Year of Wonder: Classical Music for Everyday (Part 1)

Sounds classy to me Biblio.
I enjoyed this too. I like Handel.

I liked the Handel. It makes me feel rather classy having it on in the background, as if I should be arranging flowers and gliding around in a silk dress .

Tornami a Vagheggiar from 'Alcina': Handel

After hearing this piece performed for the first time, Handel's neighbour wrote; ' I think it's the best he has ever made...I have not words to describe it'.
I would describe it as a cheerful, catchy tune that is easy to hum along to.

Metamorphosen: Strauss - Didn’t think I was going to like this but ended up really liking it. Made me think of 1940s films.
Tannhauser Overture - Didn’t mind this but it won’t be on my favourites.
Frülingslaube - Schubert - I liked the tune but couldn’t find a version I liked particularly.
Chopin - Piano Concerto Wasn’t keen.

Just catching up. Been a bit busy the last week or so but have an afternoon to catch up.

Les Printemps - Darius Milhaud Grew on me, very pretty.
La Macarenita - I like it (Kylie).
Mozart Piano Concerto - I’ve not been a fan of any of the Mozart we’ve heard so far but I really did like this a lot and thought it was beautiful and elegant.
Ginastera This is also lovely and a bit melancholic in parts.

Piano Concerto no. 2 (larghetto): Chopin

This is our third piano concerto this month and they are all different in character. This one is gentle and expressive with some passionate outbursts. It does seem like a love letter when you think about it.
Poor Chopin, he died young at thirty-nine.

Wasn't keen on either the Strauss or the Wagner pieces, but loved the Schubert today, so nice!

Fruhlingsglaube D 686: Schubert

I'm not hugely interested in Lieder, but I thought this was rather lovely.

Tannhäuser Overture: Wagner

I played this years ago, so I enjoyed listening to it today. The only pieces by Wagner that I know are this one and the MeisterSinger overture from earlier this year. They are both pleasant to listen to, but they won't be contenders for the favourites list.

Metamorphosen: R. Strauss

It took me a few attempts to listen to this. I found it rather hard going, I must confess. The contrapuntal texture of the first section made me feel like I was wading through treacle, although I liked the solo lines in the violin and cello which gives interest to the orchestration and lightens it up a little bit. I preferred the more simple, pared back second half. The opening and especially the ending of the piece are lovely.

However, I prefer Richter and 'The Blue Notebooks' that we listened to previously as a piece with a similar intention, so it's unlikely I'll go back to this.

Little update. The Chilcott I wasn't bothered about. I liked the melody (definitely shades of Kylie which can't be a bad thing!) but not the arrangement. I should check out different versions.

The Mozart Same as always for me. Nothing to love, nothing to dislike. My ears weren't sophisticated enough to detect the present of a third piano. Perhaps if they were I might have admired it more?

The Ginastera I liked very much. Agree very dreamlike, hard to pin down a structure, but not in a self-consciously tricky way.

Today's piece is Metamorphosen by Richard Strauss. This was interesting. I liked the shifts between the more flowing major key sections in the middle and the more elegiac opening and ending. I found the orchestration quite unusual - there are so many different lines and counterpoints. I wonder why, given this, he didn't score for a full orchestra? I felt like I wanted a French Horn or two at least .

Yes, the Ginestera was rather dream-like.
I can't get you out of my head

Liked the Milhaud though not especially memorable.

Really enjoyed the Chilcott though there were moments I thought it reminded me of Kylie’s ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’ 😂

Mozart Pleasant enough! Maybe I should try the slower one as you say IsFuzzy - I don’t use the Spotify list.

Ginastera - I liked this, couldn’t fully get a handle on it but it was a bit dreamlike I thought

Didn't really float my boat. I don't love the piano.

Tres Piezas, Op 6,1: 'Cuyana': Ginastera

This is an interesting one. Clemency uses 'meandering' in her description which I agree with. It seems to set off in a particular direction, stop in its tracks and set off again. It probably won't be on my favourites list, but I appreciate it all the same. I think there are some lovely moments in it.

Concerto for Three Pianos in F Major: Mozart

One piano is good. Three pianos is really good!
Actually, I have to admit that I wouldn't have spotted that, but this is a very pleasant piece to listen to.

I've just noticed that the wrong movement is on the Spotify list. Clemency is talking about the first movement (Allegro) and the one on Spotify is the slow one (Adagio).

This is classic Mozart; very articulate, very elegant, very poised. There is a gentleness to the slow movement which I thought was lovely. I prefer this movement to the first one.

I suppose I may as well listen to the third movement now and finish it off!

Yesterday and today - nice enough, didn't find them memorable.

Really enjoyed today's piece, so refreshing

La Macarenita: arr. Bob Chilcott

I really like this. It's very sweet and charming. I love the ending; it's snappy! I like to take a trip outside the classical music scene and delve into folk or jazz. It's refreshing.

This piece by Milhaud is fresh, bright and interesting. Modern in a good way. I really like it.

today's choice is Printemps by Darius Milhaud.
I really liked this. The violin melody reminded me a lot of The Lark Ascending which IMO is a good thing. I thought it had a similar folk-ish, pastoral vibe, gentle yet soaring. I don't think I've heard of Milhaud before, so will definitely explore more of his stuff.

love the typo, TheTurn!

The Prokofiev symphony from last month is a parody of this kind of classical symphony and if you listen to it, it would definitely remind you of today's.

era, not ear

the Haydn for me was just a bit classical by numbers I'm afraid. nothing offensive but entirely unmemorable.

Preferred the Gershwin - I like a lot of the jazz-influenced stuff of this ear.

The Copeland did nothing for me.
Haydn - felt very measured and ‘correct’ if that makes sense. But pleasant to listen to.
Gershwin - Im familiar with this one, often play this for DD when she wants something to dance to and I can’t face another round of sleeping bunnies or incy wincy spider - she’s a fan too!