10 classical pieces

(Editor's Note: No, this is seriously about classical music.)

Finals week means many different things to people. For some, it's the countdown to going home for winter or summer break; others see it as the week from Hell where there are papers, exams, projects, whatever, and about five each to get done in not a lot of time. For me, finals is the best opportunity I get to listen to classical music. I'm able to focus a lot better if I'm listening to strings and brass (although for whatever reason, I haven't applied this knowledge outside of the end of the semester). Not that I can't focus and listen to Foo Fighters or Explosions in the Sky at the same time...it's just that classical music creates the notion that I'm in a study-type atmosphere (as in, I own a study with shelves of books, mahogany-painted walls, and a globe on a table that I never use). So, without further ado...

1. Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture. V for Vendetta lovers, you know what I'm talking about here.

• Part 1
• Part 2

2. Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake. I don't know how, but I feel like I've heard every movement of this song at some point or another.

• Scene
• Waltz
• Dance of the Little Swans
• Introduction, Scene, and Dance No. 2
• Hungarian Dance
• Spanish Dance
• Neapolitan Dance
• Mazurka

3. Tchaikovsky - Romeo & Juliet. The chromatic scale in this piece....om nom nom.

4. Bach - Cello Suite No. 1 Prelude. I don't care how much I'm currently in love with Tchaikovsky...this piece is transcendent of literally all other classical music. The end.

5. Pachelbel - Canon. Like just imagine crafting a flawless study guide listening to this. Imagine doing anything listening to this! Automatic peace setting.

6. Aaron Copland - Fanfare for the Common Man. Two things make this not really classical. Dude doesn't get referred to by only his last name, and he was born in the 1900's (even if it was 1900). Regardless...try telling a story with this playing. Greatest feeling ever.

7. Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata. Literally as soon as I typed that out I pictured this piece being the music for a sex scene in an Inception-type movie where it's really slow and minor-sounding.

8. Carl Orff - O Fortuna. This piece will forever remind me of the ALMOST most epic moment of my entire life. Ask me about it some time.

Where it all happened.

9. Giachino Rossini - William Tell Overture. QUICK DO SOMETHING REALLY FAST AND EXCITEDLY!!!!

10. Jacques Offenbach - Le Galop Infernal. Despite part of this being my text message alert for a few months last year, this is just awesome. Probably not the best studying music, but I doubt the William Tell Overture is either. I'm not even really trying for good study music. This is just awesome classical stuff.