Classical music inspired by the SUN.
Richard Strauss – Alpine Symphony Op. 64
A sunny day mountain climb in the Bavarian Alps. Largest orchestra ever assembled, overwhelming. Symphony closes with the sun setting at the base of a mountain.
Richard Strauss – Also sprach Zarathustra
Orchestra erupts in glorious major-key fanfare. Ends on a long, stained major chord full organs blazing. Dawn of a new day. A Space Odyssey.
Haydn – String Quartets Op. 20 ‘Sun’
Sun quartets gave Haydn great success. A sensational composition.
Bruckner – Symphony No. 4
Bruckner’s most popular work is Symphony No. 4, called ‘Romantic’ symphony.
Edvard Grieg – Peer Gynt Op. 23 ‘Morning Mood’
Lyrical alternating flute, oboe melodies slowly unfold the magnificent climax with sunrise.
Richard Strauss – Four Last Songs
Iconic piece of music, poignant. Emotional effect of the beautiful sun setting over an enduring horizon.
Neilson – Helios Overture
Inspired by the sun rising over the Aegean Sea in Greece. “Silence, darkness, sun rises with a joyous song of praise, wanders golden way, sinks quietly into the sea.”
Ferde Grofe – Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)
Sunrise opens to a world of bird calls, pastoral music. Flying like a bird, high over landscapes, catching thermals as sun rises in the sky.
