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		Grieg’s Summer Evening, including jazz-like melodies
2	“The Four Seasons” No. 2 “Summer” Movement IIIAntonio Vivaldi		Explanation of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Summer, 3rd movement
3	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
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	Water Music, Suite No. 2 – II. Alla HornpipeGeorg Friedrich Händel		Water Music, festive melodies that make the heart dance
6	Water Music: HornpipeGeorg Friedrich Händel		An orchestral suite by Handel, a refreshing summer masterpiece.
7	Symphonic Poem “La Mer” — From Three Symphonic Sketches, II. “Play of the Waves”Claude Debussy		Debussy’s La Mer, an orchestral work depicting waves and light
8	Summer MorningHeino Kasuki		The clear tones of a summer morning
9	The Symphonic Poem ‘The Moldau’Bedřich Smetana		Smetana’s famous piece that depicts a river scene through music
10	The Carnival of the Animals, No. 14: FinaleCamille Saint-Saëns		Fun animal music like a festival
11	At the seaside at nightHeino Kasuki		A piano miniature that plays the light and silence of the Nordic lands
12	Daylight saving timeGeorge Gershwin		A summery lullaby by Gershwin
13	In the ForestAlbert Ketèlbey		A piano piece that evokes a sun-dappled forest
14	Bergamasque Suite No. 1: PreludeClaude Debussy		The color-rich beauty of Debussy’s Preludes
15	Suite ‘Mirrors’: A Boat on the OceanClaude Debussy		The melody of Debussy’s graceful little boat
16	Seaside at Dusk, H.128: No. 3 “The Stormy Seashore”Bohuslav Martinů		A piano miniature depicting a seaside landscape
17	Impromptu of the WindNakata Yoshinao		A refreshing piano piece for an album.
18	The Carnival of the Animals, No. 13: The SwanCamille Saint-Saëns		Swan Melody: an elegant and moving masterpiece
19	dreamClaude Debussy		Debussy’s fantastical piano piece
20	Quiet lagoonEric Coates		The allure of a waltz echoing on a summer evening
21	Suite ‘Cinderella’ — Spirit of SummerSergei Prokofiev		Introduction to Prokofiev’s Works for Summer
22	The Carnival of the Animals, No. 7: AquariumCamille Saint-Saëns		Aquarium, No. 7 from Saint-Saëns’s The Carnival of the Animals
23	SummerFrank Bridge		A summer piece by Bridge, a composer inspired by folk songs
24	Fountain of Villa d’EsteFranz Liszt		Liszt’s depiction of water influenced later composers.
25	Dances of GalántaKodály Zoltán		A commemorative work themed on Hungarian folk music
26	Polka: “Thunderclap and Lightning”Johann Strauss II		A percussion piece that depicts thunder and lightning
27	Video, Volume 1, Track 1: ‘Reflections in the Water’Claude Debussy		A refreshing piano piece by Debussy that represents the water’s surface through sound
28	Three Concert Études, S.144/R.5: No. 3 “Un Sospiro”Franz Liszt		The masterpiece of Liszt’s luscious melodies
29	Midsummer NocturneAaron Copland		A piano classical piece themed on Copland’s summer
30	Variations on ‘The Last Rose of Summer’Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst		I feel coolness in the variations on the last roses of summer
31	A Midsummer Night’s Dream: OvertureFelix Mendelssohn		Introducing the charm of Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
32	Petite Suite No. 1: “En bateau”Claude Debussy		Debussy’s elegant seascape
33	Three Songs, Op. 18 – No. 1 “Nell”Gabriel Fauré		Fauré evokes the coolness of summer shade with emotional nuance.
34	Prélude to the Afternoon of a FaunClaude Debussy		Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune by Debussy
35	Sicilienne, Op. 78Gabriel Fauré		Fauré’s elegant masterpiece, a beautiful piece for cello and piano
36	Swedish Rhapsody No. 1 “Midsummer Vigil,” Op. 19Hugo Alfvén		Composed by Alfvén, famous Swedish piece
37	Symphonic Poem “A Summer Fairy Tale,” Op. 29Josef Suk		A symphonic poem that expresses shifts in emotion with an intense musical style
38	Symphony No. 6 in F major “Pastoral,” Fourth MovementLudwig van Beethoven		Painting a Storm in Heiligenstadt
39	The American Seasons, SummerMark O’Connor		Mark O'Connor's summer work that fuses country and classical
40	An Alpine SymphonyRichard Strauss		Turning an Alpine mountaineering experience into a piano piece
41	The Ring of the Nibelung: Götterdämmerung – Dawn and Siegfried’s Journey to the RhineRichard Wagner		Music festival for staging Wagner's Ring
42	Violin Sonata No. 2: I. Summer DreamsWilliam Bolcom		Violin Sonata Composed by Volcom
43	Coda from Act III, Summer, of the ballet The SeasonsAlexander Glazunov		The powerful finale of Glazunov’s The Seasons: Summer
44	Symphonic Poem ‘Night on Bald Mountain’Modest Mussorgsky		A folk tale about earth spirits disappearing at dawn is the theme of the song.
45	A Summer Day, Children’s Suite for Small Orchestra, Op. 65bSergei Prokofiev		Prokofiev’s summer song
46	Summerland (From Three Visions)William Grant Still		A fantastical piano piece composed by Still
47	Boleroraberu		A piece composed by Ravel at the request of a Russian dancer
48	“Fireworks,” No. 12 from Préludes, Book IIClaude Debussy		Debussy’s “Fireworks” is a work for Bastille Day.
49	Andante con motoClaude Debussy		Cool down the summer heat and change your mood with music
50	Porgy and Bess: SummertimeGeorge Gershwin		Introduction to Gershwin’s “Summertime”
51	The Seasons: SummerJohn Cage		A minimal music piece expressing Cage’s summer
52	Serenade No. 13 in G major, K. 525Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart		Introducing Mozart’s pieces that make you feel cool through music
53	Symphony No. 40, First MovementWolfgang Amadeus Mozart		Mozart’s G minor symphony at age 32
54	Two Legends, S.175 No. 2: St. Francis of Paola Walking on the WavesFranz Liszt		Liszt’s religious masterpiece, Saint Francis of Paola Crossing the Waves
55	Kesailta (Summer evening), Op. 1Oskar Merikanto		A summer dusk scene piece by a Finnish composer
56	Dance of the Hours from Act III of the opera La GiocondaAmilcare Ponchielli		A cool summer-appropriate ballet piece composed by Ponchielli
57	Symphony No. 9, Movement IIIAnton Bruckner		A symphony composed despite illness, up until just before death
58	Pastoral for Large Orchestra: In the Summer BreezeAnton Webern		Webern's avant-garde summer works
59	Overture “Carnival”Antonín Dvořák		Carnival, composed by Dvořák at the age of fifty
60	Symphony No. 3 “With Organ,” Movement II, Part 2Camille Saint-Saëns		A rare two-movement symphony composed around the time of his separation from his wife
61	Little Symphony in B-flat major, 1st movementCharles Francois Gounod		Gounod’s chamber music for wind instruments
62	Symphony in D minor, Movement IIICésar Franck		Franck composed and completed a symphony.
63	Knoxville: Summer of 1915Dawn Upshaw		Upshaw gives a powerful performance in Barber’s opera
64	Memories of the AlhambraFrancisco Tárrega		The classic guitar masterpiece “The Alhambra Palace”
65	Summer Night on the River – 2001 Remastered VersionFrederick Delius		Delius, A Summer Night on the River in Paris
66	Guangxi Impression: II. Summer CicadaGao Hong		Diverse musical activities of Chinese instrumental performers
67	Suite “Music for the Royal Fireworks,” HWV 351, No. 4 “Rejoicing”Georg Friedrich Händel		Handel's festive music, brilliant and exhilarating
68	Symphony No. 3, Movement IGustav Mahler		Mahler expresses nature in Symphony No. 3
69	3 Preludes, Op. 56: No. 2. SummerHenning Mankell		A pianist rediscovers Sweden’s hidden gem of a song
70	AsturiasIsaac Albéniz		Introducing Albéniz’s representative summer piece, Asturias
71	Concierto de Aranjuez, Second MovementJoaquín Rodrigo		Composed a guitar concerto in Aranjuez
72	The Last Rose of SummerJohn Andrew Stevenson		Play an Irish folk song on the bagpipes
73	String Quartet No. 7, ‘Summer Eaves’: IV. AdagioJohn McCabe		McCabe’s string quartet: a work characterized by an ominous and gloomy atmosphere.
74	A summer eveningKodály Zoltán		A musical work in which Kodály depicts a summer evening scene
75	Summer SkiesLeroy Anderson		Elegant classical music by an American composer
76	12 Études d’exécution transcendante, Op. 11: No. 5. Summer NightLouis Kentner		A Pianist’s Beautiful Summer Night Piece
77	Romance No. 2 in F major, Op. 50, for Violin and OrchestraLudwig van Beethoven		Beethoven’s famous violin piece
78	Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36Ludwig van Beethoven		Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 is perfect for summer
79	Play of WaterMaurice Ravel		A cool piano piece by Ravel that depicts water
80	Memories of summer nights in MadridMikhail Glinka		Composed by Glinka, a masterpiece of Spanish overtures
81	En sommerdag paa landet (A Summer’s Day in the Country), Op. 55: I. Early: Allegro vivoNiels Gade		Expressing the changeable summer weather
82	2 Nocturnes: Sommers sovn (Summer Sleep)Per Nørgård		A unique piece by Noago using the infinite series
83	“Summer Tunes” String Quartet No.2: II. BirdsPēteris Vasks		A contemporary music piece centered on sound effects
84	The Roman festival “Circenses”Respighi		A work depicting Roman festivals from four eras
85	Symphony No. 4, Movement IRobert Schumann		Schumann composed symphonies and other works one after another.
86	String Quartet No. 4, BVN 215, “Sommerdage” (Summer Days): III. Sostenuto – Allegro, scherzosoRued Langgaard		Rued Langgaard’s string quartets, appreciated posthumously
87	Symphony No. 2, First MovementSibelius		Sibelius composed his Symphony No. 2 after his trip to Italy
88	2 Pieces: Summer NocturneThe Chamber Players of Canada		A Summer Nocturne by a Canadian Film Composer
89	6 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 61: Prelude and Fugue No. 1 in G Major, “A Summer Morning On The Lawn”Dmitri Kabalevsky		The Life and Major Works of the Russian Composer Kabalevsky
90	Symphonic Poem “Summer Pastorale”Arthur Honegger		A warm, Rimbaud-inspired piece
91	Piano Quintet “The Trout,” Fourth MovementFranz Schubert		Schubert composed the Trout Quintet
92	Heroic PolonaiseFrederic Chopin		Chopin composed the Heroic Polonaise in Nohant.
93	“The Pearl Fishers” Act 1: “Your Voice Remains in My Heart”Georges Bizet		Bizet's opera: love and friendship in The Pearl Fishers
94	Violin Sonata No. 1 “Rain Song”Johannes Brahms		The piece that Brahms composed mourning Felix’s death
95	Piano Trio No. 1 “Russian Summer”: I. NocturneJudith Lang Zaimont		Russian Summer Nocturne, Contemporary Music
96	Piano Suite “The Seasons” June: BarcarollePyotr Tchaikovsky		Tchaikovsky's The Seasons is a depiction of sounds for each month.
97	Frosoblomster (Froso-Flowers), Book 1, Op. 16: No. 2. Sommarsang (Summer Song)Wilhelm Peterson-Berger		Music works by Swedish composers with nature as their theme