Welcome to four and a half hours of glorious solo classical piano music designed to help you calm, relax, regroup, and refresh for the year ahead.
Registered Psychologist Greta Bradman has put together this playlist of calming piano music.
When neuro-psychiatrist Dr Galina Mindlin from the Brain Music Therapy Center in New York City and her team mapped brain waves and transcribed them into musical form, she did so in order to harness their properties to bring about calm and relaxation. When asked what brain waves sounded like once mapped out and transcribed in this way, Mindlin replied that they “sound like classical piano music.” And calm they provided.
In independent research, ophthalmologist Dr Jorge Camara found that classical piano music had a substantial calming effect on patients undergoing eye surgery; their blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate were all significantly lower and slower than patients who did not listen to classical piano music.
Indeed, there is a plethora of research from medicine, neuroscience, psychology and music therapy that shows certain classical music has a remarkable capacity to promote relaxation and post-operative healing and reduce the perception of pain. So much so that calming music can even reduce the need for sedation and pain relief pre- and post-operatively.
The research is not new and as Music for Wellbeing is delving into before it is abundant. Certainly the upswing in brain imaging research has led to a greater empirical appreciation of just how extraordinary classical music can be as a 100% natural remedy to bring calm and a sense of peace to a busy mind. And in Calm with Solo Piano you have over four hours of calming solo piano music especially chosen for you to bring relaxation into your world, your body, and your mind, any time you need.
One reflection from clinical practice, to remind you of a common inclination amongst us humans. We tend toward homeostasis or equilibrium between our thoughts and our feelings. When we’re stressed, we tend to go looking for mood-congruent music that keeps us on high alert; that or we retreat inwards and turn off the music altogether. Either way, we hunker down to keep a look-out for or fend off the metaphorical tiger (i.e., feeling of impending doom, or stress) lurking in the shadows of our mind. Once upon a time when there were real tigers lurking in the bushes nearby, continually scanning for tigery threats likely did keep us safe. But these days, our ‘tigers’ tend to be more ubiquitous objects of our mind – we imagine the tigers from our work, or our world beyond the present moment as though the tigers really are right there with us. In so doing, we don’t allow ourselves moments to unhook and our body a chance to unwind and relax. For the sake of avoiding burnout and problems associated with chronic stress, finding healthy ways of relaxing - stepping away from our tigers for a time – is really important. Calming music can help with this.
Classical solo piano music is known to bring about feelings of calm. It can help you shift towards a state of ‘rest and digest’. Your heartrate, blood pressure, and breathing rate can all lower and you may experience thoughts slowing and an ability to think more reflectively, strategically, constructively than when you are constantly scanning for threats. You’ll be less buffeted around by a sense of needing to fight or run from the tiger. Other avenues and aspects of the present moment will open up before you. Your decision making will be improved too. No matter where things are for you, what your age or situation, on this day, allow Calm with Solo Piano to help you decompress and just ‘be’ for a while. Whilst it may feel like a luxury, this is one of the greatest investments you can make towards the year ahead.
Greta Bradman is a soprano, Registered Psychologist and ABC Classic presenter.
Music for Wellbeing: Calm with Solo Piano playlist
Erik Satie: Gymnopédies for piano, No. 1
Stephanie McCallum (piano) [03:40]
Ernő Dohnányi: Pastorale (Hungarian Christmas Song)
Stephanie McCallum (piano) [06:24]
Ennio Morricone: Cinema Paradiso
Roger Woodward (piano) [02:36]
Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude in C major, BWV846, from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1
Michael Kieran Harvey (piano) [02:17]
Charlie Chaplin: A King in New York
Roger Woodward (piano) [03:07]
Peter Sculthorpe: Nocturne 1945
Tamara-Anna Cislowska (piano) [03:21]
Ludwig van Beethoven: Andante for piano in F major WoO 57, "Andante favori"
Gerard Willems (piano) [07:58]
Ludwig van Beethoven: Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 2, No. 1: II. Adagio
Gerard Willems (piano) [05:07]
Franz Schubert: Impromptu in G flat major, D 899, No. 3
Roger Woodward (piano) [06:25]
Frédéric Chopin: Nocturne for piano, No. 8 in D flat major, Op. 27/2, CT. 115
Ewa Kupiec (piano) [06:06]
Robert Schumann: Kinderszenen No. 7 ("Träumerei"), for piano, Op. 15/7
Stephanie McCallum (piano) [01:57]
Sergei Rachmaninov: Six moments musicaux, Op. 16: V. Andante sostenuto
Scott Davie (piano) [04:35]
Percy Grainger: The Sussex Mummers' Christmas Carol
Stephanie McCallum (piano) [02:10]
Franz Liszt: Au lac de Wallenstadt (At Wallenstadt Lake) from Years of Pilgrimage - First Year: Switzerland
Stephanie McCallum (piano) [03:24]
Johannes Brahms: Three Intermezzos, Op. 117: No. 1 in E flat major
Antony Gray (piano) [04:48]
Erik Satie: Gymnopédies for piano, No. 2
Stpehanie McCallum (piano) [03:10]
Elena Kats-Chernin: Waltz of Things Past
Tamara-Anna Cislowska (piano) [04:22]
Tan Dun: Eight Memories in Watercolour, Op. 1: VII. Floating Clouds
Anna Goldsworthy (piano) [02:05]
Claude Debussy: Préludes for piano, Book 1, L. 117: Des pas sur la neige (Footprints in the snow)
Duncan Gifford (piano) [03:46]
Maurice Ravel: Pavane pour une enfante défunte, for piano
John Chen (piano) [05:31]
Josef Suk: Idyll, Op. 7, No. 4
Roger Woodward (piano) [03:46]
Erik Satie: Gnossienne for piano, No. 4
Stephanie McCallum (piano) [04:10]
Ludwig van Beethoven: Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2, "Moonlight": I. Adagio sostenuto
Gerard Willems (piano) [06:41]
Frédéric Chopin: Nocturne for piano, No. 14 in F sharp minor, Op. 48/2, CT. 121
Ewa Kupiec (piano) [07:54]
Frederick Septimus Kelly: A Cycle of Lyrics, Op. 4: VI. Reminiscence
Tamara-Anna Cislowska (piano) [04:23]
Claude Debussy: Rêverie
Roger Woodward (piano) [04:02]
Elena Kats-Chernin: Blue Silence
Tamara-Anna Cislowska (piano) [07:58]
Ross Edwards: Sea Star Fantasy: I. Distant and dreamy
Bernadette Harvey (piano) [03:41]
Erik Satie: Gnossienne for piano, No. 2
Stephanie McCallum (piano) [01:45]
Claude Debussy: Suite bergamasque: III. Clair de lune (Moonlight)
John Chen (piano) [04:40]
Edvard Grieg: Lyric Pieces, Op. 54, No. 4: Notturno
Roger Woodward (piano) [03:43]
Felix Mendelssohn: On Wings of Song, Op. 34, No. 2
Roger Woodward (piano) [03:18]
Johannes Brahms: Fantasien (Fantasias), Op. 116: VI. Intermezzo in E major
Antony Gray (piano) [03:27]
Claude Debussy: Préludes for piano, Book 1, No. 8: La fille aux chevaux de lin (The Girl with the Flaxen Hair)
Roger Woodward (piano) [02:09]
Frederick Septimus Kelly: Monograph No. 5, for piano
Tamara-Anna Cislowska (piano) [01:44]
Ernest Chausson: Paysage, Op. 38
Stephanie McCallum (piano) [03:03]
Ludwig van Beethoven: Sonata No. 9 in E major, Op. 14, No. 1: II. Allegretto
Gerard Willems (piano) [03:30]
Johannes Brahms: Three Intermezzos, Op. 117: No. 1 in B flat major
Antony Gray (piano) [04:29]
Frédéric Chopin: Nocturne for piano, No. 9 in B major, Op. 32/1, CT. 116
Ewa Kupiec (piano) [04:57]
Erik Satie: Gymnopédies for piano, No. 3
Stephanie McCallum (piano) [02:59]
Elena Kats-Chernin: Autumn
Tamara-Anna Cislowska (piano) [03:29]
Frederick Septimus Kelly: Piano Sonata in F minor: Movement 2: Adagio
Tamara-Anna Cislowska (piano) [10:50]
Michael Nyman: The Piano
Roger Woodward (piano) [03:28]
Frederick Septimus Kelly: Monograph No. 6, for piano
Tamara-Anna Cislowska [01:44]
Erik Satie: Gnossienne for piano, No. 3
Stephanie McCallum (piano) [02:22]
Elena Kats-Chernin: Chorale
Tamara-Anna Cislowska [02:36]
Margaret Sutherland: Two Chorale Preludes: I. Herzliebster Jesu
David Lockett (piano) [02:40]
Franz Liszt: Weihnachtsbaum (Christmas Tree), S186: II. O heilige Nacht (O Holy Night)
Stephanie McCallum (piano) [04:11]
Franz Liszt: Weihnachtsbaum (Christmas Tree), S186: VI. Abendglocken (Evening Bells)
Stephanie McCallum (piano) [03:41]
Ross Edwards: A Flight of Sunbirds: IV. Poco Lento
Viney-Grinberg Piano Duo [01:26]
Arvo Pärt: Spiegel im Spiegel
Tamara-Anna Cislowska (piano) [08:02]
Sergei Rachmaninov: Morceaux de salon Op. 10: VI. Romance
Duncan Gifford (piano) [04:10]
Peter Sculthorpe: "Left Bank Waltz" from Two Easy Pieces
Tamara-Anna Cislowska (piano) [01:43]
Leonard Rosenman: East of Eden
Roger Woodward (piano) [02:23]
Frédéric Chopin: Nocturne for piano in C sharp minor (doubtful), KK Anh.la/6
Ewa Kupiec (piano) [05:02]
Erik Satie: Gnossienne for piano, No. 6
Stephanie McCallum (piano) [01:37]
Peter Sculthorpe: Little Passacaglia
Tamara-Anna Cislowska (piano) [02:54]
Frédéric Chopin: Nocturne for piano, No. 11 in G minor, Op. 37/1, CT. 118
Ewa Kupiec (piano) [05:29]
Josef Suk: Lullabies, Op. 33: I. Lullaby for Sleeping Children
Roger Woodward (piano) [04:04]
Ludwig van Beethoven: Sonata No. 13 in E flat major, Op. 27, No. 1: III. Adagio con espressione
Gerard Willems (piano) [03:27]
Felix Mendelssohn: Song without Words, Op. 30, No. 1
Roger Woodward (piano) [04:45]