Classical composers were getting inspiration from the four seasons hundreds of years before anyone ever sang about “walking in a Winter Wonderland” or belted out how much they “love Paris in the Springtime.” The various sights and sounds of each season—combined with the different emotions inspired by winter, spring, summer, and fall—were often perfect sources for any classical composer in need of some new material.
As a result, us lucky listeners have a wide range of pieces to choose from if we want to get into a seasonal mood. Whole symphonies dedicated to spring? Check. Entire ballets devoted to winter? Check. And the list goes on and on…
Feel like giving each season a personal playlist? This handy guide to keeping the classics with you all year round can help.
Before we look at each season individually, let’s pause to consider one of the few classical pieces that was bold enough to tackle all of them in one go: Antonio Vivaldi’s set of four baroque concertos best known as the Four Seasons.
In Four Seasons, winter, spring, summer, and fall each get their own concerto composed for a violin soloist, a group of string instruments, and a keyboard. Concertos were Vivaldi’s specialty—works in three movements, usually written for one solo instrument and a backup ensemble.
What makes Four Seasons so special, however, isn’t its size (twelve movements total!); it’s that it manages to tell a story and capture specific scenes without the help of words…kind of like a musical painting. What’s the big deal, you ask? The big deal is that this was a pretty new concept in Vivaldi’s day. Before Vivaldi, purely instrumental music rarely had a story blueprint or “program” to go along with it.
What’s even more of a big deal is that Four Seasons helps you create some incredibly “detailed” mental pictures by casting certain instruments as “characters” or as elements of nature. Hear those trills (i.e., vibrating sounds) from the violin in Spring? Those are meant to be birds singing in springtime. That rumbling in the cellos in Winter? That’s supposed to represent a winter storm.
Vivaldi - Concerto No. 1 in E major,
“Spring” (La primavera), I. AllegroVivaldi - Concerto No. 4 in F minor,
“Winter” (L’inverno), I. Allegro non molto
Oh, and as if that weren’t enough, each concerto occasionally inserts a ritornello (a musical “refrain” that repeats over and over, pronounced ree-torn-EL-oh) that helps listeners settle into the general sentiment of the season. For example, Spring’s famous refrain is upbeat and “joyous,” while Winter’s characteristic ritornello is furious and forceful.
Why should you listen to Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”?
Light, bright, and cheerful, The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi is some of the most familiar of all early 18th century music, featured in numerous films and television commercials. But what is its significance and why does it sound that way? Betsy Schwarm uncovers the underlying narrative of this musical masterpiece.
Rise and shine and get ready for these spring-themed works designed to evoke thoughts of new beginnings and endless possibilities. From the gentle and graceful to the powerful and exciting, these works, like the season they represent, are full of expectation and inspiration. So jump-start your ears with these sometimes bright and breezy, sometimes riveting and relentless bits of music…and be sure to listen for musical illustrations of seasonal sounds like singing birds or rolling thunder along the way.
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Movement 1: “Dawn” by Edvard Grieg
Grieg - Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Movement 1: “Dawn”
This interlude by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg comes from a much larger work based on a play by fellow countryman Henrik Ibsen. The famous and, as author H.T. Finck notes, “exquisitely beautiful” melody—constantly used in cartoons to suggest a bright sunny day—moves gently up and down the musical scale, sort of like a light spring breeze. Listen for the little trills played by the flute that sound like birds chirping.
“Variations on a Shaker Hymn” from Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland
Copland - “Variations on a Shaker Hymn” from Appalachian Spring
American composer Aaron Copland chose the familiar Shaker tune “Simple Gifts” (or “’Tis the Gift to Be Simple”) as the basis for this section of choreographer Martha Graham’s ballet, Appalachian Spring. In doing so, Copland gave the song a sweeping and majestic reinterpretation, allowing it to pass through different instruments at different speeds. Meant to evoke a “celebration in spring…in the Pennsylvania hills,” this movement begins with a clarinet solo and grows steadily into a forceful statement for the entire orchestra. Written in a cheerful major key (i.e., specific set of notes), this extra forte (loud) moment suggests the glorious “optimism and hope” often associated with spring.
Symphony No. 1 in B-flat Major, “Spring” by Robert Schumann
Schumann - Symphony No. 1 in B-flat Major, “Spring”
Robert Schumann said he wanted the opening moments of this bold and exciting symphony to “sound…like a call to awaken” his listeners. And does it ever. If you thought the noises of spring were simply soft and lilting, think again. In his “Spring” symphony (based on a poem about the season and, perhaps, inspired by Schumann’s own happy marriage), Schumann captures the joy and anticipation that go hand in hand with the arrival of spring by infusing his music with lots of syncopation (notes that don’t fall on a steady beat and leave you feeling a little off-kilter). Expect some heart-pounding percussive passages and electrifying calls from the brass instruments in this brilliant ode to the season of “new life.”
Symphony No. 6 in F Major, “Pastoral” by Ludwig van Beethoven
Beethoven -Symphony No. 6 in F Major, “Pastoral”
Symphonic master Ludwig van Beethoven was a huge fan of the countryside and this piece—complete with musical representations of dancing shepherds, rumbling thunderstorms, and babbling brooks—can be heard as one big love letter to nature. Be careful not to take anything for granted as you journey through Beethoven’s tour of the country; little moments (like a small flute solo at the end of movement 2) can build and develop until they become massive themes (like the thrilling tune in the final movement).
Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana (Rustic Chivalry) by Pietro Mascagni
This brief but beautiful instrumental piece acts as a peaceful intermission in an otherwise violent and tragic opera that takes place entirely on Easter Sunday.
Russian Easter Festival Overture by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov
Russian composer Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov’s musical depiction of an Easter service features everything from the “call and response” of typical church chants (represented by solo “calling” instruments and larger “responding” instrument ensembles) to the bustling spring celebrations that follow Easter mass.
Messiah by Georg Frederic Handel
Though usually heard at Christmastime, much of Handel’s famous work—particularly the familiar “Hallelujah!” chorus—deals with the Biblical account of the events of Easter.
Israel in Egypt by Georg Frederic Handel
This often dark and mysterious piece for voices and orchestra portrays the suffering and eventual triumph of the Old Testament tale of Passover. Try listening to “He Sent a Thick Darkness” for a frightfully atmospheric picture of a shadowy Egypt, then switch to “Sing Ye to the Lord” to relieve your ears with some brighter, happier music.
Now on to the sizzling days of summer…
Classical music for the summer season is often as laid back and relaxing as your typical day at the beach. Mostly sweet and soothing, the following summer pieces tend to repeat the same melodies and themes over and over, making time seem like it’s standing still—kind of the same way a swelteringly hot afternoon can seem to go on and on forever. Keep your ears open for lots of solos from the wind instruments, whose soft and syrupy sounds may just send you off into a blissful summer night’s dream.
Three Small Tone Poems: I. Summer Evening by Frederick Delius
Delius - Three Small Tone Poems: I. Summer Evening
British composer Frederick Delius’s take on a summer’s night is perfect hammock music. In fact, the main theme, with its gentle syncopation, seems to actually sway back and forth in hammock fashion. Plus, Delius’s music unfolds in long, slow, sustained phrases (a stylistic trick known as legato, pronounced leh-GA-toh) without any real breaks or musical rests. This relaxed movement from note to note might remind you of a lazy evening during a summer heat wave.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Overture, Op. 61 by Felix Mendelssohn
Mendelssohn - A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Overture, Op. 61
Mendelssohn’s relatively short homage to Shakespeare’s comedy (not to be confused with the much longer piece written as a kind of soundtrack to the entire play) is often as “dreamy” as a hazy summer’s evening thanks to some lovely and lilting music from the wind instruments. But don’t get too comfortable—Dream also includes some incredibly bouncy and fanciful tunes designed to evoke the hilarious misadventures of the forest fairies, star-crossed lovers, and clumsy theater troupe members that make up Shakespeare’s story. If you’re familiar with the play, you might recognize some of those huge leaps in the violins as being an imitation of donkey noises.
Prélude a l’après-midi d’un faune (Prelude to the afternoon of a faun) by Claude Debussy
Debussy - Prélude a l’après-midi d’un faune
Ever get the feeling when it’s very hot outside that you have trouble thinking straight? Like you’re walking through a fog? This well-known Debussy piece captures some of that sensation by introducing small bits of winding melody that drift aimlessly along and never really go in a “straight” or obvious direction. These fragmented tunes—often played by the flute, clarinet, or oboe—are frequently surrounded by a lot of trembling (or tremolo, TREH-moh-loh) effects from the strings, which create a sleepy atmosphere similar to a hot and humid summer day.
The Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa
It’s simply not a Fourth of July celebration without this quintessentially American piece from the man known as the “March King.” Its trademark “big-band” flavor is so lively and exciting, it never fails to get audiences in a patriotic mood.
1812 Overture by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Though its Russian history has nothing to do with the Fourth of July, the 1812 Overture—a tour-de-force that includes actual canon fire and tons of crashing cymbals—goes really well with fireworks.
Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copland
Copland’s World War II-era piece was designed to honor anyone and everyone in the American workforce. Though fanfares (showy pieces for brass instruments) were usually reserved for royalty or heads of state, Copland broke with tradition and wrote one for the everyday American, whom Copland felt “deserved” a musical celebration.
Had enough of the heat? On to fall…
Warm and welcoming one minute, chilly and foreboding the next, these works are as fickle and unstable as the fall season. As you listen, be on the lookout for music that’s constantly shifting (from loud to soft, high to low, etc.) and leaves you feeling a little unsteady. While you’ll hear plenty of wind instruments here, expect some melancholy music from the strings as well. Their sorrowful sound is often the composer’s way of reminding you that cold weather is approaching and the year is coming to an end.
Academic Festival Overture by Johannes Brahms
Brahms - Academic Festival Overture
It’s back-to-school time! Get yourself ready for class with this piece by German master Johannes Brahms, written when he received an honorary university degree in 1880. Brahms clearly thought school should be as much about fun as it was about study. The piece begins with a disciplined “march” that calls to mind intense lectures and serious homework sessions, but soon bursts into a fast and furious celebration of the school year, full of crashing cymbals and borrowed snippets of traditional student songs. (Watch out for the ever-popular “Gaudeamus Igitur”––a familiar European school song––at the tail-end of the piece).
Autumnal Sketch by Sergei Prokofiev
Prokofiev - Autumnal Sketch
Though 20th-century composer Sergei Prokofiev didn’t give this piece a title until after it was completed, you’ll probably agree that the name fits. Like the autumn weather itself, Prokofiev’s Sketch is often wild and unpredictable—full of dissonance (a musical phenomenon that purposely places “clashing” notes beside one another to disturb the ear) and contrast. Listen for moments when groups of instruments seem to be fighting one another by moving in different directions (for example: the lower strings often move down the scale, while the violins slide upward). This kind of musical tension is more than appropriate for the fall where temperatures (and colors) are constantly changing.
Poema Autunnale (Autumnal Poem) by Ottorino Respighi
Respighi - Poema Autumnale
It’s a safe bet that Italian composer Ottorino Respighi thought of fall as a time for solitude. Loneliness seems to be the general theme of Poema, possibly because most of the work is all about instrumental solos, particularly solos for violin (a go-to instrument for composers when they want their music to sound extra solitary and emotional). Though this piece does feature a dance-like interlude for the entire orchestra that may have you tapping your toes for a moment or two, the majority of the music follows a single violin as it twists and turns in a sorrowful minor key. This lends the work a melancholy feel that’s perhaps fitting for the season of shorter days and long chilly nights.
Kol Nidrei by Max Bruch
A hauntingly beautiful piece based on the Judaic prayer (usually sung by the cantor, the musical leader of synagogue prayers). Composed for cello solo and orchestra accompaniment, this lush version of the traditional melody is heard during evening services for Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, and can serve as one of the three repetitions of the sacred chant.
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Movement 4: “In the Hall of the Mountain King” by Edvard Grieg
Revisit Peer Gynt in the fall with this famous movement, often used in cartoons when somebody is sneaking up on somebody else. It doesn’t get much creepier than Grieg’s pulsating tune, full of plucked strings and extremely low woodwinds.
Toccata and Fugue in D minor by Johann Sebastian Bach
Though this work for organ has no accompanying story or “program,” listeners all seem to agree there’s something rather eerie about it. That’s perhaps because of its unsettling minor key, its use of chromatics (successive notes that sit so close together they sound jarring or upsetting), and the almost demonic speed and agility that are needed to play a toccata (from the Italian word for “to touch,” pronounced toh-CAH-tah) and fugue (a complex and elaborate version of a musical round).
Danse Macabre (Macabre Dance) by Camille Saint-Saëns
A bone-chilling musical journey through a graveyard at midnight, this spooky dance of the dead features a devilish violin and some frightening music for the xylophone (meant to represent skeletons!).
Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky
You won’t find anything more Halloween-y than this ultra scary symphonic piece, originally meant to depict a “witches’ gathering” but immortalized for modern audiences by a super spooky segment in Disney’s Fantasia. Listen for a supernatural call and response between different musical themes and instruments, particularly the jerky and disjointed tunes from the strings (which represent the witches) that play against the slower, more terrifying theme for the brass (which represents the devil).
War Requiem by Benjamin Britten
British anti-war composer Benjamin Britten wrote this variation on the traditional Latin requiem in the aftermath of World War II, but much of its lyrics are taken from poems written by a young soldier during World War I (the original inspiration for Veteran’s Day). Britten’s clever use of violent percussive sounds often make you feel as though you’re on a battlefield, and are a painful reminder of the horrors of war. There are also plenty of softer, more poignantly beautiful moments in this tribute, which help make it appropriate listening for a day of remembrance.
And now to round out the year with winter…
Don’t let the cold get you down. These composers sure didn’t. On the contrary, they knew that winter was just as full of intrigue and adventure—think winter vacation!—as it was of snow and ice. While these pieces feature occasional slow-rhythm moments of sadness and reflection (let’s face it, who doesn’t feel just a little bit gloomy when the year draws to a close?), they’re also pretty lively and action-packed. Expect lots of impressive sound effects from instruments like the flute, the violin, and the piano as these composers do their best to call to mind blistering winds, slippery patches of ice, and delicate snowfalls.
Symphony No. 1, “Winter Daydreams” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Tcahikovsky - Symphony No. 1, “Winter Daydreams”
From the first moments of Tchaikovsky’s “Winter Daydreams” symphony, with its shimmering violins and whistling flutes, listeners know they’re in for quite the sleigh ride. Be sure to hold on tight as the famous Russian musician takes you through all sorts of emotional winter “journeys”—from a bustling trek in the snow, to a sorrowful drive through a dismal and “shadowy” landscape, and beyond. Be warned: Tchaikovsky often jumps from one musical idea to another very quickly (a pretty risky move in his day) in an effort to shake things up and explore a variety of feelings. This symphony may make you want to laugh and cry over the space of just a few minutes.
Excerpts from “The Frost Scene”: “What power art thou…?” & “See, see, we assemble” from King Arthur by Henry Purcell
Purcell - Excerpts from “The Frost Scene”
Though not based on the typical King Arthur legend (no Lancelot or Guinevere here), Henry Purcell’s opera still features plenty of magic and intrigue. In this “Frost Scene,” one of Arthur’s enemies transports the action to a freezing snowscape, and we listen as the local people (headed by a grumpy winter spirit sung by a bass vocalist), lament the bitter cold. Purcell paints a vivid picture of the scene by having the instruments and singers perform almost exclusively in short, choppy notes (known as staccato, stah-CAH-toh) that mimic shudders and shivers. In fact, Purcell often has his chorus and soloist sing one word over several quick notes to emphasize the frozen climate, as when they sing, “co-o-old.” Sounds as though they’re actually shaking in the snow, doesn’t it?
Children’s Corner: IV. “The Snow is Dancing” by Claude Debussy
Debussy - Children’s Corner: IV. “The Snow is Dancing”
One of six small piano pieces that composer Debussy dedicated to his young daughter, “The Snow is Dancing” sounds just as its title suggests: like a walk through a light snowfall. Debussy was a highly accomplished impressionist (a word music scholars use to describe composers skilled at giving the “impression” or general feeling of a scene), and this piece is a perfect example of his style. The soft, swirling melodies give the effect of snowflakes “dancing” on a gust of wind.
The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Sugar-plums literally dance in this fanciful classical music favorite, which follows the adventures of a young girl and her enchanted Christmas toy. Winter and snow inspire several of the many dances that make up this famous ballet, especially the “Waltz of the Snowflakes” and “The Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy.”
Messiah by Georg Frederic Handel
Though we suggest you have a listen to this work around Eastertime as well, Messiah is also a beloved Christmas classic. Many of its celebrated choruses, such as “For Unto Us a Child is Born,” were written specifically for the winter season.
“Prelude” from Also sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss
German composer Richard Strauss’s “overwhelming” work, though originally an homage to a contemporary philosopher, is often used to symbolize new beginnings. Its dramatic main theme, which features slowly rising trumpets and a few crashing chords for the whole orchestra, will help start your new year with a (very big) bang.
Music for Royal Fireworks by Georg Frederic Handel
Why not pair your New Year’s celebration with some music that was actually meant to go along with fireworks? Handel’s explosive piece, written in celebration of a European peace treaty and skillfully composed to feature a booming timpani and some flashy brass instruments, is a great way to ring in the New Year.
Romeo and Juliet Overture by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
You know those sappy scenes in movies, TV shows, and commercials where two people run to each other from across an open field? Nine times out of ten, this is the music that’s playing in the background. Tchaikovsky’s musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is the ultimate romantic piece, built around a sweeping love theme that’s been making listeners swoon for generations.
Barcarolle (“Belle nuit” or “Beautiful night”) from Les Contes d’Hoffmann (The Tales of Hoffmann) by Jacques Offenbach
This barcarolle (or “boating song”), with its gently swaying melody and dreamy lyrics about love and happiness, is a perfect Valentine lullaby. The voices are the stars here, but keep your ears open for the flutes and cellos, which also play a big role.
Prelude from Tristan und Isolde (Tristan and Isolde) by Richard Wagner
Sometimes if you want a good love story, you have to turn to tragic opera. These opening notes from Wagner’s infamous Tristan und Isolde are about as bittersweet and full of tension as music can get, thanks to Wagner’s trick of never quite fitting his love theme into a conventional musical key—a move which is bound to make you feel a little confused and disoriented. Maybe not the happiest of Valentine’s Day tunes, it will certainly leave an impression.
Lincoln Portrait by Aaron Copland
This powerful tribute to the 16th U.S. president features an ear-pounding central melody that’s as imposing as the towering 6′4″ Lincoln himself. The piece packs extra emotional punch by including a spoken narrator who recites excerpts from Lincoln’s speeches.
Now that you’ve gotten through the year, try listening to these pieces all over again…or come up with some new seasonal lists of your own. As you’ve seen, there’s plenty of classical fun to be had from January to December.
Writer
Eleni Hagen
Editors
Lisa Resnick
Tiffany A. Bryant
Producer
Kenny Neal
Updated
June 22, 2022
Works Cited
Sources
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