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.

Playlist

Classical Music for Summer: A Selection of Cool and Refreshing Masterpieces
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	Lyric Pieces No.10-2 “Summer Evening”Edvard Grieg		Edvard Grieg’s famous work, Lyric Pieces…
2	“The Four Seasons” No. 2 “Summer” Movement IIIAntonio Vivaldi		Antonio Vivaldi’s great vio…
3	Water Music, Suite No. 2 – II. Alla HornpipeGeorg Friedrich Händel		Water Music, festive melodies that make the heart dance
4	Symphonic Poem ‘The Sea’ — From Three Symphonic Sketches, I. From Dawn to Noon on the SeaClaude Debussy		A masterpiece depicting a seaside scene on a summer morning
5	Symphonic Poem “La Mer”: Three Symphonic Sketches — III. Dialogue of the Wind and the SeaClaude Debussy		Sea music, depicting the harmony of nature and sound
6	Summer MorningHeino Kasuki		The clear tones of a summer morning
7	The Carnival of the Animals, No. 14: FinaleCamille Saint-Saëns		Fun animal music like a festival
8	Water Music: HornpipeGeorg Friedrich Händel		An orchestral suite by Handel, a refreshing summer masterpiece.
9	At the seaside at nightHeino Kasuki		A piano miniature that plays the light and silence of the Nordic lands
10	Symphonic Poem “La Mer” — From Three Symphonic Sketches, II. “Play of the Waves”Claude Debussy		An orchestral piece composed by Claude Debussy…
11	The Symphonic Poem ‘The Moldau’Bedřich Smetana		Smetana’s famous piece that depicts a river scene through music
12	Bergamasque Suite No. 1: PreludeClaude Debussy		Claude Debussy's Suite bergamasque...
13	Suite ‘Mirrors’: A Boat on the OceanClaude Debussy		The melody of Debussy’s graceful little boat
14	Daylight saving timeGeorge Gershwin		It’s a song whose title alone conveys a summery vibe. Ji…
15	In the ForestAlbert Ketèlbey		A piano piece that evokes a sun-dappled forest
16	dreamClaude Debussy		Debussy’s fantastical piano piece
17	Impromptu of the WindNakata Yoshinao		A track included on the album 'Children's Dreams'...
18	Seaside at Dusk, H.128: No. 3 “The Stormy Seashore”Bohuslav Martinů		A piano miniature depicting a seaside landscape
19	The Carnival of the Animals, No. 13: The SwanCamille Saint-Saëns		Swan Melody: an elegant and moving masterpiece
20	Quiet lagoonEric Coates		The allure of a waltz echoing on a summer evening
21	The Carnival of the Animals, No. 7: AquariumCamille Saint-Saëns		The French composer Camille Saint-Saëns…
22	Suite ‘Cinderella’ — Spirit of SummerSergei Prokofiev		Hailed as one of the greatest composers of the 20th century, Se...
23	Dances of GalántaKodály Zoltán		Founded by the Budapest Philharmonic Society…
24	SummerFrank Bridge		A distinctive musicality inspired by folk songs…
25	A Midsummer Night’s Dream: OvertureFelix Mendelssohn		German musician Felix Mendelsso…
26	Polka: “Thunderclap and Lightning”Johann Strauss II		Composed in 1868 for an artists’ association…
27	Fountain of Villa d’EsteFranz Liszt		There are also many classical works with the theme of “water”…
28	Variations on ‘The Last Rose of Summer’Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst		In the 19th century, numerous musicians regarded this “Summer masterpiece”…
29	Midsummer NocturneAaron Copland		One of the composers who represent 20th-century America…
30	Summerland (From Three Visions)William Grant Still		Enjoy the fantastical world of “Summerl…”
31	Video, Volume 1, Track 1: ‘Reflections in the Water’Claude Debussy		Claude, a composer who represents French Impressionism, …
32	Prélude to the Afternoon of a FaunClaude Debussy		Claude Debu…, a representative composer of Impressionist music,
33	Three Concert Études, S.144/R.5: No. 3 “Un Sospiro”Franz Liszt		Franz, with his captivating, flowing, and mellifluous melodies…
34	Sicilienne, Op. 78Gabriel Fauré		This piece, characterized by its delicate melodies and elegant atmosphere, ...
35	Swedish Rhapsody No. 1 “Midsummer Vigil,” Op. 19Hugo Alfvén		Swedish composer Hugo Alvén…
36	Symphonic Poem “A Summer Fairy Tale,” Op. 29Josef Suk		‘Kō…,’ which depicts the complex shifts of human emotions...
37	Symphony No. 6 in F major “Pastoral,” Fourth MovementLudwig van Beethoven		In the summer of 1801, Beethoven, in that natural...
38	The American Seasons, SummerMark O’Connor		Also known for having won the Grammy Award three times…
39	An Alpine SymphonyRichard Strauss		When Strauss was a boy, in the German Alps...
40	The Ring of the Nibelung: Götterdämmerung – Dawn and Siegfried’s Journey to the RhineRichard Wagner		The Bayreuth Festival is where Wagner presented his own works...
41	Violin Sonata No. 2: I. Summer DreamsWilliam Bolcom		American composer William Bolc...
42	Coda from Act III, Summer, of the ballet The SeasonsAlexander Glazunov		Active from the 1880s to the 1920s…
43	Symphonic Poem ‘Night on Bald Mountain’Modest Mussorgsky		This song is about earth spirits and their underlings on a barren mountain around the summer solstice...
44	A Summer Day, Children’s Suite for Small Orchestra, Op. 65bSergei Prokofiev		The Russian composer who wrote the ballet Romeo and Jul…
45	Petite Suite No. 1: “En bateau”Claude Debussy		Known as a pioneer of French Impressionist music...
46	Three Songs, Op. 18 – No. 1 “Nell”Gabriel Fauré		A composer and pianist who represents France…
47	Boleroraberu		This piece is a Spanish-style ballet by a Russian choreographer…
48	Suite “Music for the Royal Fireworks,” HWV 351, No. 4 “Rejoicing”Georg Friedrich Händel		Georg Frie…, a British composer of German origin…
49	Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36Ludwig van Beethoven		Beethoven’s masterpiece, Symphony No. 2 in D major...
50	Dance of the Hours from Act III of the opera La GiocondaAmilcare Ponchielli		Amilcare, the master of 19th-century Italian opera...
51	Symphony No. 9, Movement IIIAnton Bruckner		After completing Symphony No. 8, composition began in August 1987...
52	Pastoral for Large Orchestra: In the Summer BreezeAnton Webern		An Austrian composer who was active in the first half of the 20th century…
53	Overture “Carnival”Antonín Dvořák		Dvořák composed this “Carnival” at the age of 50…
54	Symphony No. 3 “With Organ,” Movement II, Part 2Camille Saint-Saëns		Symphony No. 3 was in 1885, after separating from his wife, his mother...
55	Little Symphony in B-flat major, 1st movementCharles Francois Gounod		A work for wind instruments composed in 1885...
56	“Fireworks,” No. 12 from Préludes, Book IIClaude Debussy		When it comes to summer, I think many people think of fireworks...
57	Andante con motoClaude Debussy		Music can so easily change a person’s mood…
58	Symphony in D minor, Movement IIICésar Franck		Lalo and Saint-Saëns had already published their symphonies...
59	Knoxville: Summer of 1915Dawn Upshaw		American soprano opera singer Dawn U…
60	Memories of the AlhambraFrancisco Tárrega		A refreshing, vibrant tone resonates pleasantly, and th...
61	Summer Night on the River – 2001 Remastered VersionFrederick Delius		Mr. Frederick Delius in 1911…
62	Guangxi Impression: II. Summer CicadaGao Hong		She plays the Chinese pipa, which is a kind of lute...
63	Porgy and Bess: SummertimeGeorge Gershwin		Joe, who composed numerous musical masterpieces...
64	Symphony No. 3, Movement IGustav Mahler		Mahler was at Steinbach on the shores of Lake Attersee...
65	3 Preludes, Op. 56: No. 2. SummerHenning Mankell		Henning, known as a Swedish writer…
66	AsturiasIsaac Albéniz		Isaac, the great composer who represents Spain...
67	Concierto de Aranjuez, Second MovementJoaquín Rodrigo		Aranjuez, where the Spanish royal family's summer palace is located...
68	The Last Rose of SummerJohn Andrew Stevenson		Irish composer J… who was active in the 18th century
69	The Seasons: SummerJohn Cage		A representative work in which nothing happens for four and a half minutes, “4…
70	String Quartet No. 7, ‘Summer Eaves’: IV. AdagioJohn McCabe		McCabe’s string quartet: a work characterized by an ominous and gloomy atmosphere.
71	A summer eveningKodály Zoltán		Summer evenings are nice, aren’t they? It’s still bright and hot…
72	Summer SkiesLeroy Anderson		American composer Leroy Anders…
73	12 Études d’exécution transcendante, Op. 11: No. 5. Summer NightLouis Kentner		A pianist-composer active in the 20th century who...
74	Romance No. 2 in F major, Op. 50, for Violin and OrchestraLudwig van Beethoven		The piece is striking for the melody woven by the violin…
75	Play of WaterMaurice Ravel		The French composer Maurice Ravel...
76	Memories of summer nights in MadridMikhail Glinka		Having left behind numerous masterpieces, he is known as the “Father of Modern Russian Music”…
77	En sommerdag paa landet (A Summer’s Day in the Country), Op. 55: I. Early: Allegro vivoNiels Gade		Den..., who was active from the mid to late 19th century
78	2 Nocturnes: Sommers sovn (Summer Sleep)Per Nørgård		Per Nørgård, a Danish contemporary music composer, …
79	“Summer Tunes” String Quartet No.2: II. BirdsPēteris Vasks		Latvian contemporary composer Pēteris Va…
80	The Roman festival “Circenses”Respighi		"Roman Festivals" spans from ancient Rome through the Middle Ages, an…
81	Symphony No. 4, Movement IRobert Schumann		Schumann, from January to February 1841,…
82	String Quartet No. 4, BVN 215, “Sommerdage” (Summer Days): III. Sostenuto – Allegro, scherzosoRued Langgaard		A composer and also an organist who was active in the 20th century...
83	Symphony No. 2, First MovementSibelius		Sibelius spent several months in Italy with his family...
84	2 Pieces: Summer NocturneThe Chamber Players of Canada		Canadian film composer Eldon Rathb…
85	Serenade No. 13 in G major, K. 525Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart		Japanese summers are just stifling… The humidity is so intense…
86	Symphony No. 40, First MovementWolfgang Amadeus Mozart		Symphony No. 40 was composed in July 1788 by Mozart...
87	Symphonic Poem “Summer Pastorale”Arthur Honegger		This song is from Arthur Rimbaud’s “A Season in the Summer…”
88	Two Legends, S.175 No. 2: St. Francis of Paola Walking on the WavesFranz Liszt		The flamboyant, electrifying performances of the French artist gained widespread popularity...
89	Piano Quintet “The Trout,” Fourth MovementFranz Schubert		In the summer of 1819, I visited northern Austria…
90	Heroic PolonaiseFrederic Chopin		Chopin, from 1839 to 1846, ...
91	“The Pearl Fishers” Act 1: “Your Voice Remains in My Heart”Georges Bizet		In Bizet’s opera, famous for Carmen, the one set on the island of Ce—
92	Violin Sonata No. 1 “Rain Song”Johannes Brahms		The youngest child of the Schumanns, with whom we were close, a poet, F...
93	Piano Trio No. 1 “Russian Summer”: I. NocturneJudith Lang Zaimont		This piece is by the contemporary musician Judi…
94	Kesailta (Summer evening), Op. 1Oskar Merikanto		A Fin who was active from the 19th century to the first half of the 20th century…
95	Piano Suite “The Seasons” June: BarcarollePyotr Tchaikovsky		Tchaikovsky’s piano collection The Seasons is ...
96	Frosoblomster (Froso-Flowers), Book 1, Op. 16: No. 2. Sommarsang (Summer Song)Wilhelm Peterson-Berger		Wilhelm Peterson-Berger is...
97	6 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 61: Prelude and Fugue No. 1 in G Major, “A Summer Morning On The Lawn”Dmitri Kabalevsky		Dmitry Kabalevsky is a Russian…