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)
Midsummer NocturneAaron Copland
Aaron Copland is one of the composers who epitomize 20th-century America.
Born in 1900, he studied under the renowned composer Rubin Goldmark at the age of sixteen.
His summer-themed classical piece, Midsummer Nocturne—known in Japanese as “Manatsu no Yasōkyoku”—is a gently crafted piano work that evokes the atmosphere of a summer night.
It’s a must-listen for those who love enchanting, dreamlike melodies.
Be sure to check it out.
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.
Classical Music for Summer: A Selection of Cool and Refreshing Masterpieces (31–40)
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.
Prélude to the Afternoon of a FaunClaude Debussy
A masterpiece that became the breakthrough work of Claude Debussy, a leading composer of Impressionist music.
Inspired by a poem depicting a faun’s sensual daydream on a summer afternoon, the piece gives the flute a symbolic role.
In the solo passages in the low to middle register, the flute exquisitely conveys a languid atmosphere.
Combined with the resonance of the harp, it weaves a world like a midsummer afternoon’s dreamy haze.
At its premiere in December 1894, it received two encores.
A landmark that, with its innovative techniques, had a profound impact on modern music.
A perfect piece for those who want to forget the summer heat and feel refreshed through music.
Three Concert Études, S.144/R.5: No. 3 “Un Sospiro”Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt’s work captivates with its flowing, mellifluous melody.
Widely beloved as a masterpiece for piano, this piece was composed between 1845 and 1849.
Written around the time Liszt became a court music director, it features an emotionally rich melodic line that reflects Chopin’s influence.
Though it demands advanced technique to carry the melody seamlessly between both hands, its beauty is sure to soothe the listener’s heart.
With a cool, refreshing resonance that makes you forget the summer heat, this piece is recommended for those who wish to relax and listen on a quiet night.
Sicilienne, Op. 78Gabriel Fauré
Characterized by delicate melodies and an elegant atmosphere, this piece is one of Gabriel Fauré’s signature works.
Fauré was a French composer active from the late 19th to the early 20th century.
Composed in 1893 and later arranged for cello and piano, the piece is based on the dance form known as the siciliana.
It opens with a gentle, flowing melody, with the cello presenting the main theme while the piano provides an expressively shaped accompaniment.
Evoking a pastoral beauty, the work is beloved by many music enthusiasts for its tranquil sonorities and sentimental expression.
It’s a perfect recommendation for those seeking a refreshing, cool ambiance that makes you forget the summer heat.
Swedish Rhapsody No. 1 “Midsummer Vigil,” Op. 19Hugo Alfvén
Here is a piece composed in 1903 by the Swedish composer Hugo Alfvén.
It might be one of the most famous pieces in Sweden.
It is said to depict waking up at midsummer in old Sweden.
This slightly humorous piece has a catchy melody that has been quoted by many people.
I feel it sounds remarkably similar to the theme music of Japan’s long-running program “Today’s Cooking” (Kyō no Ryōri); could that be an homage to this piece?
