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Winter is coming, I hope
In the meantime, there's Sibelius — and others
Loneliness or solitude, take your pick.
Technically, the dog days of summer run from July 3 through August 11. The term comes from ancient Greece. The star Sirius rises with the sun between these dates, adding to the heat, or so the Greeks thought. Sirius is part of the Canis Major constellation, which led to the “dog” designation.
In San Diego, the dog days of summer are relatively mild. September is another story. I hate it so very, very much. Every year, the humidity rises with the temperature in September, and every year, I can’t wait for this cursed month to end. To ease my suffering, I train my mind on the cooler days of October — and the start of the classical music season. I long for any hint of winter. I’ve also been listening to some cold classical music in order to distract my heat-addled mind.
When it comes to assessing what classical music qualifies as cold, there are a number ways to approach the matter. Act III of Giacomo Puccini’s La Boheme is set in the dead of winter. Emotionally, there is more than a little chill in the air; the four main characters — Mimi, Rodolfo, Mussetta, and Marcelo — struggle to stay warm as their romances wax and wane.
Video:
Puccini: La Boheme, Act III
Frédéric Chopin’s Etude Opus 25, No. 11 is often referred to as “The Winter Wind.” Of Chopin’s 24 Etudes, The Winter Wind is one of the most difficult. After a stoic introduction, the wind begins to howl away until the conclusion of the piece.
Video:
Chopin: Winter Wind
Pytor Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 1 is referred to as “Winter Dreams." Of course, that is exactly what I’m doing, dreaming of winter, but it is the opening of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 has always felt cold to my ear. It is very much a depiction of a dark winter morning covered in fresh snow.
Video:
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5
Sergei Prokofiev also knew a thing or two about the cold. His epic depiction of the battle on the frozen lake from Alexander Nevsky conveys the temperature of the scene as the piece begins. Though I suppose I should say cold and ominous as the Teutonic Knights gather their invading forces to attack Mother Russia.
Video:
Prokofiev: The Battle on the Ice
No dream of cooler weather would be complete without Jean Sibelius’s Violin Concerto. There are days when I wonder if this is my favorite concerto of all time. The piece hits as more than a spell of cold weather. The chill of loneliness also inhabits this music. To be fair, it could also be the detached perspective that is brought on by solitude. Loneliness or solitude. Take your pick.
My plans for this evening are to listen to Sibelius while standing, in solitude, directly in front of the AC. It’s the only way for the civilized soul (and body) to make it through the hellscape of September.
Video:
Sibelius: Violin Concerto
Here's something you might be interested in.
Winter is coming, I hope
In the meantime, there's Sibelius — and others
Winter is coming, I hope
In the meantime, there's Sibelius — and others
Loneliness or solitude, take your pick.
Technically, the dog days of summer run from July 3 through August 11. The term comes from ancient Greece. The star Sirius rises with the sun between these dates, adding to the heat, or so the Greeks thought. Sirius is part of the Canis Major constellation, which led to the “dog” designation.
In San Diego, the dog days of summer are relatively mild. September is another story. I hate it so very, very much. Every year, the humidity rises with the temperature in September, and every year, I can’t wait for this cursed month to end. To ease my suffering, I train my mind on the cooler days of October — and the start of the classical music season. I long for any hint of winter. I’ve also been listening to some cold classical music in order to distract my heat-addled mind.
When it comes to assessing what classical music qualifies as cold, there are a number ways to approach the matter. Act III of Giacomo Puccini’s La Boheme is set in the dead of winter. Emotionally, there is more than a little chill in the air; the four main characters — Mimi, Rodolfo, Mussetta, and Marcelo — struggle to stay warm as their romances wax and wane.
Video:
Puccini: La Boheme, Act III
Frédéric Chopin’s Etude Opus 25, No. 11 is often referred to as “The Winter Wind.” Of Chopin’s 24 Etudes, The Winter Wind is one of the most difficult. After a stoic introduction, the wind begins to howl away until the conclusion of the piece.
Video:
Chopin: Winter Wind
Pytor Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 1 is referred to as “Winter Dreams." Of course, that is exactly what I’m doing, dreaming of winter, but it is the opening of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 has always felt cold to my ear. It is very much a depiction of a dark winter morning covered in fresh snow.
Video:
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5
Sergei Prokofiev also knew a thing or two about the cold. His epic depiction of the battle on the frozen lake from Alexander Nevsky conveys the temperature of the scene as the piece begins. Though I suppose I should say cold and ominous as the Teutonic Knights gather their invading forces to attack Mother Russia.
Video:
Prokofiev: The Battle on the Ice
No dream of cooler weather would be complete without Jean Sibelius’s Violin Concerto. There are days when I wonder if this is my favorite concerto of all time. The piece hits as more than a spell of cold weather. The chill of loneliness also inhabits this music. To be fair, it could also be the detached perspective that is brought on by solitude. Loneliness or solitude. Take your pick.
My plans for this evening are to listen to Sibelius while standing, in solitude, directly in front of the AC. It’s the only way for the civilized soul (and body) to make it through the hellscape of September.
Video:
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Sibelius: Violin Concerto