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

Didn't love the Mahler. The Alice Mary Smith pieces sounded very Last Night of the Prom to me - that's neither praise or criticism. The Schumann - that quiet little bit in the middle caught my attention. Glad to see women championed.

Scherzo No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 14: Clara Schumann.

This is the fourth solo piano piece on the list this month and it's another excellent one. Each piece so far has its own character. There is one more to come which is also really good.

I think this is very masterful. It sounds to me like the first section is written like a concerto. There's a lot going on. It's dramatic and turbulent, very passionate and feisty. There is a contrast in the middle section where it is peaceful and calm, very elegant. It's like an oasis in the storm. Then the mood changes and it reverts back to the first part, disquiet creeps in and the turbulence comes back but not for long as the piece concludes quickly and without fuss.

I know! I think my ears are still recovering :)

What a sad time Mahler had. But cab only agree with what Fuzzy and TheTurnofTheScrew said about this piece. The music sounded lovely but that shouty singing man did absolutely nothing for me.

I like the sound of Alice Mary Smith and I enjoyed this piece too.

Symphony in C Minor: IV Allegro Maestoso: Alice Mary Smith.

It feels like a return to sanity listening to today's piece :)

I'm sorry to say that I never heard of Alice Mary Smith until today. Her music is excellent. I listened to the fourth movement as listed, but I have gone back to the first movement and it is really good. It's classical but has a strong Romantic feel to it and she has given the violas a good look in :) I wonder how often her music gets played these days, because it should be.

I rather liked the orchestration on today's piece, but wasn't sure about the dude shouting over the top.

Das Lied von der Erde:V 'Der Trunkene im Frühling': Mahler.

'The Drunkard in Spring'. Quite! This is challenging to listen to, as it does sound like the ranting of an intoxicated person; shouty, untuneful and maudlin. I've listened to it a few times, but it's not growing on me much. I might have a listen to the other songs out of curiosity when my ears recover after this one :)

I broadly agree with all of you. The Mendelssohn-Hensel was my favourite over the last few days. It's been a joy to discover her this year.

The Faure I am familiar with and it's perfectly pleasant.

I didn't expect to like the Falconieri after the first few strummed (lute???) chords, but then the violins came along with that ridiculously cheerful melody and changed my mind. A proper banger.

the Grieg was very pretty, and just when I thought he might be going too Big Piano for my taste he pulled it back to the lovely first phrase.

Ive given up pretending I’m ever going to listen daily now - well not unless my toddler ever decides to go back to daily naps anyway. Today is a nap day at least so …

Schumann This was very nice, evoked no great emotional response but was pleasant to listen to.

Mendelssohn This was lovely, a favourite. Like Fuzzy the words that came to mind were wistful and yearning, it may be what was in the notes but I think it’s there in the music too. I like to close my mind and see what images come up as I listen and this was a young ballerina painstakingly practicing her steps and faltering at first but gradually improving until there’s a bit of triumphant section where she’s performing them beautifully in front of an audience, but then it goes sad again when she looks into the crowd and whoever it is she was hoping to see isn’t there, then it’s back to rehearsals for the next show. Make of that what you will 😂

Faure I read the title as critique rather than cantique and couldn’t understand why I was having such a hard time finding the piece. Love the choral pieces and this is no exception, agree with Clemency’s description of ‘otherwordly beauty’.

Falconieri This was jolly! Agree it’s amazing how modern it sounds. Is this baroque? I thought as it started ‘oh yes I like the baroque stuff’ and then wondered if I’d actually learned something after all!

Grieg Another gorgeous piano solo. No film playing in my head this time, a few fleeting images of forests and snow but I guess that’s because of the Norway connection!

What a great run of pieces!

I have got very behind again, but have been catching up - and what a lovely run of pieces! My favourite, and one of my favourites of the year so far, was the Shostakovich - just absolutely beautiful, like moonlight on water. I've listened to it several times already. I also really liked the Fanny Mendelssohn, the Faure choral piece and the Falconieri Chaconne. But no duds in there at all from 10 - 16 May!

Lyric Pieces Book V, Op. 54 'Notturno': Grieg.

I have to admit when I saw another solo piano piece on the list, I thought 'What another one?!', but after listening to it, it's lovely. Grieg seems to have written many of these and it represents what he is best known for. His Piano Concerto in A Minor and The Holberg Suite for strings are very much worth listening to as is the Peer Gynt Suite, which is very well known.

Back to this piece. It's romantic, charming and wistful and Grieg's novel approach to harmony makes it sound fresh and interesting.

Loved the Falconieri. Sounds astonishingly contemporary for something that is centuries old.

Chaconne in G Major: Falconieri.

I absolutely love this Chaconne. It's fun, lively, cheerful and uplifting. It's brilliant from the start, but the moment towards the end when there is a crescendo and all the percussion joins in is my favourite part. The piece has an infectious quality (in a good way) and leaves me wanting to hear more and play along :)

I agree, Fuzzy, - the Fauré was an ideal Sunday morning listen. I also liked the Fanny Mendelssohn piece, and reading a bit about the background helped me appreciate it more.

Cantique de Jean Racine: Fauré.

This is lovely and soothing; harmonious voices and sympathetic strings and woodwind.
Perfect for a peaceful Sunday morning.

Six Mélodies, Op 5. No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Andante Soave: Fanny Mendelssohn.

I think this is really beautiful. It has a yearning quality to it, unless I'm being influenced by what I've read in the notes, but I don't think I am. It's very wistful. Fanny Mendelssohn was really gifted. It's good that Clemency is featuring her on the playlist.

Catch up from the last few days.
Tchaikovsky - fine, not blown away. I think I'm just not as emotionally drawn to opera.
Shostakovich - oh my, this is lovely. What a birthday present. Soft, tender, delicate. Lots of things I don't normally associate with Shostakovich, although I love his more menacing, pacey stuff as well.
Johnson - never heard of him before, but went straight to listen to the other movements of this symphony (the second in particular was brilliant). I love the jazz influence of this era. Great stuff.
Donizetti - see Tchaikovsky.
Schumann - I found this a little busy and formal. Felt a bit stiff drawing room to me.

Piano Quintet in E-Flat Major, Allegro Brillante: Schumann.

I really like this first movement. I particularly like the 'conversation' between the cello and viola after the introduction, where the cello leads in. It's lovely. I'll listen to the other movements later.

Another fan of the Pavarotti.

Yes! The Pavarotti version is very good.

Also listened to the Pavorotti version and also really liked it.

This felt familiar to me too, though I don’t know where from, the radio probably.

I listened to the Pavarotti version and enjoyed it. Undemanding is a good description Fuzzy, and is what I needed today.

What a sad life Donizetti had, terrible.

'Una Furtiva Lacrima': Donizetti.

I recognise this aria. I played in a production of this opera years ago and I hear this aria played often on the radio. It sounds very familiar.
It's easy to listen to, it's not challenging on the ear. It's nice and straightforward.

Poor Donizetti. Another composer who suffered misfortune towards the end of his life.

I really enjoyed the Johnson and will listen to more. I too pictured the nightclub and dancers in my mind. Full of fun and energy.

Loved the Shoshtakovich and the back-story about it being written for a beloved young adult son. Liked but didn't love the Johnson - it made for a cheery start to the day.