The one hundred and sixty-third classical recording: #129 Joseph Haydn - Symphony no. 45, "Farewell"
You don't always hear gentler pieces come from symphonies, but in Farewell it happens - like a drawn out goodbye, it's slow, sad in places and while it has some moments of excitement in it, there are also many others where it stays restrained. It's clearest at the end, where the musicians gradually leave the stage, leaving just the violins to play the end - it's a theatrical move that fits the themes well, with an appropriate downbeat ending that follows through on all those themes. As abstract as the music can be, it feels amazing how much more on point it is now.