The first thing that pops into my head that has both dramatic flair and is more palatable than some more modern works is Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique. It's not a mainstay in my library, but that's mostly because I tend away from straightforward pathos in favor of more dense academic composition. Anyone that knows their classical music history will know that name, but it doesn't get as much mainstream exposure as other agreed-upon classics of the repertoire.
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