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

990 replies

MamaNewtNewt · 04/01/2022 15:50

This thread is for the 50 bookers (or in fact anyone else who wants to join in!) who are reading Year of Wonder: Classical Music for Everyday by Clemency Burton-Hill.

The author has selected one piece of music for each day in the year, and includes a brief overview of the piece and the composer to provide some context. There's a playlist on Spotify and we can share links to each piece of music for those without access to Spotify.

I think most of us are planning on (roughly) sticking to the daily setup but feel free to read / listen ahead although the discussions are likely to stay around the music for the current date.

Thanks to @TheTurn0fTheScrew for bringing this book to our attention on the thread. Really looking forward to hearing everyone's thoughts.

OP posts:
BestIsWest · 18/01/2022 13:25

Gorgeous, I loved it. I got a shiver down my spine when the men came in on their own. I love those deep bass? Baritone? voices.
Definitely preferring the vocal pieces so far, followed by cello.

TheTurn0fTheScrew · 18/01/2022 10:00

just catching up on yesterday's.
I thought it was fine, nothing special, a bit Baroque by numbers. I do love a bit of oboe, but didn't think the piece showed it off as well as it might.

Original poster
MamaNewtNewt · 18/01/2022 09:59

I totally agree, very soothing. I wasn't as keen when the men were singing on their own but that's a minor part.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 18/01/2022 09:29

Morten Lauridsen: Chanson des Roses, no. 5. This is beautiful, I love it. It's like a balm for the soul, it's so soothing. If I make a playlist of favourites from these pieces, this will be on it.

Cherryana · 17/01/2022 21:30

Usually I just think I like it not. I have never thought about it before but I am really enjoying the experience too.

I thought that todays one made me think of summer and green fields too! It also made me feel like I was being washing in cool refreshing water!

I got the right day today as well 😉

Original poster
MamaNewtNewt · 17/01/2022 20:24

I wasn't keen on todays but I think that was more to do with the oboe than the tune.

OP posts:
BestIsWest · 17/01/2022 11:45

I feel the same way WhippetWoman I have nothing to say about todays except that I enjoyed it. I’m enjoying the process though.

whippetwoman · 17/01/2022 11:02

I agree the Albinoni is lovely and I will listen again. It's exactly the kind of music I like. I surprised myself by quite liking the Puccini but unfortunately didn't take to the Scriabin and just couldn't get on with the Messiaen at all although I really did do my best to listen carefully. The story behind the piece is haunting and I would like to know more.

I am enjoying this process but feel like such an amateur with it all and rarely have anything intelligent to say about the music other than I enjoyed it, or didn't. Perhaps this will improve!

IsFuzzyBeagMise · 17/01/2022 10:17

Albinoni: Oboe Concerto. I love it. It's a gorgeous piece of music. It makes me feel instantly relaxed; it's so calm and serene.

soyabean · 17/01/2022 09:59

I agree the Scriabin was nice to listen to but hasn’t made any real impression on me. The Albinoni is gorgeous. Will listen to more of his music today.
Thank you so much for this thread and the book recommendation. I can tell it will be what I think of when I remember these days at home recovering from covid!

AliasGrape · 17/01/2022 09:04

I enjoyed yesterday’s Scriabin piece, but I had to listen to it again this morning as I couldn’t remember much about it.

The oboe piece today was beautiful, I really enjoyed it. It made me think of springtime and the countryside and lots of lovely pastoral images, but that may just have been because the notes mentioned shepherds Grin

TheTurn0fTheScrew · 16/01/2022 22:19

Not a fan of today's especially. Nothing Wrong with it, but didn't find it sparked joy, or indeed any other emotional response.

BestIsWest · 16/01/2022 15:10

Todays was ok, quite enjoyed but didn’t really leave me wanting more.

IsFuzzyBeagMise · 16/01/2022 11:22

Definitely, TheTurn0fTheScrew. It certainly does.

TheTurn0fTheScrew · 16/01/2022 10:53

I'm just catching up with the Messaien from yesterday. I knew the story of this piece from Suzy Klein's brilliant series Tunes for Tyrants, which I would totally recommend if it's still on iPlayer.

It's good to be reminded of how beautiful and tragic this is. I left it until today when I knew I would have some time alone to concentrate properly and absorb it. One that stops you in your tracks, particularly the long crescendo about 2/3rds of the way in. The resolution at the end feels like a tiny glimmer of hope.

IsFuzzyBeagMise · 16/01/2022 10:43

Scriabin: Étude in C-Sharp Minor. I like this a lot. It's sad, tender, profound. It's a piece that would grow on you over time.
I'm missing the usual background information from the notes, however, and now I really want a glass of red wine because I'm doing dry January Smile

AliasGrape · 16/01/2022 00:35

[quote Cherryana]@AliasGrape - thank you!! You’ll never guess what though - I got my days muddled. I listened to todays one (Messiaen) yesterday but thought it was yesterday’s and that’s why I wondered what made it an opera- I thought it was some classical musical term that meant something different -nope, just wasn’t 😂!

So I just listened to the Tosca today!![/quote]
Grin I did wonder if something like that had happened! Mainly because I could totally picture myself doing that

IsFuzzyBeagMise · 15/01/2022 23:07

[quote Cherryana]@AliasGrape - thank you!! You’ll never guess what though - I got my days muddled. I listened to todays one (Messiaen) yesterday but thought it was yesterday’s and that’s why I wondered what made it an opera- I thought it was some classical musical term that meant something different -nope, just wasn’t 😂!

So I just listened to the Tosca today!![/quote]
Very funny 😁

Cherryana · 15/01/2022 23:02

@AliasGrape - thank you!! You’ll never guess what though - I got my days muddled. I listened to todays one (Messiaen) yesterday but thought it was yesterday’s and that’s why I wondered what made it an opera- I thought it was some classical musical term that meant something different -nope, just wasn’t 😂!

So I just listened to the Tosca today!!

bibliomania · 15/01/2022 21:44

Knowing the story behind it added a whole new level for me. I agree that it's haunting.

Original poster
MamaNewtNewt · 15/01/2022 19:54

What a beautiful, evocative, melancholic piece of music. The story behind the composition and performance adds another layer, I also had goosebumps listening. I think this may be my favourite so far.

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BestIsWest · 15/01/2022 15:39

Very haunting and quite difficult to listen to at times.

soyabean · 15/01/2022 12:55

Oh this piece is giving me goosebumps. I love it. Knowing the circumstances in which it was written certainly helps.
I actually haven’t been so moved by a new (to me) piece of music for a long time.

IsFuzzyBeagMise · 15/01/2022 10:21

Messiaen: Quatuor pour la fin du temps, 5th movement. I listened to this several times to get the sense of the piece. I like the opening melody, it's beautifully haunting and I like its reprise towards the end of the piece. I wouldn't list it among my favourites from this playlist, however.

AliasGrape · 15/01/2022 10:05

Oh god so many typos sorry