For many, the word “fall” is synonymous with chilly temperatures, sitting by the fireplace under warm blankets with a cup of tea or cocoa, and the foliage transforming into vibrant shades. Here at PARMA’s headquarters in New England, fall is an especially beautiful, albeit dark and cold, time of year, and we got into the spirit of the season with some of our favorite autumn pieces from past and present.
What’s a celebration of the seasons without Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons? One of our top choices this autumn was Vivaldi reimagined. Matej Meštrović, joined by pianists Hakan Ali Toker and Matija Dedić, recorded a stunning rendition of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons with Navona Records. This time, it was a bit of a different arrangement: 4 SEASONS FOR 3 PIANOS. Meštrović, known for performances that are as clever as they are impressive, radically reinterpreted Vivaldi’s original compositions while also staying true to the spirit of the work, and “Autumn” is no exception.
PARMA veteran Mark John McEncroe, is known for his rich, tonal orchestral music intended to move the listener, and An Early Autumn Morning off of MY SYMPHONIC POEMS is a wonderful example of this intention. Performed by the esteemed Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra, An Early Autumn Morning is carried by a sentimental string section, buoyed up by swelling dynamics, and paints a clear image of golden autumn leaves glowing in the sunrise on a crisp morning.
Curt Cacioppo’s Navona Records release, LAWS OF THE PIPE, is a detailed album of tone poems telling the story of Native Americans, their vibrant history, and the plight of their culture. In “Var. II (Fall),” part of The Rite of the Changing Woman, the Borromeo String Quartet brings the intense composition of Cacioppo’s to life in a moving performance.
From these compositions, to Paul Osterfield’s chilling Smoky Mountain Autumn, Michael G. Cunningham’s craftsmanship in Wakefield Autumn for orchestra, and more, we found that autumn has a lot to offer for musical inspiration. Dive into the rest of our seasonal playlist and see where it takes you!
