@](#): > > I really love the theme from The Deer Hunter, and I can’t for the life of me remember the name of it. It’s just beautiful. Indeed it is. I think it is called _Cavatina_. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-instrumental/180528/55 "2003-06-19T00:20:45Z")
From Dizzy Gillespie’s “Live On The French Riviera” album/CD: Chega De Saudade (aka: No More Blues). If you exclude Gregg’s vocal portion, ABB’s Stormy Monday would go above Diz’s. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-instrumental/180528/56 "2003-06-19T05:19:58Z")
Well, it depends on the what I feel like listening to at the time, but right now, _Lunch Box/Odd Sox_ by Paul McCartney and Wings, or _Atom Heart Mother_ by Pink Floyd ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-instrumental/180528/57 "2003-06-19T05:25:03Z")
Excluding Classical (so I don’t have to make a decision among all the Baroque and Renaissance pieces I love), I’d say **Jessica** by the Allman Brothers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-instrumental/180528.md?page=2)