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.
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Classical Music for Summer: A Selection of Cool and Refreshing Masterpieces (21–30)
The American Seasons, SummerMark O’Connor
Mark O’Connor, who is also known for winning three Grammy Awards, is recognized for a style that blends elements of other genres into classical music.
In The American Seasons, Summer, a work themed around summer, he showcases a fusion of his strongest genre—country music—and classical.
While the piece’s character is unmistakably classical, its first impression is intriguingly country.
Violin Sonata No. 2: I. Summer DreamsWilliam Bolcom
This is “Violin Sonata No.
2: I.
Summer Dreams,” composed by the American composer William Bolcom.
The violin’s fiercely resonant, jazz-like light rhythms are deeply emotional and heart-wrenching.
Though the recurring melodies are complex, they unfold subtly, making it a work with meticulous attention to detail.
Classical Music for Summer: A Selection of Cool and Refreshing Masterpieces (31–40)
Summerland (From Three Visions)William Grant Still
Let me introduce “Summerland (From Three Visions),” a piece that lets you savor a fantastical atmosphere.
It’s by William Grant Still, who left behind many operatic masterpieces.
This work is the second of the three solo piano pieces that make up Three Visions.
In fact, the title “Summerland” refers to “heaven,” and the piece conveys its gentle mood and warmth.
Be sure to listen to it together with “Dark Horsemen,” which depicts the dissolution of the physical body, and “Radiant Pinnacle,” which portrays rebirth.
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.
Petite Suite No. 1: “En bateau”Claude Debussy
An elegant and refreshing work composed early in the career of Claude Debussy, known as a pioneer of French Impressionist music.
Depicting the scene of drifting in a small boat on a calm surface of water, this piece was written for piano four hands and later arranged for orchestra.
Its light and delicate timbres are distinctive, inviting listeners into a serene, waterside world.
The relaxed rhythm and beautiful melody create a cool atmosphere that makes one forget the summer heat.
It’s a perfect piece for those who want to spend a quiet, peaceful time.
Boleroraberu
This piece was composed in response to a request for a Spanish-style ballet by a Russian choreographer.
One summer, before going swimming with a friend, Ravel reportedly played the theme on the piano with a single finger and said, “I’m thinking of repeating this over and over without developing it at all, while gradually enlarging the orchestration.”
Video, Volume 1, Track 1: ‘Reflections in the Water’Claude Debussy
The first piece of Images, Book I for piano by Claude Debussy, a leading composer of French Impressionism, is a work that expresses the light and scenery reflected on the water’s surface through music.
It depicts the sparkle of a calm lake and the spreading of ripples with delicate touch and complex harmonic structures.
Published in 1905, this piece clearly showcases Debussy’s distinctive sense of harmony and treatment of rhythm, making it a quintessential example of Impressionist music.
True to Debussy, who often drew inspiration from nature, it is said that his walks through the landscapes of the Paris suburbs are reflected in this work.
A cool, refreshing piece that makes you forget the summer heat.
It’s also recommended for those who want to explore new piano timbres.