Belle Chen: Nature in Classical

The music in her playlist, Belle Chen tells Apple Music Classical, showcases the natural world’s breadth and depth, whether conjuring forests, vast oceans, snowstorms or gentle rain. “Nature is so intrinsically linked to our lives,” says the pianist, “and I’ve always had a curiosity for the multitude of ways that nature has inspired classical composers over time.” Chen has a close relationship with many of the piano pieces on her playlist, including Liszt’s uplifting Waldesrauschen, Sibelius’ beautiful miniature The Spruce and Ravel’s “Une Barque Sur l’Ocean” from Miroirs, heard here in his orchestral arrangement of the original piano version. “Ravel was a composer able to make a single piano sound like a full orchestra,” says Chen. “I always loved studying his piano scores, then listening to the orchestral versions to learn how he was able to evoke such colours and textures on the piano.” We move to Italy, and Respighi’s vibrant orchestral portrait of Rome’s iconic pine trees. “The Pines of the Janiculum” depicts the moon shining on the pines of the city’s Janiculan Hill. Towards the end, we hear an actual nightingale singing—heard from a recording specified by Respighi. Germany’s less predictable climate is captured by Beethoven in his Symphony No. 6 “Pastoral”. “I first heard the Pastoral as a child,” explains Chen, “and I’ve always remembered being frightened by the thunderous timpani. This is a movement that conjures up that feeling of awe we feel when faced with the power of nature.”