Have you ever experienced a rush of emotion while listening to a song? Perhaps a feeling of inexplicable sadness from a melancholic tune, or a piece of music that transports you to another time and place? If you’re like most people, you will surely have which is proof that music speaks in a language that can uniquely touch the soul.

I keep a list of such soulful music which I revisit from time to time. My selection is eclectic; it includes ancient chants and mediaeval music, classical pieces by Chopin, Mozart and Bach, jazz improvisations, and modern film music composed by the likes of John Barry, Ennio Morricone, James Horner and Hans Zimmer. Below are two songs from my list. The first piece – ‘For the Love of a Princess’ – is a track from the movie Braveheart composed by film music virtuoso, James Horner. The second piece, perhaps less familiar to western audiences, is ‘The Night at Ulaanbaatar,’ a Mongolian farewell song composed by Plebu Dorji, with lyrics by the poet, Sangdui Zabu.

Have a listen to the two pieces. What feelings do they evoke in you?

‘For the Love of a Princess’ (from Braveheart)

‘The Night at Ulaanbaatar’ (Mongolian)

Through the wind
and the wildness,
please go slowly.
Let me tell you in silence that
I’m drunk with wine.
Ulaanbaatar’ night is
so quiet and so still
even the wind can’t be heard,
even the wind can’t be heard.

‘Night at Ulaanbatar’ in Mandarin and Mongolian