The most erotic passages in classical music


Wagner has written the overture to Tannhäuser with a sensuous, sensual, erotic connotation in mind. Ravel's Bolero, parts of Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique are downright sexual. But I don't want this to be the point here. What I'm after are "erotic passages", which are full of senuality and would induce images in kind, or a feeling in kind or a yearning in the listener. I also wonder, if there are any gender differences in what music is deemed erotic. Erotic, nota bene, not sexual!
detlof
during the time Bach was married to his second wife,Anna Magnelena, before he moved to Liepzig,were the happiest years of his life. In an age where marriages were arranged,he had married for love. These following pieces of music demonstrate an erotic quality,at least they do to me:The slow movent of the 5th Brandenburg Concerto
The two part inventions-think69
The violin concerti,in particular the d minor concerto for two violins with emphasis on the middle movement.
Mozart the slow movements of piano concertos 20,21,23,and 27.
chopin the nocturnes many of the nocturnes were written on commissions from women. don't play them too loud,if they are loud enough to wake someone,you're going against the point of the esthetic.

Hope you and your friend(s) like these'
p
Will, interesting! If you consider the circumstances of the creation of this piece, you may well be right. Only I find sensuousness and erotic longing rather in the cantilena and in the wonderful dialogue between flutes, woodwinds and the strings. The trumpet lines I find a tad to selfassertive to be truly erotic. Its not surprising, that they go under in that fantastic finale, which to me is orgastic and purely sexual (rather more female than of the of male sort, if you know what I mean. )Thanks for reminding me Will, of this fascinating music. I have it on a Phillips LP with Eliahu Inbal and (grin) his Frankforters.

Pragmatist, I have the d minor (with the two Oistrakhs) resounding in my head. How very right you are. Also about the Mozart. I find your idea about the two part inventions most intreaging. I'll go and listen to them right now. Never thought of it that way, seems obvious though. And yes, the Nocturnes, thought of them, when I started this thread.
Thankyou p. Wonderful! Detlof

Pragmatist, I'm back now. That was a stroke of genius. I dug out a 1960 version on DG with Ralph Kirkpatrick, wished I would have found the one with Wanda Landowska. The scope of attraction, repulsion, of approaching and drifting away from each other, of rhythmic union and the tension, when each part drifts syncopatically apart only to intertwine again was indeed EROS in its truest sense. In fact, it reminded me of the language of the Alchemists, who were still flourishing when Bach was at Koethen and who desribed what they percieved in their retorts and ovens in a beautiful erotic language. Thanks p. You've opened doors and made my evening!
Many of the passages in The Ring when it is a male/female theme or duet - when Wotan is singing farewell to Brunhilde, after he has stripped her of her powers, and placed her in the magic fire, for example.