Autumn Music
Timothy Sandefur on Oct 25th 2005
Fall is my favorite season by far. It’s the most delicate, the most varied, the one most prone to instants of transcendental satisfaction—the finest feeling, I think, of which humans are capable—and, of course, the season of my birthday. (And Ed’s, yes….)
Anyway, one thing that makes such moments particularly sweet is music, and on the way to work this morning (a fine autumn morning if ever there were one), I was listening to Boccherini’s “La Musica Notturna Delle Strade Di Madrid” from the soundtrack to Master And Commander. A fine piece of autumn music, I think. What are the others? I’d be very interested in hearing readers’ suggestions. (No Vivaldi! That’s way too obvious.)
Here are two suggestions to start with: Tchaikovsky’s “October” from his Les Saisons (Opus 37a). This is a little-known series of piano etudes that Tchaikovsky wrote in 1875-76 for a music magazine. There are twelve, one for each month (no idea why they’re called “The Seasons”), and some of them brilliantly capture the feeling of the month. “June,” for example, is absolutely the perfect musical description of June. “October,” my favorite, is a lovely little 5 minute piece, so fragile and perfect, it reminds you of one of those tiny miniature paintings so popular in the seventeenth century. If you’re a fan of romantic music, or of piano music in general, you simply must listen to Saisons.
Second is Miles Davis’ “Fall” from his 1967 album Nefertiti. It’s one of his modal jazz compositions, which a jazz beginner might find difficult to enjoy, but I’m very fond of it. The soft drum sound and muted trumpet evoke the relaxed, warm-sweater feeling of an autumn in the city, while the repeating frame conveys the feeling of entropy and (oh, here’s a delightful word I hardly ever get to use) apoptosis that is, obviously, what the season is all about. Much of Miles’ music would be a good choice for autumn, but given the title, I’ll stick with this one.
Any other suggestions? I’ll post the good ones.
Filed in The Bistro
[...] So far I’ve only received a couple suggestions for fall music in addition to the ones I posted. Brayton suggested James Taylor, who certainly does qualify. (There’s a line in “The Walking Man” about “the frost is on the pumpkin” which is really marvelous poetry; a perfectly economic illustration of fall). And reader Mandy recommended Richard Strauss’ “September” from Vier letzte Lieder (Four Last Songs), for voice and orchestra. Best recording: Renee Flemming or Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Text and translation. I’ve never heard it. I like Strauss, although I’ve never been a fan of German through-composed songs (despite Mandy’s best efforts, I must say!) [...]