31 Days of Classical, Day 21: Let's get Bizet

Each day throughout July, I'll share with you a piece of classical music. Thirty-one days, thirty-one pieces.

The list is by no means definitive, nor is it necessarily a list of all of my favorite music from the classical world. Every morning, I start my day with music that inspires me in some way, whether I'm inspired by its happiness, its loneliness, the instrumentation, the harmony, the colors, the melody -- each piece is special in some way -- and offers an opportunity to either hear something you've never heard, or hear something new in a piece you've known your whole life.

Georges Bizet, L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2 "Pastorale"

This music surfaced after Bizet died his untimely death (he was 36 when he died). A few years before his death, Bizet wrote incidental music for a play called L'Arlesienne (The Girl from Arles). He had the chance to create one suite to huge success, but died before a second was conceived. His pal Ernest Guiraud pieced together themes that Bizet wrote for the play and collated them into L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2. This "Pastorale" is how it opens, and was the most complete of all the music Guiraud had at his disposal. I love how vastly open it sounds at the beginning, like I'm standing on the precipice of some gorgeous landscape. The "Pastorale" is beautiful and epic and grand — a taste of what could have been, had Bizet survived.

Take the 31 Days of Classical Challenge

31 Days is a bite-sized month-long trial of Classical Music from across the spectrum of the wonderful, expansive music we love at Classical MPR. Join the fun by subscribing to the 31 Days of Classical newsletter, or use #31DaysofClassical on Twitter or Facebook.

{% fetch file="http://minnesota.publicradio.org/radio/services/cms/features/ongoing/31-days-of-classical/newsletter-signup-include.shtml" %}

Gallery

Fullscreen SlidePrevious Slide

1 of 1

Next Slide