5 Masterworks of Classical Music

That are guaranteed to get you hooked...

When you listen to contemporary music, you immediately recognize the lay of the land — you can identify the verse and chorus, find the beat, and clap along to the music.

But classical music isn’t always as accessible. In fact, you often have to learn how to listen to classical music — it requires that you pay attention and listen actively, not passively. Because of this slight learning curve, many people don’t take the time required to truly dive into and appreciate the incredible world of classical music.

Today, we’re going to help you speedrun the learning barrier by exploring five pieces of classical music that are readily accessible — even if you’ve never once listened to it!

Keep reading for five great pieces of classical music to play as the soundtrack to your weekend (the links you need are below)…

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Short histories, insights and expert interviews…

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1) Saint-Saëns - Danse Macabre

Skeletal strings and haunting melodies provide a vivid example of musical storytelling in this piece. Here, Death is represented by a solo violin, and he calls out the dead from their graves to dance before him.

The back-and-forth, call-and-answer motifs you hear throughout the piece represent Death leading the souls through a danse macabre. Apart from being incredibly entertaining, this work of genius by French composer Camille Saint-Saëns is an eerily soul-stirring — pun intended — piece of music.

2) Dvořák - Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”

Interspersing bombastic themes with intimate pastoral flourishes, this symphony has everything you could ask for. Composed while Dvořák was living in NY, it’s an incredible blend of European grandeur and American folk melodies.

Specifically, Dvořák was inspired by the Native American spirituals he discovered while working in Manhattan as a visiting professor. That, coupled with homesickness for his Czech homeland and simultaneous excitement at being in America, led him to create one of the most emotionally thrilling symphonies of the 20th century.

3) Strauss II - The Blue Danube

This is a piece you’ll surely recognize, perhaps for its prominent feature in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Swaying melodies and graceful rhythms take you on a journey down the Danube (or through outer space) and remain stuck in your head long after that journey ends

The Blue Danube is a timeless waltz that captures the elegance of 19th-century Vienna. It’s a must-listen for anyone who wants to tap into the spirit of Viennese balls and relive the beauty of a bygone era.