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

That's brilliant, Best! I didn't pick up anything at all, but I thought it was very enjoyable.

I already knew this (My Dad was a great fan of jazz and I grew up with this kind of music). I love, love, love it. I can hear snatches of ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’ and ‘Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off’. and I can see the dancers in the nightclub in my mind.
Love it.

Harlem Symphony: 3. Night Club: James P. Johnson.

It's always good to listen to jazz; it clears the air!
I like this piece a lot and I would listen to more of Johnson's works, either straight jazz or this interesting jazz/classical fusion.

The Shostakovich is indeed blissful.

A lot of catching up to do again.

Loved the Schubert I quite liked the familiarity, it’s nice to feel like I do know some things sometimes!

Maxwell Davies - I can see it described as ‘pleasant’ upthread and can only agree. There’s absolutely nothing about it says ‘protest against a uranium mine’ to me but it was nice enough.

Zemlinsky Nope
The Brahms was lovely, even for a violin refuser like me :)

Walton This sometimes features at the Battle Proms which we used to go to every year until Covid/ having a baby. Great flag waving music.
Tchaikovsky Opera sounding like opera again. Didn’t hate it but definitely didn’t feel like I was appreciating it as I should. Love the description of Spock looking on baffled!!

On to today

Shostakovich - I love Fuzzys description of the piano like the sun coming out. That’s just how it felt and also what happened just as I listened (though only briefly and we’re back to rain now). This is so tender and beautiful I loved it.

It is indeed :)

This sense of exploration is quite fun, Fuzzy.

Interesting, Biblio. fascinating...😄

Personally, I'm not too fond of dissonance for the sake of it (looking at you, Pierre Boulez!) I like a good tune :) I'm not too fond of very dense orchestral textures like the Strauss pieces. They are a bit exhausting to listen to.

I'm discovering that I like choral works and solo piano works more than I thought I did and I really like the modern minimalist pieces that we have heard like 'The Blue Notebooks' and Philip Glass.

I hope you like the Shostakovich today, Best and you find it soothing.

Ha, Best. That's classical music for you, teaching you new things about yourself.

Gah just realised I misread Biblio’s post so mine makes no sense. Ignore me, lack of sleep.

Isn’t it funny how we all react differently. I had no idea what was going on because I hadn’t read the notes at the time but I really engaged with it. Must be my inner Vulcan. I do have slightly pointy ears.

A lot of opera and some of the big orchestral pieces too, Fuzzy. High-pitched things. I'm most comfortable at the plainsong/Gregorian chant end of things. Overall I've been impressed at the sheer variety of pieces we're listening to. It's been a revelation that there are areas within classical music that I enjoy.

Piano Concerto no 2 in F Major, Second Movement, Andante: Shostakovich.

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

This is an old favourite of mine. I played it years ago with an orchestra and it stayed with me. It's a lovely part to play as a string player. It's deep, dark and soulful. The strings are muted throughout and the piano when it comes in at the start is like a chink of sunlight breaking through cloud. It's perfection.

The other movements in the concerto are really good too. Very different in character. I recommend a listen.

Is it opera in particular, Bibliomania?
I love the reference to Spock, by the way!

The Tchaikovsky - I feel like Spock, looking on baffled at a display of human emotion. I just don't get it. It's like listening to foxes outside - I'm sure each yowl is full of significance to the intended audience, but it's all just noise to me.

What a piece of singing! I think this is absolutely beautiful and I was moved and enjoyed every minute I really want to watch this as a whole opera.

Eugene Onegin Act One 'Letter Scene': Tchaikovsky.

I think I would appreciate this more if I saw a live performance and if I had an appreciation for the plot. There is, however, a gorgeous oboe solo nine minutes in (if you are still around at that point!) and really lovely interplay between the oboe, voice and French horn which is taken up towards the end by brass and strings in a glorious dramatic conclusion. That's wonderful and is the highlight for me.

Still listening daily, but forgetting to post.
The Schubert was lovely, but definitely overexposed. Also the first couple of recordings I tried were horrible, and it took me a while to find one I liked.
The Maxwell-Davis bored me rigid.
The Zemlinsky was just wild, in a good way. I loved the sense of utter chaos in the middle resolving a little towards the end. I also thought it had cinematic qualities, and felt it could be used as incidental music for an episode of Vienna Blood (which is a compliment!). I absolutely will listen to this one again - I think there's just so very much going on that it will need repeated listening.
Love the Brahms, as I usually do. Sweet and soaring and playful in parts. Just lovely.
Walton today was less my thing. I found the opening a bit plodding and muddy, and there's not much light and shade.

I enjoyed your review, Best 😄

Another catch up from me.

Ellens Gesang' 111, D. 839 ('Ave Maria'): Schubert - will forever be associated with wedding warblers for me too.

The Yellow Cake Revue; Farewell to Stromness: Peter Maxwell Davies Liked this a lot and added to favourites.

Zemlinsky put me in mind of a bad 1930s film sound track in which Bette Davis plays an ailing opera singer. Didn’t mind it but probably won’t listen again.

Brahms A bit bored by this.

Spitfire Prelude: William Walton

Patriotic - used to hearing this on occasions of Remembrance so always makes me a bit sad. Love a brass band though.

Spitfire Prelude: William Walton.

This is a cheerfully patriotic piece of music. Nice to listen to on the right occasion.

I listened to it a few times, cloudjumper. It was a tricky one to listen to. I probably won't go back to it.

I couldn't listen to the whole of the Zemlinsky not for me. The Brahms is OK, but not my favourite.

Violin Sonata no. 1 in G Major, First Movement: Brahms.

This is lovely to listen to. It's romantic, tender, passionate and optimistic.

The Zemlinsky is not for me. Sounded like caterwauling to my untrained ears.