Applalachia Waltz.
By Mark O’Conner. Performed by Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, and Mark O’Connor.

One of my all-time favorite pieces of music. I find it to be timeless and perfect. Mark O’Connor has come to be known as one of the great contemporary American composers and this is one of his masterpieces—perhaps the quintessential in my view. The way it overlaps itself and circles around its theme is genius, and wonderfully deceiving. All of the complexity of three distinct voices overlapping each other gets wrapped in, and indeed forms, a melody so pure that you can’t help but remember it, even if you can’t quite fully hum it to yourself. (For a gorgeous single-voiced interpretation, check out Yo-Yo Ma’s solo version of it on his “Classic Yo-Yo” album.)

So go put some headphones on, grab your morning coffee or tea, and do yourself a favor: Listen to this masterpiece a couple times all the way through. You will thank me.

(Note: for those with little or no actual musical taste: this is what the adults call “contemporary classical music”… you may find it unbearably “boring” and/or “uncool”. Tough beans. Give it a chance. I bet you’ll like it anyway.)