Athens has given birth right here to much popular music for a very long time. But, if Athens is the Classic City, there should be some balance to the music scene with other genres. Now you are invited to share your favorite classical pieces and, if you don’t have any, well, maybe you will fall in love with something posted here, opening a new door to something other than rock and country. It’s a bit challenging to find pieces short enough for this forum, but if you want to post longer pieces for the true appreciation of the composition, maybe some will listen. I will!

I love to wake up to Rachmaninoff’s 18th variation from Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini. This is the most impossibly romantic piece of music ever and was featured in the movie “Somewhere In Time”. This recording features the beloved Arthur Rubenstein at piano.

There’s nothing like being lulled to sleep by Giacomo Puccini’s "Coro a bocca chiusa" (The Humming Chorus) from the opera “Madame Butterfly”. I could hear it over and over and over.

I find Mozart to be the greatest composer, thoroughly attending to the smallest of undercurrents while fully developing melody, with all in between balanced to perfection. Dvorak’s heart and passion speak to my soul. So many, so little time.

Who is your favorite composer and which piece of classical music embraces your sensibilities to the fullest?