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Classical 101

The Deep End: Beyond ‘Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun’

color photo of person reading a book on a hammock
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Debussy’s “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun” makes us want to curl up in a hammock with a good book.";s:3:

Maybe you’ve dipped your toe into classical music and liked it. Are you ready to venture a little deeper into the pool?

A number of years ago, I remember playing Debussy’s “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun” and commenting on air that it always made me want to curl up in a hammock under a sunbeam with a good book.

The reason I remember that off-hand comment is, a few days later, I got a call from a listener; all he could remember was, “that piece you said always makes you want to curl up in a hammock.” It was a good reminder that, for many people, it’s the way music makes them feel that they remember, not necessarily some musicological or historical tidbit.

So, if you like the way a piece makes you feel, how do you go about finding other pieces that will strike that same note (forgive the pun)? That’s where we come in. We spend lots of time with listeners, answering questions and making recommendations, and it’s one of the most enjoyable parts of this job.

With that in mind, I offer you a short list of pieces that may give you that same wonderful languid afternoon kind of feeling that Debussy so perfectly captures in his “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.”

Try out this playlist and let us know what you think. And feel free to offer your own suggestions.

Classical 101 Program Director Cheryl Dring moved to Columbus in 2016, having worked in public radio since college. With stops in Austin, Madison, Dayton, Sacramento, New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport, Louisiana, she has seen much of the country through the lens of public radio and local arts.
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