Dip Your Toe! October 2025
Autumn draws in, breezes grow brisker, and the woods grow still as creatures prepare for winter. This is my favorite season, perhaps it’s yours, too. Whether cozying up in a favorite sweater, watching over a simmering pot of soup or bubbling apple tart, or enjoying the fall colors, there's so much to love about this season of chilly nights, rosy cheeks, and curls of smoke emerging from chimneys.
This time of year, my musical tastes turn toward the rustic: simple, familiar melodies, sounds of mandolin and fiddle, music that might put you in mind of an autumn day in the country. I'm sharing some of my favorite selections to get you in the spirit of the fall season – perhaps you’ll find something to accompany your next fall baking project or road trip to the apple orchard or pumpkin patch. If you’re looking for a chance to enjoy a local performance or two, fear not – details about upcoming events are ahead, too!
The Grammy-nominated album Short Trip Home strikes a beautiful balance between classical chamber music and bluegrass, brought to you by some stellar musicians. Award-winners all, the instrumental quartet includes MacArthur Fellow and bassist Edgar Meyer, and beloved violinist Joshua Bell. They’re joined by mandolinist Sam Bush, a Bluegrass Hall of Famer, and Mike Marshall, a multi-instrumentalist and fixture in both bluegrass and jazz. The music on this disc is warm and tender, a beautiful blend of Americana comfort and Classical elegance. Here’s the title track from the album for you to enjoy – though I recommend a complete front-to-back listen for your next scenic fall drive.
If perhaps your tastes tend towards the keyboard, have a listen to this latest release from pianist Jacqueline Schwab, whose playing you can hear in many Ken Burns documentaries. In the album I Lift My Lamp, Schwab offers her interpretations of folk melodies from immigrant communities here in the United States. Her playing is clear and elegant, and you get the feeling that each note in her improvisations is carefully chosen, nothing out of place. Another candidate for a complete listen-through, this thoughtful collection of pieces makes for a perfect companion for a fall evening fireside. Here’s a traditional Scottish ballad from I Lift My Lamp, called “The Shieling in the Braes of Rannoch.”
Want to look a little further afield? Check out Wood Works, a collection of Nordic folk tunes arranged and performed by the Danish String Quartet. One of my favorite leisure listens year-round, the album is the result of four friends gathered in the Danish countryside putting these folk tunes together over the course of one week! From toe-tapping round dances to gentle marriage waltzes, this is an album that will keep you coming back for yet another listen – it’s music for keeping warm and cozy in the chilliest parts of the year. Check out the quartet performing live at NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Series, featuring pieces that also appear on Wood Works.
Some of my favorite musicians are those who defy musical boundaries; mandolinist Chris Thile finds boundaries unhelpful and much too limiting, for performers and audiences alike. Thile has collaborated with a variety of classical musicians from cellist Yo-Yo Ma to the Colorado Symphony, and there’s even been discussion of a collaboration with violinist Hilary Hahn. He’s also a founding member of the folk groups Nickel Creek and Punch Brothers, both of which have earned Grammy nominations and wins.
In 2013, Thile dipped his toe into the repertoire of Bach. His album Sonatas and Partitas Vol. 1 is a refreshing, intimate take on some of Bach’s works for the violin. The clarity and precision of the mandolin (and the mandolinist) bring new energy to pieces that are likely familiar to many classical listeners. If a new take on treasured favorites feels like something fun to explore, I encourage you to give the full album a listen, and if you like what you hear, I’ve got good news: Thile will be releasing a second Bach album in early November. This album feels especially rewarding to enjoy in quiet, uninterrupted solitude (if you manage to find it), where it’s just you and the sounds of Bach – perhaps alongside a lovely glass of wine or warm mug of local apple cider. Below is Chris Thile in a fugue featured on his Vol. 1 album. His lightness and clarity of touch blended with the elegance of Bach’s dance forms is hard to beat!
If you’re looking for an orchestral selection or two to add to your fall playlist, I can heartily recommend Connie Ellisor’s “Blackberry Winter,” a concerto for Appalachian dulcimer. The instrument first appeared in 19th century Scotch-Irish immigrant communities in the Appalachian Mountains, and it's featured beautifully in this piece. The Johnny Appleseed Suite of American composer and fiddler Mark O’Connor is another fun fall listen. Originally written to accompany a narrator sharing the story of the folk hero, the music traces Appleseed’s journey West across the frontier, sowing apple seeds and teaching others about apple cultivation. Cue it up on your next trip out to the orchard or pumpkin patch, especially if you have any backseat listeners!
There is perhaps no better way to enjoy music this fall than by seeking out live performances right here in Maine – we certainly have our pick.
The Camden-based Bay Chamber Concerts will be hosting the Maxwell Quartet, one of Britain’s finest young quartets, with deep roots in traditional Scottish repertoire. In addition to music by William Byrd and Franz Joseph Haydn, the quartet will be offering their arrangements of traditional Scottish folk dances in a concert at Bay Chamber on November 8.
Neil Pearlman is a Portland-based pianist who specializes in traditional music from the Celtic tradition - his original folk-infused works provide warm companionship to listeners. Pearlman's albums Refractions and Burden Lake (with violinist Kevin Henderson) can be enjoyed year-round, and he’ll be appearing in a special Halloween event at One Longfellow Square on October 31, an evening of music and spooky storytelling from the Celtic Isles.
As we turn towards November, I hope that this edition of Dip Your Toe brings some warmth and light to your fall days. Happy listening!