Now that we’re a few days into the new year, are you holding steady with your resolution? Here’s some classical music to help you as your determination begins to fade.

If your resolution is to exercise:

You may be familiar with the
Olympic Fanfare by John Williams, but it’s not the only piece of classical music written for the games. You, like so many athletes before you, may find inspiration from Michael Torke’s
Javelin, which was written in 1996 in honor of the Atlanta games
.

If your resolution is to eat healthy:

According to this article, music can affect your enjoyment of a meal. And we certainly enjoy helping you
pair your listening with food via our Cooking To The Classics feature. But if you’re missing rich holiday foods and want to increase your enjoyment of your meal, scientists cited in the Smithsonian article recommend soft classical music specifically. For example, the second movement of Edvard Grieg’s
Piano Concerto in A minor.

If your resolution is to quit smoking:

Things that can boost an irritable mood are suggested during this noble pursuit. We know of no more wholesome a mood lifter than Ogden Nash’s verses to Camille Saint-Saens’s collection,
The Carnival of the Animals.

If your resolution is to get your home organized:

Minimalism can be a good pairing with chores. Steve Reich’s Electric Counterpoint features guitarists you may know from outside of classical music, like Johnny Greenwood from Radiohead.

If your resolution is to save money:

Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Rondo e Cappriccio is also known as
Rage Over A Lost Penny. Certainly a frustrating thought when you’re trying to save and every little bit counts.

If your resolution is to take up a new hobby:

You can be inspired by Menahem Pressle – already an accomplished chamber music pianist, he made his Berlin Philharmonic debut this year at age 91. We hope it brings you as much joy as it clearly brings him in this video.

And if your resolution is to listen to more great music, we have you covered every day here on 91Classical.