Classical music with unique titles

You may imagine that classical music is lined with solemn and lofty titles, but there are also works with unique titles that may make you scratch your head. In this issue, we feature classical pieces with such unusual titles.

1. "Bureaucratic Sonatina" by Erik Satie

The French genius Eric Satie left behind many unique titles, but "Bureaucratic Sonatina" is particularly unusual. The work is a musical representation of a day's work for a bureaucrat, almost ironic in its depiction of the paperwork involved in a bureaucratic organization. The monotonous, unaffected melody conveys to the listener both humor and irony at the same time.

Alexander Scriabin, "The Poem of Illness," Op.41

The Russian composer Scriabin left many works with a mysterious and unique worldview. The title of the piece, "Poem of Illness," suggests a somewhat morbid and anxious atmosphere, but the actual piece is full of delicate and fragile beauty. The extreme delicacy and nervousness expressed in this piece is truly typical of Scriabin.

Claude Debussy, Preludes, Vol. 1, No. 9, "Stupefied Serenade"

Each of Debussy's preludes has a poetic title, but this "Stalled Serenade" is a particularly imaginative piece. The flow of the music, which seems to have been abruptly interrupted for some reason, gives the listener room to freely imagine the story.

Charles-Valentin Alkan, "Funeral March - On the Death of a Parrot

French pianist and composer Alkan's works are known for being technical and difficult. His unusual work, "Funeral March - On the Death of a Parrot," which is said to have been written literally in memory of the death of his pet parrot, is a curious mix of tragic and funny.

5. D. Shostakovich, The Nose

Shostakovich's opera "The Nose" is based on a surreal short story by Nikolai Gogol. The music is comical and avant-garde, depicting a ridiculous story in which one day, one's nose suddenly escapes from one's face, and one's independence and social status are established.

The world of classical music is filled with many mysteriously titled works that are filled with the humor and personality of their composers. We invite you to listen to these pieces of music and enjoy the stories and sensibilities behind them.