# Magical Atmosphere Music



## schuberkovich (Apr 7, 2013)

A recent post on current listening reminded me of a piece which I used to adore - the ballet suite from "The Perfect Fool" by Holst and listening to it again, I was blown away. 
My favourite part is called "Dance of Spirits of Water" and I was struck by how magical the music is - it instantly conjured up images of swamps, nymphs, fairies etc.




Does anyone know of any similar music?


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## ahammel (Oct 10, 2012)

Well, it's modal. It reminds me a bit of the passacaglia from Ravel's piano trio. For magical atmophere in general, maybe the _Prelude de l'apres-midi d'un faun_, or _Daphnis et Chloé_ (the actual afternoon of a faun).

The Magic Fire Music from various bits of the _Ring_ cycle is some slightly more literal "magical atmosphere music".


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## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

Very magical indeed. I have never heard of this before, so thanks for sharing!

I agree with ahammel about Afternoon of a faun: also magical, as is Debussy's "Reflection on the water." He was very much the master of magic. 

I discovered Bartok when I was in my teens, and I remember lying awake late at night, listening to the second movement from his second piano concerto while looking out the window at the stars, completely enraptured. Same thing happens with some of his other bits of "night music." 

I think that at least for western ears, music that has a certain exotic quality has magic to it, hence our infatuation with modal music, and some kinds of Russian music (composers like Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov and Khatchaturian also sometimes do it for me in a big way).

More humbly, I have a beautiful piece on CD, a concerto for recorder titled "Moonchild's Dream," by Thomas Koppel. Very magical!

And closer to the world of popular music, I very much like some of the work of Vangelis (yes, I know: now no one will take me seriously anymore). Particularly one of his more obscure CDs, titled "Soil Festivities." 

Speaking of modal music, I am a great fan of much of medieval music. Especially the less well known folk and dance music of the time.


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## Norse (May 10, 2010)




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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

This is a video I used when playing this piece on my violin. Both Gluck's melody & the Lake District scenery I find magical.


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## Norse (May 10, 2010)

The first of Tveitt's Hardanger Tunes, op.151


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

For literal illustrative / evocative, try Wagner's Forest Murmurs, an interlude from the opera Siegfried.





Ravel ~ The outdoors forest scene in L'enfant et les Sortileges





In a very different and less literal vein:
Charles Ives:
The Unanswered Question




The Pond


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## DrKilroy (Sep 29, 2012)

I guess that Sorcerer's Apprentice doesn't count? 

You might like Adams' Tromba Lontana, though it is not at all related to any hocus-pocus. 






Best regards, Dr


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## schuberkovich (Apr 7, 2013)

Wow, thanks for all the great suggestions!
I think that the l'Enfant et les Sortileges scene and the Sibelius are especially magical.
I forgot to add some suggestions of my own - an obvious one, "Ondine" from Gaspard de la Nuit - but also the Rite of Spring. In some of the more tender moments the music truly seems to take you into a magical world.
The very beginning of the Sibelius violin concerto, as the violin enters the D minor chord with a G natural, has similar effects.


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## LordBlackudder (Nov 13, 2010)




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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

When I'm in a fey mood I turn to the Debussy Three Nocturnes. Very magical to me.

And also just about anything by Hovhaness

I don't think anyone can surpass Holst for magic though.


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## schuberkovich (Apr 7, 2013)

Weston said:


> When I'm in a fey mood I turn to the Debussy Three Nocturnes. Very magical to me.
> 
> And also just about anything by Hovhaness
> 
> I don't think anyone can surpass Holst for magic though.


Do you have any recommendation for other Holst music? All I know are the Planets (duh), the St Paul's Suite and the Perfect Fool.


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## Guest (May 14, 2013)

A different atmosphere, a different magic :
1) Bernard *PARMEGIANI*, _De Natura Sonorum_;
2) Bernard *PARMEGIANI*, _La Création du Monde_.


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## GGluek (Dec 11, 2011)

Mendelsswoihn's Overture "A Midsummer Night's Dream" almost perfectly conveys the atmosphere of the play.


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## schuberkovich (Apr 7, 2013)

That's another one I forgot! Those long flutey notes always send shivers down my spine


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Ebullient "Spring Music"
Darius Milhaud ~ Chamber Symphony No. 1





Ebullient "Summer Music"
Arthur Honegger ~ Pastorale d'ete





Evocative Hot 'n' Muggy Summer Music
Samuel Barber ~ Summer Music









I'll leave what _evocative of_ to the listener for this one...
John Adams ~ Common Tones in Simple Time


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## schuberkovich (Apr 7, 2013)

The Barber is evocative of "hot n muggy summer music" but the piece that feels to me most like heat and humidity is Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. I am not familiar with the opera, only the symphonic picture but just from the opening Cor Anglais solo I start to feel a bit sweaty. 





Edit: that Milhaud is certainly ebullient, but it doesn't feel like spring to me


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

schuberkovich said:


> Do you have any recommendation for other Holst music? All I know are the Planets (duh), the St Paul's Suite and the Perfect Fool.


I'm not a Holst expert by any means. I've got some of his music, but I understand he didn't write a lot. Some of it is band music, like this Moorside Suite. Not what I would call magical exactly.

But his *Invocation for cello and orchestra* I think is hauntingly beautiful.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Sibelius' 3rd symphony, second movement comes to mind





As does Yoshimatsu's 4th symphony





As does Takemitsu "A Flock Descends into a Pentagonal Garden





And "From Me Flows What You Call Time"





A lot of Morton Feldman has sort of a "magical atmosphere" effect, like "Crippled Symmetry"





The opening of "Lulu Suite" by Berg sounds very magical to me


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## DrKilroy (Sep 29, 2012)

You might also try Bax's November Woods:






Best regards, Dr


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

schuberkovich said:


> The Barber is evocative of "hot n muggy summer music" but the piece that feels to me most like heat and humidity is Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. I am not familiar with the opera, only the symphonic picture but just from the opening Cor Anglais solo I start to feel a bit sweaty.


If you want to feel the heat I suggest:


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## Skilmarilion (Apr 6, 2013)

Grieg's _Anitra's dance_ from Peer Gynt always conjures up a feeling of 'magic' for me.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

This one is quite well known I guess:


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Luciano Berio ~ Concertino





Morton Feldman ~ Piano and String Quartet





... and others by Yoshimatsu, (prompted by Violadude's post) 
Symphony No. 5, 3rd movement.





Threnody to Toki (his last piece using serial technique before he shifted to his more current style -- gorgeous)


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

PetrB said:


> Luciano Berio ~ Concertino
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You folks are going to bankrupt me. At least the Berio didn't urgently hook me because I'm not fond of clarinet.


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## Kleinzeit (May 15, 2013)




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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

TalkingHead said:


> A different atmosphere, a different magic :
> 1) Bernard *PARMEGIANI*, _De Natura Sonorum_;
> 2) Bernard *PARMEGIANI*, _La Création du Monde_.


He was a big cheese I hear.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Wagner's "Magic Fire Music" certainly lives up to its title.


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