PHOTO: Psy guy
It isn’t hard to find examples of music inspired by snow. But how often do we look beyond the obvious choices (think Howard Blake’s The Snowman or Elgar’s The Snow)? The realm of contemporary classical music, for example, is full of highly imaginative takes on the concept of snow, often using it as a metaphor for abstract ideas and psychological states that have very little to do with the weather. Here are five pieces of music inspired by snow.
1.John Cage: Winter Music
Written for up to 20 pianists, this experimental work consists of 20 unbound pages, which can be played by any number of pianists from 1 to 20. Any number of pages can be used in a performance, and in any order. The title may allude to a sense of frozen time and space, with isolated sounds resembling elements in a winter landscape.
2.Emily Hall: Field of Snow
Emily Hall’s composition – often combining folk and electronic music – is defined by simplicity, authenticity and personal experience. This poignant song is a fine example, coming from Emily Hall’s song cycle “Life Cycle”, which tells the story of a couple dealing with the loss of a stillborn child and then conceiving again.
3. Rimsky-Korsakov: The Snow Maiden Suite
This suite is based on a Russian folk tale about the Snow Maiden – the daughter of Grandfather Frost and Spring Beauty – who longs to live among mortals. As such, much of it is devoted to distinguishing between the cold, ethereal world of mythological characters (like the Snow Maiden) and the warmer tones of the human world. The opening, with its fluttering strings and icy woodwinds, is particularly evocative of snowfall.
4.Kate Bush: 50 Words for Snow
This experimental track blending spoken word, sound effects and ethereal vocals, draws inspiration from the idea that some cultures have numerous words for snow. The result is a highly inventive and introspective song, interweaving imaginative terms and concepts related to snow.
5.Debussy: ‘The Snow is Dancing’ from Children’s Corner
Rounding off our list of music inspired by snow: composed between 1906 and 1908, this piano miniature evokes the image of a dark winter afternoon when children are trapped indoors, watching snow through their window. Using delicate and intricate piano techniques, it evokes the delicate, twinkling nature of falling snow.