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

I think on Spotify you can make that playlist your own play list and then delete songs as you go (which would be a nice way to keep the ones you like). Although am a bit rusty

I agree about wishing the Spotify playlist had the days marked! It’s going to be tricky later in the year.

Im tending to catch up a few days at a time. Once again I find that I am not a massive Mendehlssohn fan. Shame but he doesn't quite reach me. I love the Kapsberger piece from ?the 10th and am playing it again. Beautiful.

I wish the Spotify playlist I found had the days marked on it [lazy]

Hi all, I only started listening a few days ago, so I'm trying to listen to a couple of pieces a day to catch up. Annoyingly, Amazon music doesn't have a playlist, but I've found everything so far.
I have hardly any knowledge of classical music, which I find frustrating, especially when watching quizzes! I'm up to the 6th, and I've really enjoyed everything so far.

Loved the Mendelssohn Octet. My personal tastes veer more towards classical/20th century, and strings or woodwind, so I was definitely predisposed to liking this. The light, youthful joy is glorious. I'm listening to the other movements now.

Like Alias, the strings aren't doing it for me. I do like a cello, but violins leave me cold.

Hi soyabean welcome to the thread. Get well soon!

Hello all
I’d love to join you. My copy of the book arrived today and I’m catching up with the music, the notes and this thread.
I’m at home recovering from Covid for probably two more weeks so have lots of time to get into this.
Thanks, great idea.

Ooh I’ve not found Monday and Tuesday very interesting but todays was fab - I could definitely ‘hear the joy’. Cannot believe he was 16!

Today's left me quite unmoved I'm afraid. I've really surprised myself by not particularly enjoying the strings so far (well that's not true Iiked the lute and really love classical guitar -but the other strings!) I always love to hear them live - maybe it's that I'm not finding the best recordings?

There was nothing not to like, it just didn't spark joy

I very much enjoyed today’s. Quite joyous and uplifting. I liked that it instead exactly the time it took me to drink my coffee.
I

Mendelssohn: Octet in E-Flat major, first movement. I like this a lot. Its main theme is so jubilant. Apparently, Mendelssohn was the first to come up with this formation, the octet, in chamber music. Four violins, two violas and two cellos. Up to then, it was predominantly a string quartet (two violins, viola and cello). He said he wanted it to be played in the style of a symphony. It has been adapted for a full string orchestra. It would definitely lend itself to that, adding more players to each part. Overall, it's pleasant piece of music, well structured, balanced and he was only sixteen when he wrote it!

I thought it was lovely. Again, it's the human voice that touches me.

I liked yesterdays and I liked todays.

I thought today's was very pretty - part Faure, part Gregorian chant - but not memorable.

Ooh! I was just wondering where to start on learning a bit about classical music. This sounds perfect (also placemarking )

I also enjoyed today’s and agree it’s very soothing. The notes talk about there being a real clarity to the music and I could see (hear?!) that. Felt quite peaceful afterwards.

I did like todays but it seems to be instantly forgettable as I’ve now listened 3 times and each time forgotten to post. Or that could simply be my memory. Probability that.

Duruflé: Quatre Motets op 10. I also enjoyed this piece. It's very soothing. It is another piece that could grow on you if you listen to it more than once. I don't listen to a lot of choral music (I'm more into strings) and I'm enjoying these selections so far.

I've had the book for a while and have been meaning to read it more - a friend pointed me towards the Spotify playlist which she listens to daily and I am going to try and do the same as I want to expand my musical knowledge.

Nice enough as a piece of background music but I wouldn’t seek it out again.
I have no idea about chord progressions either so it is really helpful to have an explanation even if I don’t fully understand.

I have never heard any Kapsberger before but I really enjoyed listening to today's piece (I listened to two different versions, one played very straight and the other with much more tempo variation). I played the harp as a teenager and it reminded me of some of the pieces I used to play from Bach's Well Tempered Clavier. I feel noticeably more relaxed after listening!

I think the point CBH is making in today's note is that the building blocks of Kapsberger's piece are essentially the same as those in modern pop songs, just fiddled about with a bit. I have some music/music theory knowledge but I confess that I didn't really think about this until the first lockdown, when I was messing around on my piano for a "karaoke" channel we set up on our work Teams. I wanted to accompany myself on some of the things I was (very badly!) singing, but didn't have the music, so I worked out the chords myself. I've never been good at playing things by ear, but it was fun to do and it really makes you realise that most songs are built on a very small number of chords and chord progressions.