Check out our playlist for music to accompany your rainy day. Classical music is full of storms – composers were often inspired by the drama of thunder and lightning and pouring rain. Some of this music explores different composers takes on storms – listen to Chopin’s light raindrops compared to Rossini’s ever-growing thunderstorm coming from the brass section. The rest of the music, like Ombra mai fù or the Elvira Madigan piano concerto, are just great pieces to play while you curl up with a kiddo and some snacks while waiting for the storm to pass.Â
Frederic Chopin – Prelude no.15 ‘Raindrop’
This is Chopin’s longest piano prelude. Listen to the constant drips of rain in the background (a repeated Aâ™) as they go from gentle to heavy throughout the piece.
Gioacchino Rossini – William Tell Overture: Storm
This is perhaps one of the most famous storms in classical music. You’ll hear it get closer and grow louder and then pass and fade away again.
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov – Scheherazade: Movement 3
This piece isn’t about stormy weather. It’s actually about a love story between a princess and a prince but this lovely music is perfect for cozy listening.
Johann Strauss – Thunder and Lightning Polka
Listen to the thunder coming from the timpani and crash cymbals throughout this piece.
Gioacchino Rossini – The Barber of Seville: Act II: No. 15, “Thunderstorm Music”
Another famous thunderstorm by Rossini on this list! Listen to the rain falling in the violins and flutes and the sudden explosion of the storm as the bass drums and low strings enter.
Georg Friedrich Handel – Xerxes: Ombra mai fù
This is a beautiful piece of music to listen to as you watch the rain splash off your windows.
Antonio Vivaldi – The Four Seasons: Summer
The summer movement from Vivaldi’s famous Four Seasons starts with birds flitting through the trees, but the scene quickly changes to a thunderstorm with fierce thunder, hail, and lightning.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Piano Concerto no. 21 ‘Elvira Madigan’: Movement 2
This dainty piano concerto is the perfect companion to a light rainfall.
Ludwig van Beethoven – Piano Sonata no. 14 ‘Moonlight Sonata’ : Movement 1
Another piece of music to act as the backdrop to an ominous storm.
Haydn – Symphony no. 39 ‘Tempesta di Mare’: Movement 3
Listen Haydn’s storm at sea and imagine steady raindrops and endless waves.
Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 6, ‘Pastoral’: Movement 4
Beethoven wrote this piece all about the countryside during a storm. Listen as the storm sounds slow to start until it is suddenly directly overhead with loud thunder crashes!