Classical music covers a wide range of styles and genres that evolved over many centuries. With such a vast repertoire, it’s no surprise that some classical pieces incorporate color terms like “blue” in their titles. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most famous and influential classical works that reference the word “blue.”
While blue often symbolizes sadness or melancholy in music and art, that’s not always the case. Composers have used “blue” in titles to evoke a wide range of moods and emotions. Looking at the history behind these pieces gives insight into what the color meant to their creators. Examining how classical composers used blue provides a window into their inspirations, aesthetics, and cultural contexts.
Famous Examples of “Blue” Titles
Here are some of the most prominent classical compositions with “blue” in the name:
Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin: Arguably the most famous classical work with “blue” in the title, this jazz-influenced piano showcase from 1924 evokes the excitement of 1920s New York City. Gershwin himself described the piece as “a musical kaleidoscope of America.” True to its name, it ranges from brooding blues melodies to exuberant, upbeat rhythms.
Blauer Reiter by Arnold Schoenberg: This 1911 piece for orchestra takes its name from a German expressionist art movement Schoenberg participated in known as The Blue Rider or Der Blaue Reiter. The atonal work reflects the rebellious, avant-garde spirit of this artistic circle.
Kinderszenen by Robert Schumann: The 13th movement of Schumann’s 1838 piano suite is titled “Child Falling Asleep” in German, but the English translation is often given as “Dreaming (Träumerei) in the Twilight.” The intimate piano miniature evokes a sleepy child’s fading, bluish thoughts at dusk.
Vltava by Bedřich Smetana: Also known by its German name Die Moldau, this 1874 work musically depicts the flow of the Vltava river through Bohemia. In the opening measures mimicking the river’s two small sources, wind instruments echo each other in quietly rushing scales said to reflect the “bluish” forest springs.
Concerto in Blue by George Gershwin: Written in 1925, this little-known 15 minute concerto for piano and orchestra got its descriptive color title from the composer himself. The bluesy melodies and innovative jazz-classical fusion capture 1920s American modernism.
Other Notable Examples
Many lesser-known classical pieces also incorporate “blue” in the title:
– Blue Hour by Frederick Delius
– A Night Piece (Blue) by Charles Tomlinson Griffes
– Into the Blue by Hannah Lash
– Blue Cathedral by Jennifer Higdon
– Blue…s by Jean Françaix
– Blue Horizon Variations by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich
– Moon Blue by Philip Glass
Blue Danube Waltz by Johann Strauss II: While the actual title just states “By the Beautiful Blue Danube,” the famous waltz conjures up images of imperial Vienna with its serene, rippling melodies. The blue river is symbolic of Austro-Hungarian elegance.
La Mer by Claude Debussy: The three symphonic sketches that make up this oceanic impressionist masterwork evoke glimmering blue-green waters through inventive orchestration and shimmering harmonies.
Blue Rondo à la Turk by Dave Brubeck: Combining jazz swing with a rondo structure recalling Mozart’s “Turkish” music, this witty 1956 instrumental reflects Brubeck’s blue mood during a challenging time in his career.
When the Blue of the Night by Bing Crosby: Originally written by Fred Ahlert with lyrics by Roy Turk in 1933, this popular song was recorded by various jazz and pop artists. Crosby’s smooth 1934 version showcases his signature crooning style.
Blues for Alice by Charlie Parker: Dedicated to Parker’s wife, this 1950 bebop standard highlights the saxophonist’s bluesy, bittersweet melodic gift. Its mood captures the melancholy realities of the jazz life.
Classical Compositions Referencing Blue Skies
Some famous classical pieces reference blue skies rather than using the direct color term:
– Blue Skies by Irving Berlin, sung by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and others
– Emperor Waltz by Johann Strauss II (referencing “blue Danube sky”)
– Where the Bee Sucks by Thomas Arne (lyrics from Shakespeare’s The Tempest: “On the bat’s back I do fly, After summer, merrily. Merrily, merrily, shall I live now, Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.”)
– Overture to The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart (lyrics: “If the sky should fall into the blue sea…”)
Musical Qualities Suggestive of Blue
Beyond concrete color terms, certain musical elements can evoke a “blue” mood or quality:
– Sad or melancholic minor keys
– Soulful blues scales and rhythms
– Lush, shimmering harmonies found in Impressionist music
– Smooth legato playing suggesting bluish hues
– Jazz and blues articulations like scoops, falls, and syncopation
– Restless chromaticism signaling inner turmoil
So while blue often expresses sadness in music, it can also portray a wide palette of moods reflecting water, night, spirituality, jazz, and more. Composers have long used the color blue, in all its nuanced shades, to encapsulate a certain sound world or feeling in their music.
Blue Periods in the Lives of Famous Composers
Many renowned composers went through “blue periods” in their careers that found musical outlet:
George Gershwin: The death of Gershwin’s friend and lyricist Buddy DeSylva plunged him into depression. Out of this blue funk came his jazz-tinged Concerto in F and Rhapsody in Blue.
Dmitri Shostakovich: The Soviet composer faced criticism and censorship that stifled his artistic voice. His brooding Symphony No. 14 gave outlet to his blue mood over stymied creativity.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Unable to find steady work in Paris, lonely and penniless, the young Mozart went through a somber period from which emerged his heartrending Symphony No. 25.
Ludwig van Beethoven: As deafness increasingly isolated him, Beethoven channeled dark and chaotic emotions into moody middle-period masterworks like his Appassionata Sonata.
Cultural Meanings of Blue
To better understand why classical composers were drawn to the color blue, it helps to examine what it symbolized in various cultures:
Western classical music:
– Blue often represents melancholy, gloom, or mourning
– Light ethereal blue suggests spirituality and heaven
– Dark stormy blue evokes chaos, madness, the sea
Jazz & blues:
– Blue connotes low spirits, anguish, and the blues genre itself
– But blue also signals the improvisatory spirit of jazz
Impressionist music:
– Soft blue/green tones portray shimmering waterscapes
– Blue is blurred and hazy, like the movement’s paintings
American music:
– Patriotic songs use “blue” to represent the United States
– Blues music arose from African-American sorrow and hardship
So composers reacted to blue in varied ways reflecting their cultural moment and personal psychology. But recurring emotional associations with blue are melancholy, spirituality, and unease.
Conclusion
In classical music, blue is more than just a color. Composers have long used “blue” symbolically in titles to represent moods ranging from mournful to exhilarating. By examining pieces with “blue” in their names, we gain insight into how composers translated this multifaceted color into music. From the ponderous blues of Beethoven to the shimmering Impressionism of Debussy, classical works employing blue create meaningful mind-pictures through artful sound. Just as blue takes many tints in the visual spectrum, it covers a wide emotional range in the classical repertoire.