Recessional Music: Quick, Upbeat and Joyous

Start by listening to each thirty second demo of wedding recessional music and let your ears decide which one you like best. The songs will loop back to the beginning. Listen again, identify each song and read about it while listening. We also have many classic wedding songs and wedding service music to choose from. Take a look at the additional wedding music samples on the other pages of this site.

Hornpipe from Water Music - George Frederic Handel (3:23)
Another piece from the Water Music Suite, this is a very popular recessional.

Ode to Joy - Ludwig van Beethoven (2:12)
Beethoven used this in the last movement of his Ninth Symphony. The main theme, heard here, is used as a recessional.

Arrival of the Queen of Sheba - George Frederic Handel (3:54)
This is from one of Handel's operas, Solomon. This song would be a good up tempo song for prelude music, if not used as a recessional.

Rejouissance from the Royal Fireworks - George Frederic Handel (1:24)
Rejoice! Aptly put for a happy occasion.

Rondeau - Jean Joseph Mouret (1:53)
The signature tune of the PBS program Masterpiece.

Allegro from Spring Concerto, Opus 8, No. 1 - Antonio Vivaldi (1:38)
One of Vivaldi's Seasons concertos for violin, has become a very popular recessional.

Allegro from Trumpet Suite in D - George Frederic Handel (1:48)
This is not frequently heard, but very nice. If we don't use it for a recessional, we always use it during the prelude music.

Allegro, Concerto in C for Two Trumpets - Antonio Vivaldi (3:01)
Some pieces for trumpet actually do not need trumpet. This is NOT one of them. It is a virtuoso recessional.

Wedding March from A Midsummer's Night Dream - Felix Mendelssohn (1:31)
This is a traditional wedding recessional, not to be confused with Wagner's Bridal March.

Church Sonata #3 in D - Mozart (4:23)
For organ, violins and cello, Mozart wrote this when he was sixteen; sort of a recessional in puberty.