A Lament for Joy?

After listening to Beethoven's Symphony No. 6, "Pastoral," with it's euphoric final movement, I though about other music that was happy, joyous, euphoric, etc. I was struck but how difficult this was. Even now, I can barely muster a handful or two of pieces that evoke unqualified elation, or almost unqualified. There's the duet for Papageno and Papagena in The Magic Flute, which ends with the bubbliest mirth ever composed (in my humble opinion); the finale to Sibelius' Symphony No. 5, though that might be more heroic than joyous; much of Mendelssohn's music, particularly the Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night's Dream (has there ever been more revelatory calmness and satisfaction as in the very end of the Overture?). The more contemporary the search becomes, the harder it is. Very few composers seem to be happy these days; then again, not many others are either. Christopher Rouse composed his orchestral work Rapture in response to his own history of downcast works (if I recall correctly); some of John Adams works could be considered fun and perhaps happy, but I doubt that he set out to evoke happiness in them. Unambiguous joy is rather looked down upon anymore, and maybe there is some justification in deriding such works as escapist. However, there is surely plenty of joy yet to be found in our sick world?

I'll list a few works that make me happy. What music brings out your giddier nature?

1. The Magic Flute
2. Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream
3. Symphony No. 5, Jean Sibelius
4. "Jupiter, Bringer of Joy" from The Planets
5. Symphony No. 6, Ludwig van Beethoven