Smithsonian Associates: Music Inspired by the Natural World, Lecture 3 – Creatures of the Earth, Sea, and Sky

A painter can create entire worlds on a flat piece of paper. But where is a composer to start when seeking to represent the natural universe through sound? Centuries of exquisite nature-inspired concert works show just how well it can be done through direct imitation, allegory, and symbolism. Over time, composers have fashioned powerful musical vocabularies that guide listeners to see harmony as visual image.

In a 4-session course, popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin uses her unique live piano demonstrations and fascinating film clips to explore how such masters as Beethoven, Mahler, Wagner, Vivaldi, Holst, Vaughan Williams, Saint-Saëns, and countless others composed beloved works that conjure the natural world.

British-born Franklin has been a featured speaker for organizations including the Library of Congress and NPR, exploring intersections among classical and jazz music, film scores, and the fine arts.

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The depiction of living creatures is one of the most delightful but challenging aspects of the composer’s craft. Is it necessary to attempt a literal copy of an animal’s call and, if not, what musical device could successfully invoke the sound? Such works as Dvorak’s “American” string quartet, Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals suite, Vaughan Williams’ “The Lark Ascending,” and Rimsky Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumble Bee” are among many examples in the enchanting menagerie.