Pastoral Music

I'm sure all of you who are reading this thread have journeyed into the beautiful, wild, green glory of our planet. You've seen the idle brooks flowing down the hills and heard the lazy birds singing on tree tops. The experience of observing grass swaying ever so gently on a sun-drenched hill works within us as human beings. Air washing across our faces as we step into the bright and cool summer air on a meadow is a common experience. My question, here, is to ask whether any of you can think of music (of any sort) that reminds you, psychologically or symbolically, of those feelings. Put, in your mind, the deepest imagination of your perfect country-side paradise, and think hard on what music puts those thoughts into expression.

A few famous pieces come to mind, but I am trying to get past those and find less well-known ones. Don't be afraid to post game music or other music from cartoons; as long as your contribution reminds you of happy summer days in the fields, or springtime walks in the forests, it fits in! This is very dear to me, as pastoral music gives me such joy!

I. Franz Liszt's "Pastorale" from "The Years of Pilgrimage", depicting the high fields of Switzerland



II. Franz Liszt's "Au bord d'une source" from "The Years of Pilgrimage", depicting the source of a small river high in the Alps during summer (he was very specific about these things):



III. Franz Liszt's "Au lac de Wallenstadt" from "The Years of Pilgrimage", depicting the lightly-flowing lake near the German border.



Any more ideas?

Hmmmm, nice idea for a thread. Now although I am a big fan of classical music, they do not give me a "pastoral" feeling. THeir palce is much different.

However certain folk songs do that pretty well. Especially this one:



this is a very special piece for me, even though I do not speak or understand Kurdish. But whenever I listen to this piece, I feel like running in the half drought mountains of the southeast of Turkey. I can not explain this, I just want to run as if I in the end I'll change the freaking world.
The best way I can describe you this is...ummm...imagine the atmosphere(music-geography) of the Parthians in vanilla Rome Total War. The area I feel in is, something like that.

Heinz Ignaz von Biber - Sonata Representativa suite, 1669. This Austrian is one of the best pre-classical composers, and one of my all time favourites.

Not the best sound however and maybe not the best interpretation but it's all I've found



Christian Sinding - Rustle of spring

Whenever I listen to chants, whether they be in Greek, Serbian, Russian, or Romanian, I feel like I'm journeying through the mountains of Thrace. Me, my garb, and a staff.

I've never thought of church hymns as giving me any imagery other than Heaven. It's rather difficult to imagine any emerald fields or shimmering, sapphire lakes therein! I'll give it a try...

Ah, now Sinding's "Rustle" is really something. If you were to examine the sheet music of most music that gives a "pastoral", "rustic", "outdoors" feeling, you would find that most of it is in compound (or simple) triple movement; 6/8 or 3/4, that is, or perhaps even 12/8. There's something about the lilting quality of the dance rhythms which can also translate easily into lambs in the field. Such beauty we are capable of!