Classical music has gotten a bad "rep" from many people who claim that the genre is "outdated" or "boring". No matter how you feel about the genre, you should give it a chance to speak to you. Most classical music songs do not have any lyrics or spoken parts, but that doesn't mean you cannot connect to it. When you listen to classical music you are allowed to write your own lyrics and you can try to figure out what the song is expressing. Put in some earbuds, lay back, and just soak in all of the melodies you hear. You may be shocked at how much you like it.
1. Rhapsody In Blue- George Gershwin
Rhapsody in Blue has become a very well known piece of music and has been featured in many films including The Great Gatsby. The tune includes a beautiful piano part and also involves a full band/orchestra.
2. Symphony No.5 in C Minor-Ludwig Van Beethoven
I'm willing to bet money that you can heard this famous melody before. The whole symphony is a masterpiece with that very familiar intro flourishing throughout the piece.
3. The Planets: Jupiter- Gustav Holst
Skip to 1:40 to hear the beautiful melody that makes you feel like you're on a space mission.
4. Candide Overture- Leonard Bernstein
Candide Overture is a very upbeat song that includes a beautiful must-hear melody that starts at 1:21.
5. Bugler's Holiday- Leroy Anderson
Bugler's Holiday is a song for those who love trumpets! It is a quick and fun piece with many parts to listen to.
6. Slava!-Leonard Bernstein
Slava! is a Political Overture that is full of excitement from the start all the way to the ending. At 1:05 you can hear the band members yell "Pooks", which turns out to be Leonard Bernstein's dog's name. This piece ends with a political leader speaking while the band plays in the background.
7. Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral- Richard Wagner
This is a much "darker" song than the rest of those on this list. However, despite the darkness, the piece has a huge ending... you'll have to listen to see why (headphone users beware)!
8. In The Mood- Glenn Miller
This song is sure to make you want to get up and dance! This is a very well-known tune and has been featured in movies spanning across several decades.
9. Appalachian Spring- Aaron Copland
This composition starts with a very warm and calm melody but leads to excitement and much more starting at 4:03. This piece really has such a large scope of tempos sure to keep you interested in what will happen next.
10. Rolling Thunder March- Henry Fillmore
In case you didn't know, brass instruments typically have a hard time playing fast melodies... it gives you great appreciation for this complexity and speed of this piece. This song is sure to keep you on your toes!
11. October- Eric Whitacre
October is a very popular piece that most classical music listeners have heard of. This is a much lighter and quieter song but still has interesting melodies throughout.
12. Thunderstruck- 2CELLOS
2CELLOs are a great way to dive into the genre because they perform several covers of well known songs such as "Smooth Criminal" and "Highway to Hell". Check out this awesome cover of Thunderstruck!
13. Fantasia in G Major- Bach
This piece is originally written for just on organ, but with a full band setting you truly can hear all of the different parts playing at once. This is a calming yet exciting piece to listen to.
14. William Tell Overture- Gioachino Rossini
Skip to 9:52 to hear a familiar part of this song usually in your favorite tv show or movie during a chaotic part! Turns out there is more to it than the short part in which we have heard.
15. The 1812 Overture- Tchaikovsky
Have you ever seen those mattress commercials on tv during holidays like Memorial Day or the 4th of July? This song may ring a bell to you. Skip to 13:58 to hear the well-known melody as well as actual cannons (yes you heard me right) shoot off while the band plays..
The classical music genre has so much variety that you are bound to have a preference to what kind of classical music you like. You may enjoy a solo pianist, full band setting, jazz, or just solely an orchestra setting. This list is to expose you to a little bit of everything in hopes one of the categories will speak to you, the listener. I hope you enjoyed and may have found a new love for music without the lyrics.
