It Might As Well Be Spring at Classical California

And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair

-Khalil Gibran If you've been feeling as restless as a willow in a windstorm, there is a very good reason! Painters, playwrights, poets, composers, radio announcers.....all these creatives long to coalesce the intoxicating magic of springtime into their work.

Ostara, Vernal Equinox, La Primavera, etc.; all these terms signify the cyclical return of the sun and mark the astronomical start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. In 2026, astronomical Spring arrives on Friday, March 20 at 10:46 a.m. Pacific Time. It is a day when the Sun crosses the celestial equator, resulting in nearly equal amounts of day and night worldwide. It is widely celebrated as a time of renewal, with festivals like Easter, Passover, and Nowruz, and is recognized in Japan as a public holiday dedicated to nature. Here is a starry-eyed and vaguely discontented playlist to help you celebrate!

Running waves, flowing air, shining stars, quiet earth are images set to music by John Rutter in his Gaelic Blessing.

Although the "spring" in Aaron Copland's ballet for Martha Graham refers to a water source instead of a season, it has become an anthem for the rebirth and reawakening of the American landscape.

Simple Gifts: The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center at Shaker Village was filmed in the heart of rural America. The concert celebrates American music at the site of a once-flourishing vibrant Shaker community. It all culminates in Copland's iconic Appalachian Spring.

Oscar nominated Max Richter immerses us in the sound world of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, accompanied by violinist Elena Urioste and the musicians of Chineke! Orchestra.

After being banned in 1952 because of his alleged communist sympathies, Charlie Chaplin's comedy-drama of second chances got a rebirth in Los Angeles in 1972, and was a nominee at the 45^th Academy Awards.

Charlie Chaplin's Spring song from Limelight

The Greek word, vernalagnia (politely translated as "spring fever") came to life on the theatrical stage in 2006!

Based on Frank Wedekind's play of the same name, Spring Awakening depicts a dozen young people making their way through the thrilling, complicated, and mysterious time of sexual awakening. The musical features music by Duncan Sheik and a book and lyrics by Steven Sater.

Here's the London cast of Spring Awakening performing Purple Summer at the Olivier Awards in 2022

There's no prescription to cure you from the fever cooked up by Nina Simone's take on this Rodgers and Hammerstein classic from State Fair.

And since Spring seems like the perfect time to try something new, invite your best friends to your backyard for some classical-adjacent music making like Jacob Collier's version of George Harrison's Here Comes The Sun.

If you have some favorite Springtime traditions, especially if they involve music, please leave them in the comments!Here's to brighter days ahead!