Fall is my favorite time of year. The cooler weather, the colorful leaves, the smell of decomposing leaves (seriously, I like that), and of course, pumpkin spiced everything (not a fan …)

Asa composer, Ottorino Respighi isn’t exactly a one-hit-wonder – instead, more of a three-hit-wonder. He wrote three orchestral suites, all based on Rome – The Pines of Rome, The Fountains of Rome, and Roman Festivals. One of the festivals that he paints with music is called “The Harvest of October.” In it you can hear horn calls, signaling a festive hunt; later, a mandolin plays a folk melody, painting peasants working to bring in the last harvest; the piece ends with the exhausted festival goers slipping off into a lovely, quiet sleep.

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.