Smithsonian Associates: Music Inspired by the Natural World, Lecture 4 – Water, Water Everywhere

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.

———————————————————————————————————————————————

Mighty oceans, torrential rivers, glittering fountains. Watery works abound across the concert repertoire. But how can music be wet? Can a composer ever truly recreate a sense of fluid motion? Voyage through the mightiest of seascapes, Debussy’s La Mer; marvel at Liszt’s electrifying portrayal of St. Francis walking on water; shiver on the stony beaches of Britten’s “Sea Interludes,” and delight in Resphigi’s sparkling images of Rome’s famous fountains. Also included are works by Smetana, Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky.