Guidelines:
some gentle/walking movement – not all sustained. Maybe all pieces don’t need this, but the goal is to add a calm focused energy to the environment, and drone/sustained/beatless music doesn’t seem to do that
No words. It’s possible that wordless vocalise will work, but probably not – the human voice demands attention.
Pitch range – generally cello, acoustic guitar that’s not dancy or flamboyant – should be like a “calm” voice range – mostly
The ultimate goal is day-long playlists with specific moods at different times, so it’s possible that other kinds of music will work at other times. For now, though, I’m focusing on things with this kind of mood and feel. I would love input on slightly different moods or feels that also respect peoples’ need to focus.
Genres
some classical that isn’t overfamiliar, too compelling, too high in pitch, too urgent, too thickly instrumented can work
string quartets might be good
modern but not very atonal
some jazz, but gentle and melodic.
*** All examples and links still need to be checked/vetted, because I often haven’t listened all the way through. If there is a sudden increase in volume, pitch, or tempo, that needs to be noticed and noted.
example works (check for surprises in each work – I haven’t heard the entire piece usually):
Music for Cats – David Teie
Arvo Pärt- Spiegel im Spiegel for cello and harp
Symphony for eight – Philip Glass – Cello Octet Amsterdam – this is a “maybe” – might need something like this to keep things from being too uniform / becoming monotonous
Philip Glass, String Quartet No. 3 “Mishima”, VI
Eydís Evensen example Dagdraumur; Wandering I; Fyrir Mikael; Brotin; The Northern Sky
The Chopin piece at 22:19 here seems like a fit, and with a slightly increased energy.
Feels Like Home – improvised piano – is OK, including because it works. I think I often prefer more intentional, carefully constructed work, but maybe not always?
Ólafur Arnalds live from Hafursey, in Iceland for Cercle – I really like what I’ve heard of this.
Cercle music might be interesting to check out
This from Cercle’s Melodic playlist is promising. The rest of the playlist is worth checking.
Cercle’s entire Chill music playlist seems great. (still need to check everything though)
French Touch from Cercle – maybe? For some times/moods.
Dream playlist from Cercle – also maybe
Maybe Martia’s Muses / Fairy Forest
Asher Fulero has some interesting works.
The album “Interconnected” is what brought him to my attention. It’s intended as background music, but isn’t without structure and energy. “Swans in Flight,” “Cafe Regrette” seem good, and maybe “Ceremonial Library”.
On the other hand, in the same album, “Faultlines” feels too tense. “Sinister Cathedral” has a rhythmic pattern that is too distracting (but interesting for another use). “Forest Lullabye” is too high or plaintive, as is “Snowfall Butterflies”. “Glimpsing Infinity” is too sustained (tense?).
Fulero’s “Halo Refuser” is a bit “rock”, but might be good for starting to pull one’s focus out of work and start on, for example, moving toward making dinner and preparing for sleep, or preparing to go out, or do anything less flow-y. Changing state like that can be difficult, so finding music that can be part of a transition is awesome.
Fulero’s band playing “Hottentot” might be good for doing more physical activity, maybe in the morning. Some funk works for me, some doesn’t.
TV/Film music is sometimes good
example – but it’s important that the overall playlist not sound homogenous.
Terry Devine-King’s “Epic Voyage” could be great to pull out of intense focus at the end of the work day, or to wake up in the morning — actually, the two activities are similar.
YouTube compilation(s)
Philip Glass. The Complete Etudes, Book 1, … and/or The Hours
Anne Akiko Myers Tiny Desk Concert
Yann Tiersen – Penn Ar Roch – “neoclassical”?
From memory
Philip Glass could be good – repetitive, but in motion. I remember Glassworks and Glasspieces as being nice, but that was a while ago.
Brian Eno’s Music for Airports is an inspiration
Some things that don’t fit/work:
Ludovico Einaudi – at least this track and others I’ve heard.