Classical Music Inspired by Autumn Part 1

September 22, 2017.Reading time 3 minutes.

It’s officially autumn! Time to bust out sweaters and boots and pumpkin spice everything. And while you’re at it, take a moment to listen to some of these classical works inspired by the new season. Antonio Vivaldi‘s Concerto no. 3 in F major, L’autunno (“Autumn” from The Four Seasons) Written around 1721, The Four Seasons is a hugely […]

Classical Music Inspired by Water Part 2: Piano Pieces

August 11, 2017.Reading time 2 minutes.

Okay guys, here’s the second installment of the series Music Inspired by Water. Check out part one here! Last time we talked about orchestral music, so today’s playlist is piano works inspired by water. Jeux d’eau by Ravel First up: Jeux d’eau (“Playing Water”) by Ravel (1875-1937). The composer himself said of this piano work: Jeux d’eau, appearing in 1901, […]

Classical Music Inspired by Water Part 1

July 21, 2017.Reading time 2 minutes.

This weekend I’m spending a few days at the coast, so I created a playlist of music inspired by the ocean. I found many pieces of classical music inspired by water, so I thought I’d write a blog post about it! First up: “Die Hebriden” (The Hebrides) by Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847). This concert overture, also known […]

Copland’s Poems of Emily Dickinson

April 7, 2017.Reading time 9 minutes.

This week I’m listening to 12 poems of Emily Dickinson by Aaron Copland, an American composer, teacher, and conductor who lived from 1900-1990. You can read more about him here. Have you ever read a poem that spoke to you in a way nothing else has? That’s what happened to Copland. He wanted to set some poetry […]

“Northern Lights” by Ola Gjeilo

January 27, 2017.Reading time 1 minute.

So this week I want to introduce you to a 21st century choral piece called Northern Lights by Norwegian composer/pianist Ola Gjeilo. It’s incredible. The text is the Latin Pulchra es amica mea, from Song of Solomon (in the Bible). Here is an English translation: Thou art beautiful, O my love,sweet and comely as Jerusalem,terrible as an army set in […]

“Nuages” by Debussy

October 21, 2016.Reading time 3 minutes.

Claude Debussy (1862-1918) was one of the most important composers leading into the 20th century. He pushed against boundaries, created his own harmonies, and paved the way for future composers to compose beautiful and unique sounds. Read more about him here. Musical Analysis Nuages is the first movement of a work called Nocturnes, a set of three symphonic […]