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 (51–60)
Andante con motoClaude Debussy
Music can easily change a person’s mood.
When your mood shifts, your senses and even your physical condition can change as well.
If you’re tired of Japan’s stifling summer, why not cool off with some music? Debussy’s famous piece “Andante con moto” is widely used in commercials and TV programs in Japan.
Its gentle, refreshing tone evokes the fleeting moments when a cool breeze brushes through the summer heat.
It’s also perfect as background music for sleep, so if summer makes it hard for you to rest comfortably, this is a must-try.
Symphony in D minor, Movement IIICésar Franck
Following the release of symphonies by Lalo and Saint-Saëns, Franck, encouraged by his pupils to write a symphony, began composing as well.
By the autumn of 1887 he had completed a draft, and the work was finished in August of the following year.
It is said that Franck himself, unfazed by the poor reception at the premiere, replied contentedly to his family, “It sounded just as I imagined.”
Knoxville: Summer of 1915Dawn Upshaw
This is “Knoxville: Summer of 1915,” sung by American soprano Dawn Upshaw.
It’s a work by Samuel Barber, an American composer active in the 20th century.
Although the piece is relatively long at about 15 minutes, the mood shifts dramatically in places, making it feel as if an entire play has been packed into it.
Memories of the AlhambraFrancisco Tárrega
A classic guitar masterpiece whose refreshing tones resonate pleasantly.
It is a 1896 tour de force by the Spanish composer Francisco Tárrega.
Spun from memories of his visit to the Alhambra Palace, the melody conjures images of the palace’s fountains and gardens.
The delicate performance employing tremolo technique evokes the murmur of water and the whisper of the wind.
Why not listen at leisure while reflecting on Spain’s history and culture? It’s a breezy piece that helps you forget the summer heat.
Classics to Listen to in Summer | A Selection of Cool and Refreshing Masterpieces (61–70)
Summer Night on the River – 2001 Remastered VersionFrederick Delius
Here is a piece composed by Frederick Delius in 1911.
Although he was a British-born composer, it is said that his exposure to African American spirituals during his youth in Florida—where he worked in orange cultivation—later influenced his music.
After leaving Florida, he stayed in Leipzig, Germany, and Paris, France, to pursue musical studies.
The piece in the video depicts a summer night on the river in Paris; it’s a fascinating work with a distinctive atmosphere.
Guangxi Impression: II. Summer CicadaGao Hong
She is a performer of the Chinese instrument pipa, which is similar to a lute.
She was born in 1964 and has lived in the United States since 1994.
In addition to performing traditional Chinese pieces, she continues to collaborate with musicians from various genres, and her activities are wide-ranging.
This piece, too, has a mysterious atmosphere where stillness and motion, as well as Western and Eastern music, seem to coexist.
It’s nice to relax by listening to this cool, refreshing track that would suit the surface of the water in summer.
Porgy and Bess: SummertimeGeorge Gershwin
Here is a song by George Gershwin, the composer of many classic musicals.
Written in 1935 as one of the numbers in the musical Porgy and Bess, it is introduced as a lullaby sung by a Black nursemaid to a child.
The title is literally “Summertime.” Although it was originally a slow piece, it was later taken up by jazz musicians, giving rise to many variations.
It might be fun to compare the original with later versions.