Brahms's "A German Requiem"

Although technically a mass for the dead, Johannes Brahms’s A German Requiem does not mention death until the penultimate movement, and even then addresses the living with a sense of reassured faith rather than anxiety.  

Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3

Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3 contains some of his best-known music, including the beautiful "Air on the G String." But it also contains the origins of the modern symphony orchestra.

Berg’s Three Pieces for Orchestra

In his Three Pieces for Orchestra, Alban Berg finally "graduated" from his studies with Arnold Schoenberg, and took his first giant step towards fulfilling his musical destiny.

Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale

In his theater piece The Soldier's Tale, Igor Stravinsky shows off his gift for parody, as he lovingly sends up both old and new: Russian folk tales and American jazz.

Brahms's Symphony No.2

Brahms's Symphony No.2 is generally thought of as his most lighthearted, but it's actually built on the contrasts between light and dark, between sunshine and clouds. Kind of like life.

Samuel Adams's Drift and Providence

Samuel Adams's Drift and Providence is not so much about the ocean as it is like the ocean: ebb and flow, crest and trough, and destinations that may be more felt than seen.

Mahler's Symphony No. 7

Mahler's 7th is sometimes called "The Song of the Night," but it's really a journey from night into day, with some very interesting stops along the way.