For the past several days, the Nocturne (or Notturno) from Mendelssohn’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” has been in my head– specifically the opening theme played on the horns (youtube). There’s a mixture of sadness, resignation, hope, and resolve in those simple opening phrases. This is one of the few pieces for me where I can actually appreciate the horns for the subtle yet complex colors they’re capable of crafting out of their seemingly cold and metallic shells. Although I suppose context also plays an undeniable role in how I interpret the piece.