Schumann on a Rainy Day

Claude Monet, “Cliffs at Pourville.” Source: Wikipaintings.

It’s a rainy Wednesday afternoon here on Wellesley and your delinquent ARTsee blogger is enjoying the sounds of the “Classical Music for a Rainy Day” playlist as she works. There’s something about a symphonic sound or a lyrical sonata that makes the grey drizzle bearable, pleasant even, for the average rain-despiser. Personally, I’m fond of the rain, as it reminds me of England and cozy afternoons with a Dorothy L. Sayers mystery on the couch, so the addition of classical music makes the rain almost divine.

Next week, rain or shine, Wellesley will be hosting “Songs of Schubert and Schumann” at 12.30pm in the Jewett Arts Auditorium. The fantastic faculty-led concert promises to feature old favorites as well as new discoveries, for those of us who tend to confuse Schubert and Schumann but are too embarrassed to say so.

Until then, here’s some music to fill your afternoon: a bit of Schubert (Impromptu in G minor), a bit of Schumann (Horowitz doing Kinderszenen) and a bit of rainy day Chopin (Opus 28, No. 15: Raindrops), just because.