Parsons Playlists: A Classical Playlist

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student assistant Alexandra (class of 2026) featuring some classical music.

A Classical Playlist!

These are some of my favorite classical pieces!

Sergei Rachmaninoff – Symphony No. 2: III. Adagio

Samuel Barber – Adagio for Strings

George Gershwin – Rhapsody in Blue

Maurice Ravel – Une Barque Sur L’océan

Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky – Piano Concerto No 1. Op. 23

Claude Debussy – Arabesques

Franz Liszt – Liebestraum

Franz Schubert – Serenade

Maurice Ravel – Piano Concerto in G Major, M. 83: II. Adagio assai

Franz Liszt – Un sospiro

Sergei Rachmaninoff – 13 Preludes, Op.32: No. 5

Antonín Dvorak – Serenade for Strings, Op. 22. No.2

Frédéric Chopin – Adante spianato and Grande Polonaise, Op. 22

George Gershwin – Piano Concerto: I. Allegro moderato

Ralph Vaughn Williams – Overture: The Wasps

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU94rco57ZeyqcCKVNgjYdnKujBv5_AcY&si=ZUvB2P79IAty36ia

Parsons Playlists: Emotional Classical Music

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student manager Amy (class of 2025) which explores how classical music can convey many emotions.

Emotional Classical Music

When people hear I enjoy listening to classical music, they often assume it’s the soft repetitive music most associate with studying. However, classical music is much more than just something to put on in the background. It is compelling storytelling, music I am not able to listen to while working because I am too enthralled by the story unfolding in my ears to pay attention to anything else. This is why I created this playlist: to show new classical music listeners that classical music is not a one-size-fits-all genre, it can convey anything you want it to.

Richard Wagner – Die Walkure, Act II: Ride of the Valkyries

Dimitri Shostakovich – String Quartet No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 110: IV. Largo

Dimitri Shostakovich – Symphony No. 10 in E Minor, Op. 93: II. Allegro

Gustav Holst – The Planets, Op. 32: 1. Mars, the Bringer of War

Carl Orff – Carmina Burana, Introduction, Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi: O Fortuna

Johann Sebastian Bach – Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565: 1. Toccata

Johann Sebastian Bach – Orchestral Suite No. 2 in No. 2 in B Minor, BWV 1067: VII. Badinerie

Giuseppe Verdi – Requiem, Dies Irae

Sergei Prokofiev – Romeo and Juliet Op. 64, Act 1, Scene 2: Dance of the Knights

Antonin Dvorak – Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95 “From the New World”: IV. Allegro con fuoco

Pyotr IIyich Tchaikovsky – Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 23, TH 55: 1. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Requiem in D Minor, K. 636 Sequence: VI. Lacrimosa Dies Illa

Pyotr IIyich Tchaikovsky – Swan Lake, Op. 20, Act 2: No. 10, Scene. Moderato

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSwAwMtTLDwg9SWLgHg8b8oTYudIv8wSu&si=_wDnpCg7fHAYvRkS

And here it is on Spotify:

Parsons Playlists: Chamber of Secrets

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student assistant Esther (class of 2025) and features an assortment of chamber music.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”

One of my favorite aspects of chamber music is exploring the intimacy of its subtle expressions. Here are some of my top chamber music pieces (including some I’ve been gatekeeping).

Chamber Orchestra

Robert Schumann – Piano Quintet in E-Flat Major Op. 44, Mvt. 1

Sergei Rachmaninoff – Trio élégiaque in G Minor No. 1

Johan Halvorsen – Passacaglia for Violin and Viola

Antonín Dvořák – Bagatelles Op. 47, Mvt. 5

Ludwig van Beethoven – String Quartet in F Minor Op. 18, No. 1, Mvt. 2

Felix Mendelssohn – String Octet in E flat Major Op. 20, Mvt. 3

Dmitri Shostakovich – Two Pieces for String Octet, Op. 11, Mvt. 2

Franz Doppler – Nocturne, Op. 19

Pablo de Sarasate – Navarra, Op. 33

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU94rco57Zew5NyVTiSg-ofiHKC01sZha

Parsons Playlists: Studying in the Parsons Music Library

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist features a selection of music for a Music Library study session curated by Music Library student assistant Amy (class of 2025).

Studying in the Parsons Music Library

Study music

Frederic Chopin – Waltz No. 19 in A Minor, Op. Posth.

Camille Saint-Saens – The Carnival of the Animals The Swan

Rachmaninov – Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor Op. 18 – II Adagio sostenuto

Bach – Cello Suite No. 4 in E-flat Major, BWV 1010: 1 Prelude

Tchaikovsky – The Nutcracker Op. 71, Act 2: No. 13, “Waltz of the Flowers”

Dvorak – Serenade for Strings in E Major, Op. 22, B.52 – II Tempo di valse

Dvorak – Serenade for Strings in E Major, Op. 22 – I Moderato

Ravel – Ma Mere L’Oye, M. 60 – I Pavan de la Belle au bois dormant

Piero Piccioni – Amore Mio Aiutami (Main Theme)

Dvorak – “Song to the Moon” Rusalka, Op. 114, Act 1

Respighi – Pini di Roma, P. 141: III I pini del Gianicolo

Borodin – Nocturne

Beethoven – Lenore, Op. 72, Act I “Mir ist so wunderbar”

Debussy – La Mer, L. 109, II Jeux de vagues

Lavinia Meijer – Dances for Harp and Orchestra, L. 103, II Danse profane

Shostakovich – Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Major, Op. 102

Faure – Pavane, Op. 50

Gershwin – The Man I Love

Debussy – Deux Arabesques, CD 74: I. Andantino con moto

Liszt – Liebestraum

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSwAwMtTLDwjK99x65ClwlqXWXG6vyGRP

And here it is on Spotify:

Parsons Playlists: Cellists Solo Essentials

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today we’re featuring a collection of cello solo essentials curated by Music Library student manager Brianna (class of 2023).

This playlist includes what I find to be the most essential cello solo music to know by heart. These are some of my favorite pieces written for the cello!

Elgar Cello Concerto in E Minor

Lalo Cello Concerto in D Minor

The Swan

Bach Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, Prelude

Cello Playing

Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1

Dvorak Cello Concerto in B Minor

Kodaly Cello Sonata

Saint Saens Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor

Haydn Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Minor

Spotify Playlist:

YouTube Playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLU94rco57ZexX2mKkuecxWE5ejZiYnlbo

Arachnophonia: Hollywood String Quartet “Kodály, Smetana, Dvořák”

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker Madeline (class of 2019) and features the Hollywood String Quartet’s 1958 recording of works by Zoltán Kodály, Bedřich Smetana and Antonín Dvořák. Thanks, Madeline!

Hollywood String Quartet

Kodály * Smetana * Dvořák

This CD is perfect for those who enjoy string instruments and/or Central European music. Kodály is Hungarian, while both Smetana and Dvořák are Czech. All three of the works have an overall lively and lighthearted sound. It is intricate enough to serve as training for active listening, but also pleasing to listen to in your free time.

Of particular interest is the last piece, String Quartet No. 12, “American” by Dvořák, which was written during his time in the United States. His works during this time were greatly influenced by both Native American folk music and contemporary works of African Americans and other immigrants. His most famous piece, Symphony No. 9, From the New World was written during this period. The musicians of this recording, the Hollywood String Quartet, are considered to be the first American based classical group to have an international reputation. They accompanied pop singers in the mid-1900s, most notably Frank Sinatra. Fans of older movies may also recognize their work in cinema. Before HSQ was formed, many of the members provided the orchestral soundtrack for early 1900s Hollywood movies, hence the name of the group.

Hollywood String Quartet