Classical Music for Summer: A Selection of Cool and Refreshing Masterpieces
What scenes come to mind when you think of summer?
A sparkling blue sea, dazzling white sands under the blazing sun, mountains dressed in vivid green…
Even in sticky, sweltering heat, doesn’t picturing a refreshing landscape make the heat feel just a little more bearable?
In this article, we’ll introduce classic works that are perfect for summer and will help expand those images even further.
Let’s spend this summer feeling refreshed, accompanied by exquisite classical music that creates a cool, breezy atmosphere.
- [Piano] Piano Pieces to Enjoy in the Hot Summer: A Selection of Refreshing Classical Works
- Timelessly beautiful classical masterpieces. Recommended classical music.
- [Masterpiece Classics] A special showcase of gem-like masterpieces so beautiful they’ll move you to tears
- Cool classical masterpieces. Recommended classical music.
- [Classics] Timeless Summer Hits Recommended for All Ages [Summer Songs]
- [Violin] A curated selection of beloved classic masterpieces and popular pieces that continue to be cherished across eras
- Classical masterpieces. Recommended classical music.
- A poignant classic masterpiece. Recommended classical music.
- Debussy’s masterpiece. Popular classical music.
- Taro Hakase’s famous and popular songs
- Classical music by Japanese composers. Recommended classical music.
- Bedřich Smetana Popular Songs Ranking [2026]
- Morning Classics | A selection of classic masterpieces recommended for those who want to wake up feeling great
Classical Music for Summer: A Selection of Cool and Refreshing Masterpieces (21–30)
Suite ‘Cinderella’ — Spirit of SummerSergei Prokofiev
Sergei Prokofiev, often hailed as one of the greatest composers of the 20th century, is a modern-era musician well known to anyone who regularly listens to classical music.
Among his works, one that’s perfect for summer is the piece “Cinderella Suite: The Summer Fairy.” Reflecting its time, the work features several jazz-like melodies and maintains a fantastical atmosphere throughout.
Be sure to check it out.
Dances of GalántaKodály Zoltán
It was commissioned to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Budapest Philharmonic Society and was completed in the summer of 1933.
The folk music of the Galánta region, where the Hungarian composer Kodály spent his childhood, is used as the subject matter.
SummerFrank Bridge
Frank Bridge was a composer who gained popularity for his distinctive musicality inspired by folk songs.
Although he did not receive much attention during his lifetime, he began to be reappraised in the 1970s.
Among Bridge’s works, the one especially recommended for summer is Summer.
The piece shifts from a melody that evokes a peaceful pastoral landscape to a refreshing tone that feels like dashing through a forest.
If you want to feel coolness through music, be sure to give it a listen.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: OvertureFelix Mendelssohn
This is A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a piece completed by the German composer Felix Mendelssohn when he was just 17.
It is said to be based on Shakespeare’s play.
The piece also appears to be used in the Japanese TV anime beloved over many years, Doraemon, specifically in the film Doraemon: Nobita and the Galaxy Super-Express.
You’ll be overwhelmed by the dynamic, grand performance unique to an orchestra.
It’s also used as incidental music, making it familiar and full of the charm of classical music, so please give it a listen.
Polka: “Thunderclap and Lightning”Johann Strauss II
Composed in 1868 for an artists’ association, it appears to have been initially conceived under the title “Shooting Star.” It is a work that prominently features percussion: the tremolo of the bass drum, evoking distant thunder, swells and subsides with crescendos and decrescendos, and in the middle section lightning and thunder are represented by cymbals, making it a very lively piece.
Fountain of Villa d’EsteFranz Liszt
Classical music includes many works themed around “water,” with plenty of pieces that bring a refreshing feeling in the height of summer.
The Fountain of the Villa d’Este is a piece included in the third year of Années de pèlerinage, a piano solo collection by Franz Liszt, one of the leading composer-pianists of the 19th century.
It holds an important place as a water-inspired classical work said to have influenced pieces such as Claude Debussy’s Reflections in the Water and Maurice Ravel’s Reflections in the Water.
Its delicate, beautiful arpeggios evoke the spray of a fountain, bringing to mind an image of cooling waters on a summer’s day.
Close your eyes as you listen to this piece, and imagine the beautiful fountain gardens of Italy.
Variations on ‘The Last Rose of Summer’Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst
In the 19th century, many musicians arranged “The Last Rose of Summer,” giving rise to numerous musical works.
The title itself, “The Last Rose of Summer,” is lovely, isn’t it? The set of variations on “The Last Rose of Summer” I’m introducing is by Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst, an Austrian violinist and composer.
It’s a piece that lets you savor the violin’s delicate, intricate timbres—a beautiful work that feels fresh and pleasant even on a hot summer day, making it a perfect recommendation when you want to refresh yourself.