What are some sad classical peices?

Thanks for answering!

"Valse Triste" by Sibelous; "Adagio" by Samuel Barber; and "Pavane For a Dead Princess" by Ravel. All very beautiful, as is "Le Tambeau de Couperin" also by Ravel. Last but not least, "Clair de Lune" by Debussy.

moonlight sonata by bethoven is a beatiful, but somewhat sad sounding song

Moonlight Sonata

Check out : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSMXMv0no...

Group converts modern music to chamber music! Great CD

Rachmaninoff-- Piano concerto no. 3, 2nd movement
Chopin-- Ballade No. 1
Rachmaninoff-- Prelude Opus 32 No. 12 and 13
Beethoven-- Piano Sonata No. 8, 2nd movement
Liszt-- Consolation No. 3 in Dflat Major
Beethoven's 7th Symphony, 2nd movement
Grieg-- Holberg Suite, 4th movement
Tchaikovsky-- Scene from Swan Lake
Bruch's Violin Concerto in G Minor
Rachmanonoff-- 3rd musical moment
Debussy-- Revirie
Debussy- The Sunken Cathedral
Rachmaninoff-- Prelude Opus 23 No. 6

These are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

One that is not very well known, but achingly beautiful, is Rachmaninoff's "Trio Elagiaque" or "Elegiac Trio". As you might guess by its name, it's associated with death. The first movement is by far my favorite; the main theme of the movement sounds like two people (the violin and cello) sobbing.

Sonatina in C Major. It is very lively, and wanted to make me cry when I first heard it.

Elgar's cello concerto
Chopin Prelude in D "The Raindrop"
Albinoni's adagio in G minor
"vesti la giubba" aria from Pagliacci
Isle of the Dead Rachmaninov
Adagio from Mahler's 5th (bitter/sweet but well worth a listen)

The 2nd movement of Beethoven's "Pathetique" sonata (a.k.a. Sonata No. 8) isn't sad-sounding. It's got a warm velvety tone quality and is beautiful. Same goes for Rachmaninoff's Op.23 No.6 prelude. That prelude is one of the most soothing and charming works I ever heard.

If you really want Rachmaninoff though, an obvious choice would be the Elegie, Op.3 no.1. The title alone suggests it, and it sounds really weepy. Balakirev's piano transcription of "The Lark" (a Russian romance, in other words Russian song, by Glinka) is also pretty melancholic. From Mozart, the 2nd mvt of Piano Concerto No. 23 K488 is a slow siciliano, and sounds really sad. It's so painfully beautiful that it's easy to cry listening to it.

The music in Dido and Anneas by Purcell played at the funeral of Dido. Elgar's "Nimrod".

"Kindertotenlieder" by Gustav Mahler.

I can't listen to it without crying.

"Fur Elise" or "Moonlight Sonata" both by Beethoven