Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student manager Amy (class of 2025) and features spring-themed classical music.
Spring-Themed Classical Music That Isn’t Vivaldi
When many think of spring, Vivaldi’s Spring movement of his Four Seasons violin concerto is often what comes to mind. However, there is a plethora of spring-themed compositions from other artists across music eras, including Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring” and Igor Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring.”
Ludwig van Beethoven – Violin Sonata No. 1 Spring Movement (Itzhak Perlman, Vladimir Ashkenazy)
Igor Stravinsky – The Rite of Spring, Pt. 1: Adoration of the Earth (Teodor Currentzis, musicAeterna)
Edvard Grieg – Lyric Pieces, Op. 43, No. 6 “To Spring” (Lang Lang)
Christian Sinding – Frühlingsrauschen (Rustle of Spring) for Piano, Op. 32, No. 3 (Dubravka Tomšič)
Claude Debussy – Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (Orchestra National de Lyon)
Camille Saint-Saëns – The Swan, Carnival of the Animals (Yo Yo Ma, Kathryn Slott)
Florence Beatrice Price – Juba Dance from Symphony No. 1 (Akiko Fujimoto, Minnesota Orchestra)
Alexander Borodin: Quartet No. 2 in D major for Strings, I. Allegro moderato (Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center)
Bedřich Smetana – The Moldau (Polish National Radio Symphony)
Aaron Copland: Appalachian Spring – 1945 Suite – 1. Very slowly (LA Philharmonic)
Aaron Copland: Appalachian Spring – 1943 Suite – 7. Doppio movimento (New York Philharmonic)
Aaron Copland: Appalachian Spring – 1945 Suite – 2. Allegro (LA Philharmonic)
Aaron Copland: Appalachian Spring – 1945 Suite – 8. Moderato: Coda (LA Philharmonic)
Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qizSgHRRbEo&list=PLSwAwMtTLDwitnvD5pQ8hTur4eSlqiamO
