Listening Room: Mathis Rochat

The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra

If you’re in Britain there’s a fantastic piece you’ll likely already know, The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra by Benjamin Britten. It’s probably performed 15 times a year in every village across the UK, but there’s a reason for that. It’s brilliant. It perfectly introduces the capacities of the different sections of the orchestra, making it ideal for anyone starting to explore classical music.

The Carnival of the Animals

Another great piece for younger audiences is The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns. I think it’s really important to have visual elements when you’re just beginning to learn music. This piece does exactly that: it’s playful, fun, and helps children understand how each instrument can imitate the sound or behavior of different animals. It’s such an imaginative way to experience music for the first time.

Howard Griffiths

Recently, I had the pleasure of recording with Howard Griffiths, a British conductor who has written a series of award-winning children’s books. Each story he’s created connects beautifully with the classical world, whether through a specific instrument or the entire orchestra. Particular books I’d recommend are The Witch and the Maestro, The Orchestra Mice, and The Flying Orchestra. Each one offers a wonderful bridge between storytelling and music.

Johann Sebastian Bach

If you’re a little older and starting to take your playing more seriously, I can’t recommend Johann Sebastian Bach enough. His music is a cornerstone for every musician’s development. I’ve performed Bach countless times, and I can say with certainty that every single performance has been vital for my growth.

For violists, his six Suites for Cello have been skillfully transcribed, offering us a whole new repertoire to explore. Similarly, his Violin Sonatas and Partitas are essential to understanding Baroque music and can also be played on the viola. If I could recommend one piece for every young violinist to listen to, it would be Bach’s Chaconne, the final movement of Partita No. 2 in D Minor. It’s one of the longest and most challenging solo pieces ever written for the violin, and it’s nothing short of transformative.

Romantic Fantasy

Finally, I want to share a piece with an incredible backstory: Romantic Fantasy by Arthur Benjamin. Beyond just being a beautiful work, Benjamin’s life is truly inspiring. Born in Australia, he served as a pilot for Britain during the First World War. In 1918, he was shot down by Hermann Göring and spent the remaining months of the war in a prisoner-of-war camp.

It’s remarkable to listen to his music, imagine the life he led and question how he managed to create something so beautiful despite such hardship. For me, that’s a powerful lesson for any aspiring musician: music has the ability to transcend difficult moments and turn them into something meaningful.