The September Equinox takes place on Monday, September 22nd at 2:29 a.m., GMT. From an astronomical point of view, it is the moment when the Sun crosses an imaginary line in the sky above the equator, as it moves from a mostly Northern illumination to a Southern exposure. From an earthling’s perspective, it marks the first day of fall and a moment when the number of daylight and nighttime hours are equal .

Modern-day Druids and pagans have claimed the September Equinox as a day of mystical renewal and reflection. They will gather at Stonehenge and other sites that they believe were used as astronomical calculators in olden times.

Music of the Planets and the Spheres

Even for non-Druids like me, there is something mystical about Earth’s shifting toward fall. That feeling led me on a search for musical selections on Classical Archives that impart a feeling of astronomical mystery. Although the following selections do not reference the Equinox per se, they convey something enigmatic that seems right at this time of year.

The Planets by Gustave Holst

The Planets is the piece that comes to mind first when music-lovers think about astronomical music. I have heard it many times, and you probably have too. But upon listening again recently, I was reminded of just what an excellent piece it really is, with masterful orchestrations, memorable themes, and well-etched depictions of the personalities of Pluto, Mars and the rest. It makes for a rewarding listening experience. Listen here on Classical Archives.

Night Ride and Sunrise by Jean Sibelius

This tone poem depicts a solitary nighttime ride across a frozen landscape. The mood, created by a repeating motif, is one of foreboding. Yet at the end of the ride, the edge of the solar disk appears over the horizon, the sun bursts into view, and the day begins. If you have not heard this piece, I urge you to listen. It is quite wonderful.

Symphony No. 3 “Planet Earth” by Johan De Meij

I think you will greatly enjoy this three-movement orchestral reflection on our planet by the contemporary Dutch composer Johan De Meij. Of all the pieces that I mention in today’s article, this one probably comes closest to capturing the mystery of the Equinox. If you listen here, I think you will agree.

Concerto for Percussion and Ensemble by James Wood

This 25-minute piece for percussion and wind instruments by the contemporary British composer James Wood is subtitled, “Two Men Meet, Each Presuming the Other to Be from a Distant Planet.” If you give it a listen, I think you will agree that it is not only otherworldly, but fun too.

Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss

When Strauss wrote this tone poem, he had no idea that it would one day be used in the sci-fi classic film “2001: A Space Odyssey.” But for many people, the opening of the piece has become the quintessential piece of “outer space” music. Listen here.

All that, and Film Music Too

I would be making a big omission if I didn’t list some of the many film scores that have been written for sci-fi movies over the years. I know that space aliens and UFOs don’t necessarily have to do with the Autumn Equinox, but these selections do fit into the “music of the spheres” theme of today’s article.

Outer-Space Music by John Williams

Williams wrote the scores for “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (listen to an excerpt here), “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” (listen here), and no fewer than three of the “Star Wars” films (listen here). It is wonderful music on every level.

Music from “Alien” by Jerry Goldsmith

This is wonderful, creepy music from a cult classic. Listen here