Spring has sprung! Here’s some seasonally-appropriate music to put a swing in your step. Listen to it while gardening, cooking, or spring cleaning! Or whenever you like. 🙂
A Classical Spring Fling Playlist
The Lark Ascending by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1914)
Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending is a one movement work originally composed for violin and piano and later reworked for violin and orchestra–the later being the more famous version. The composition was inspired by a poem of the same name, written by George Meredith.
Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland (1944)
Appalachian Spring is a mid-20th century ballet created and choreographed by Martha Graham and composed by Aaron Copland. The work was originally scored for 13 instruments, as the Coolidge Auditorium pit (the premiere location) couldn’t fit more than 13 musicians. If you listen closely, you’ll hear variations of Simple Gifts throughout.
Symphony No. 6, “Pastorale” by Ludwig Van Beethoven (1808)
It’s very likely that you’ve heard at least part of Beethoven’s highly programmatic and bucolic “Pastorale” Symphony before encountering this playlist. For starters, it was heavily featured in the original Fantasia. The 6th Symphony was Beethoven’s homage to nature. And maybe it will enliven your love for the natural world too.
On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring by Frederick Delius (1912)
On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring is a pleasantly lilting tone poem written for small orchestra. Does it sound like a gentle spring morning to you? Can you hear the cuckoo?
“Waltz of the Flowers” from The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1892)
Another Fantasia favorite, Waltz of the Flowers is upbeat, exciting, and majestic all at once. Did you know that, while today The Nutcracker is wildly popular, it was a flop when it first debuted in 1892?
The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky (1913)
No spring-themed classical playlist is complete without The Rite of Spring. And just to keep you on your toes, it is the exact opposite vibe of the Waltz of the Flowers and the other beautifully pastoral selections featured in this playlist so far. No flowery, lazy day story lines here. Instead we have a ballet about a pagan ritual sacrifice. The premiere performance caused a riot! The Rite of Spring is certainly worth a listen.
Bird Concerto with Pianosong by Jonathan Harvey (2001)
If you’re ready to get back to those relaxing vibes, but maybe with a more modern take, here we have Jonathan Harvey’s Bird Concerto with Pianosong. The piece is exactly as described! The composer juxtaposes recordings of bird songs with music for piano and orchestra, taking us all on a fantastic flight.
Printemps by Claude Debussy (1887)
Debussy’s Printemps is, as he calls it, a human depiction of spring:
“I should like to express the slow and labored birth of beings and things in nature, their gradual blossoming, and finally the joy of being born into some new life. All this is without a program, for I despise all music that has to follow some literary text that one happens to have got hold of. So you will understand how very suggestive the music will have to be – I am doubtful if I shall be able to do it as I wish.”
The end result is a relatable orchestral suite that could easily be used as a modern film score.
Primavera: Beautiful Mountain Winds by Satoshi Yagisawa (2008)
If you love music for brass, this one is for you! Yagisawa wrote Primavera as a musical depiction of Yamanashi Prefecture in Japan.
Russian Easter Festival Overture by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1888)
A beautifully exulting orchestral work, Rimsky-Korsakov’s writing truly shines in this piece. It’s energetic and will certainly hold your attention. Rimsky-Korsakov’s goal with the piece was to combine the ancient with 19th century holiday merrymaking.
I hope this playlist adds some extra joy to your spring this year!