YourClassical Adventures

When Xuefei Yang was a young girl, she became the first Chinese guitarist to enter an international competition. It was one of many firsts for her as she paved the way for future female guitarists from China.

Xuefei Yang: Romance de Amor — This is a piece off of Xuefei Yang’s debut album.

LISTEN — Xuefei Yang: Romance de Amor

Xuefei Yang: Shuo Chang — This piece was written by Chinese composer Chen Yi. Although they were famous for writing music for various instruments, this was the first time they composed a piece for the guitar.

LISTEN — Xuefei Yang: Shuo Chang

Xuefei Yang: Flower Drum — This is from an album released in August 2020 and dedicated to the music of Yang’s home country, China.

LISTEN — Xuefei Yang: Flower Drum

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The modern guitar is a popular instrument, but did you know there are many different types of guitars? Join host Liz Lyon as we take a trip around the world to listen to the sounds of different guitars throughout history.

Issam Rafea and Gao Hong: From Our World to Yours — This piece showcases the oud, which is a pear-shaped, stringed instrument popular in countries such as Egypt, Syria, Armenia and Turkey.

LISTEN — Issam Rafea and Gao Hong: From Our World to Yours

John Dowland: Mrs. Winter’s Jump — The lute was popular in Europe in the 1500 and 1600s. There are different variations of the lute. There are lutes of different sizes and with different numbers of strings.

LISTEN — John Dowland: Mrs. Winter’s Jump

Robert de Visee: La Muzette — The Baroque Guitar was popular in Spain. Everyone, from people in the streets up to King Charles II, was fond of this guitar. You can hear it featured in this piece.

LISTEN — Robert de Visee: La Muzette

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The month of December is packed full of different holidays and we all celebrate them in different ways. Music can unite us all in celebration. Bells are a common sound throughout the festive season. Join host, Liz Lyon as we explore music that features different types of bells.

Sonos Handbell Ensemble: Silent Night — The oldest existing hand bells are found in China from 1600 B.C.

LISTEN — Sonos Handbell Ensemble: Silent Night

Boston Pops Orchestra: Sleigh Ride — Sleigh bells, also known as jingle bells, were originally fastened to horses to warn pedestrians of an approaching sleigh.

LISTEN — Boston Pops Orchestra: Sleigh Ride

Dale Warland Singers: Carol of The Bells — Originally based on traditional Ukrainian folk chants in celebration of the coming new year. This melody was rearranged for orchestra and new lyrics were written which centered on the theme of bells.

LISTEN — Dale Warland Singers: Carol of The Bells

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Composer Eric Whitacre is well known for the choral pieces he writes and their distinctive sound. Join host, Liz Lyon as she explores some of his music in this episode of YourClassical Adventures.

Eric Whitacre: Water Night — One of his earliest works, written in 1995. The text is from Octavio Paz’s poem, “Agua Nocturna”.

LISTEN — Eric Whitacre: Water Night

Eric Whitacre: Sleep — The setting for this choral composition is a poem by Robert Frost, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”. The theme of the lyrics, sleep, was based on the last stanza of this poem, “And miles to go before I sleep.”

LISTEN — Eric Whitacre: Sleep

Eric Whitacre: When David Heard — The text for this piece is one single, and sorrowful sentence accompanied by purposeful and dramatic silence.

LISTEN — Eric Whitacre: When David Heard

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Where do you find your favorite melodies in classical music? Join Liz Lyon and listen to beautiful melodies in this episode of YourClassical Adventures.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: 12 Variations of “Ah! Vous Dirai-Je, Maman” — This was originally a French melody. Lyrics were added long after it was composed.

LISTEN — Amadeus Mozart: 12 Variations of “Ah! Vous Dirai-Je, Maman”

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Sleeping Beauty Waltz — This was written for the ballet Sleeping Beauty and used in the animated version of the story.

LISTEN — Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Sleeping Beauty Waltz

Howard Shore: Concerning Hobbits — This was written for the film The Lord of the Rings as a melody that would become synonymous with the Hobbits.

LISTEN — Howard Shore: Concerning Hobbits

Mozart: Queen of the Night Aria — This is not the easiest tune to sing or hum along to, but it’s fun to try and definitely a catchy melody.

LISTEN — Mozart: Queen of the Night Aria

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The human voice can add something special to music that other instruments simply can not do. Listen to some classical music examples that will explain why the human voice is so unique.

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: The Flight of the Bumblebee — Singer Bobby McFerrin teams up with cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Do you think McFerrin sounds more like a bumblebee or more like a cello?

LISTEN — Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: The Flight of the Bumblebee

The King’s Singers: Horizons — The human voice is a great instrument for storytelling and can help paint a picture through words.

LISTEN — The King’s Singers: Horizons

Eriks Esenvalds: Only in Sleep — When multiple people sing together, such as in ensembles or choirs, it can help elicit emotions.

LISTEN — Eriks Esenvalds: Only in Sleep

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Enjoy peaceful music that can help you feel calm and relaxed.

Ralph Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending — Sometimes music can help you slow down and let your mind wander by creating pictures or places in your mind. Like this piece by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

LISTEN — Ralph Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending

Claude Debussy: Claire de Lune — Music can play a part in some of our favorite memories and can help us feel comforted and happy.

LISTEN — Debussy: Claire de Lune

Beethoven: Moonlight Sonata — Some music can help us relax our minds and our bodies and lull us to sleep. This piece is a good example of sleepy sounds.

LISTEN — Beethoven: Moonlight Sonata

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Find out what the music of Claude Debussy sounds like, and explore all the pictures it can paint in your mind. Hear different examples of Debussy's music below.

Claude Debussy: Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun — One of Debussy’s most famous works and one of the first to be described as “impressionistic.”

LISTEN — Debussy: Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun

Claude Debussy: "Nuages" from Nocturnes — “Nuages” is the French word for “clouds.” What kind of clouds do you think Debussy was writing about?

LISTEN — Debussy: "Nuages" from Nocturnes

Claude Debussy: Gardens in the Rain — Here's a fun piece he wrote about a lush garden wet with rain.

LISTEN — Debussy: Gardens in the Rain.

Claude Debussy: "Play of the Waves" from La Mer — Can you hear the parts of this piece that sound like calm, peaceful water? How about rough, choppy waves?

LISTEN — Debussy: "Play of the Waves" from La Mer

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Lento music can feel like a relaxing afternoon watching the clouds slowly drift by.

Franz Liszt: Liebestraum No. 3 — Music played at a lento tempo sounds slow and relaxed.

LISTEN — Franz Liszt:Liebestraum No. 3

Ludwig Van Beethoven: String Quartet No. 16 - 3rd mvt, Lento — Do slow pieces like this make you feel relaxed, sad or dreamy?

LISTEN — Ludwig Van Beethoven: String Quartet No. 16 - 3rd mvt, Lento

Antonin Dvorak: String Quartet No. 12 - 2nd mvt, Lento — This first movement is titled, Lento. Does it sound like the beginning of a story?

LISTEN — Antonin Dvorak: String Quartet No. 12 - 2nd mvt, Lento

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The piano went through many changes before becoming the instrument we know today. Listen to some examples that explore the history of the piano.

Lodovico Giustini: Sonata da Cimbalo di Piano — One of the first pieces ever written for the piano by the first known composer of piano music.

LISTEN — Lodovico Giustini: Sonata da Cimbalo di Piano

Fredrich Chopin: Ballade No. 1 — The composer uses a special tool at the bottom of the piano called a pedal to make the notes blend.

LISTEN — Fredrich Chopin: Ballade No. 1

Franz Liszt: La Campanella — This composer was a virtuoso pianist. This is one of his most complex and challenging pieces of piano music to play.

LISTEN — Franz Liszt: La Campanella

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