Deeply moving music sometimes tells a harrowing narrative, has a long backstory, speaks from the depths of depression, or is woven with deep philosophical thought. But sometimes the best stuff requires no explanation – like the haunting Valse Triste. Thank you, Jean Sibelius. Why speak words when you can communicate like this?

Yesterday, parents over the world celebrated the start of the school year (while teachers mourned). How about another school-themed overture?

The School for Scandal is an 18th century English play, which foreshadows BBC costume comedies and all their predictable characters. There isn’t exactly a school in the play; however, Samuel Barber wrote an overture for it while he was still a student – he was a mere 21 years old. Not bad for a college project! It has since remained one of his most-popular and most-performed works.

Labor Day has come and gone. This is a time of great celebration to those of us with school-aged kids … because we can finally be rid of them again. School’s in!

Johannes Brahms was awarded an honorary doctorate degree when he was 47; as a “thank-you”, he composed the Academic Festival Overture. By using a number of popular college songs, Brahms captures all the important elements of university learning – beer, wine, and hazing rituals.