I don't know if you remember this, but back in the '80s, there was a "Saturday Night Live" skit of a guy whose daily life had a soundtrack. Whatever he did, there was music there, to make it a little more exciting, more fun, scarier, you name it.

Anyway, I don't think I'm the only one who sometimes wishes that I had a soundtrack, too. A soundtrack would make life seem so ... meaningful. And, there are some times when we definitely deserve a soundtrack.

One of those times, in my opinion — I'm a little embarrassed to say this, but — is right after a breakup.

The thing is, there are different kinds of post-breakup moods. So, it's hard to choose the music you'd want. For example, if you're in a walk-around-aimlessly-all-night-long kind of mood, you probably want something French.

But for all-purpose post-breakup music, I think you want Brahms (that's Johannes Brahms, the composer). Brahms was a serious German: his music isn't for staying out all night. But he had truly deep feelings, so there's a lot of sighing, and even a little sobbing.

What I particularly have in mind here is actually the third movement of Brahms' Third Symphony. What can I say? It sounds exactly post-breakup to me. It sounds like nighttime, a slow walk, and every few steps, flashes of emotion. But — and this is important — nothing painful. It's sort of like remembering a breakup from a safe (and wiser) distance.

So, if you want a taste of perfectly safe, somewhat satisfying and bittersweet memory, check it out next weekend when the Honolulu Symphony salutes Brahms with a concert of his music only. No recent breakup history required to enjoy this performance.

Sasha Margolis is a violinist with the Honolulu Symphony. Members of the Honolulu Symphony will contribute occasional commentaries to highlight upcoming performances. For more on the Honolulu Symphony season, go to www.honolulusymphony.com.