Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student manager Esther (class of 2025) which features some music for your Valentine’s Day enjoyment.
Editor’s note:Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) 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.
Camille Saint-Saëns, born in Paris in 1835, was a prominent French composer of the Romantic era who displayed extraordinary musical talent from a young age. He was a versatile musician, excelling in various genres, including symphonies, operas, and chamber music. His compositions often reflected a blend of traditional forms with modern influences, contributing to his reputation as a forward-thinking composer of his time. “The Carnival of the Animals” is one of Saint-Saëns’ most famous masterpieces that showcases his playful imagination.
French composer Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)
“The Carnival of the Animals” was composed in 1886, a lighthearted and whimsical suite of fourteen movements for chamber ensemble. The piece was originally a private work and the composer requested not to be published during his lifetime, fearing that its playful nature would detract from his more serious reputation. It was published after his death and became one of Saint-Saëns’ most beloved compositions. Each movement in the suite represents a different animal, and each is characterized by distinct melodies, rhythms, and instrumental colors that vividly portray the featured animals.
Here is a performance of “The Carnival of the Animals” by Zagreb Music Academy Chamber Orchestra:
Editor’s note:Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) 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.
One of the big names in classical music, Claude Debussy, has greatly influenced the movement of music and art even past his years. His work is a great way to have a study session and or even to play on a rainy evening to unwind.
There is something so calming about his music. I love to play it when I’m studying and when I’m falling asleep, especially the song “Claire de Lune”. It has been in my playlist since I can remember and has always made me feel like I am part of some Disney movie.
Debussy has been a source of inspiration for many artists. Art is the inspiration of other art, we gather things we like and make them our own. Because of this, we see that Debussy is a very important aspect of the art community. Painters use his music to inspire a story in their artwork, theaters use his music to add emotion to a play, pianists use his music as inspiration for their own pieces. Because art is a cycle of borrow, transform, repeat, we can understand how influential a big musician was to an artist even in the 21st century.
Sometimes when studying, you don’t want to sit in total silence but you also don’t want to listen to Drake’s new album, Certified Lover Boy. Debussy’s music is a great balance of both, it gives you some background noise but will not distract you with lyrics.
