Classically Speaking

In honor of the “dog days” of summer, I recently posted a list of canine-themed classical music. Even though we lack a season named for cats, it seems only fair to focus on some catty classics as well. 

Gato y Malambo (Hector Ayala)

“El Gato” (The Cat) is an Argentine dance. Several composers have written music suited for this dance, including Hector Ayala.  Guitarist David Russell recorded this “Gato” on his album Sonidas Latinas. You can hear him play and discuss this music in an interview from April on NPR.

“I Bought Me a Cat” – from Old American Songs (Aaron Copland)

This folk song, set by Aaron Copland, starts with a cat, but soon moves on to other forms of life – a goose, a hen, and a wife. Copland also wrote “Cat and Mouse,” which is a favorite of many young piano students.  Here’s a recording with the composer at the piano: 

The Cat’s Lullabies (Igor Stravinsky)

Stravinsky wrote these pieces, for voice and three clarinets, for the cats that he kept during his years in California. Stravinsky’s cats were named Pancho, Vassily Vassilyevitch Lechin (Vaska, for short), and Celeste. I’ve also read that he kept many other animals besides cats, including chickens, cockatoos, lovebirds, and a parrot.

In Memory of Two Cats and Mandoodles (John Tavener)

John Tavener, composer of many mystic choral pieces, has written several piano miniatures dedicated to the memory of his cats. The title Mandoodles is derived from one cat’s name, “Mandu.” 

Duetto buffo di due gatti [Comic Duet for Two Cats] (Giacchino Rossini)

Rossini’s operas were so successful that he was able to retire early from composing. He spent the rest of his life living (and eating) well. He did write some music during his retirement, which he referred to as the sins of his old age. One of these was supposedly a duet for two women singing as cats (the attribution of this duet is not certain). You can hear an orchestrated version of this song in the video below: 

That’s all I can think of right now, except for a “Chopin for Cats” CD that Radio Chopin found in their recent Chopin Shopping spree, but it seems unlikely that Chopin wrote his preludes to “stimulate your pet’s senses.”

Do you have anything to add to this list? I'd love to hear from you in the comments.