Neoclassical music for movement and inspiration – February 2019

Kotaro Saito – “Right”
-The movement of this piece is inspiring. It’s a force, despite being so relaxing as well. The piano feels like an animal, moving and dancing with intention and natural power. I find this piece to be one of the more invigorating in a genre that is often intended to calm the listener.

De Maynes – “A walk to paradise”
-This recording is delightfully peaceful. I love how each piano phrase rolls into the next. The thought provoking structure of the track is perfect for meditation or studying. I honestly feel like this piece from De Maynes is the embodiment of what neoclassical music is for me; cinematic at times, charming, and beautifully calming.

The Weightless – “Rain”
-The energy of this recording feels relentless, like the pelting of wave after wave of rain. The title of the piece feels perfect in that regard. I love how the song rolls from mood to mood, a bit like the way weather changes. Some of the phrases are like a story, while the main salvo of the track is definitely consistent and relentless, like the rainy season.

Alexander Carson – “Colour”
-We *rarely* include music with vocals in neoclassical, so when we do you know it’s good. In fact, this track is listed as folk, but we like it here for this list. The piano work is absolutely stunning, providing a beautiful bed of strings for the vocal to lay on top of. It’s lyrically complex, which allows the peaceful piano to soothe while you think about the words.

Thomas Hewitt Jones – “Clockwise”
-There’s probably some fancy orchestral term for the kind of movement you hear on this track, but in 10 years of symphonic band I never learned it. Here’s what I’ll call it; amazing. This is an amazing piece of neoclassical composition. It’s weird because this kind of track pumps me up as much as hard rock; the cinematic flair and sense of movement hits me deep.