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.

Generally speaking, people dislike high-pitches (sirens, alarms, etc.), but really like low pitches (hence, the car that drives down your street at 2am with booming bass speakers.)

Ottorino Respighi wrote a series of pieces based on pine trees around Rome (it sounds strange, but it’s true.) The second movement of this piece depicts pines near a lonely catacomb. The descent into the deep, dark, subterranean grave is musically painted with some deep rumbling bass – provided by the bass instruments, of course, but especially by the lowest pipes of the organ.

Because, you know, I’m all about that bass …