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Year of Wonder: Classical Music For Every Day (Part Two)

505 replies

IsFuzzyBeagMise · 18/07/2022 09:18

Year of Wonder (Part One)

New thread to accompany the book Year of Wonder by Clemency Burton Hill.

All welcome to join in.

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AliasGrape · 05/08/2022 09:03

I enjoyed the Saint-Saëns - it wasn’t hugely memorable but it was very enjoyable in the moment.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 05/08/2022 08:43

Clarinet Sonata in E flat Major Op 167, 1st Movement, Allegretto: Saint-Saëns.

I liked this. It has a charming, wistful quality that is enjoyable to listen to. It's good to hear the clarinet as solo instrument. It's a shame that Saint-Saëns didn't finish his project for the other woodwind instruments mentioned in the notes.

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Terpsichore · 05/08/2022 08:22

Dipping in after lurking from a distance to say that the 4 Last Songs never fail to reduce me to a puddle. Especially the Jessye Norman version. We had Beim Schlafengehen at my FIL's funeral, at his express request….well, you can imagine.

But I love anything by Richard Strauss, anyway.

AliasGrape · 04/08/2022 16:42

The Strauss was lovely and quite moving with the notes/ translation. I would like to listen to them all and have made a note to do just that when I get chance.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 04/08/2022 09:50

These songs are beautiful; definitely my favourite music by Richard Strauss. The violin solo in this song is sublime and it follows on seamlessly in the vocal line, which does feel like the orchestra and voice are equal partners.

The orchestration is excellent. The strings are muted throughout (or for a lot of the time as far as I remember), so it gives a very soft, dreamy feel to the music. The French horn and woodwind sound very mellow too. There aren't any rough edges here, it's altogether very gentle. Good notes today and I always appreciate having the verse and the translation.

I'm listening to the Jessye Norman version too. I'll go back and listen to the whole set again. This is a favourite for sure.

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TheTurn0fTheScrew · 04/08/2022 07:58

The Csárdás I don't love - not wild on the folky feel. The Delius was meh. Brahms was great - big, romantic, powerful.

Today's piece is Beim Schlafengehen from Vier Letze Lieder by Richard Strauss.

I LOVE the Vier Letze Lieder. Not sure which version is on the playlist but for me it has to be Jessye Norman, who manages somehow to be the star and yet blend so well. The lilting motif here is beautiful and warm. And as Clemency notes, these are incredibly well scored. The orchestra never feels like an afterthought, although as Team Woodwind I prefer the fourth song, Im Abendrot, as the flutes and oboes sound sublime.

I saw these performed last year and it was so moving. And that was before I knew the translation, which it's lovely to have here.

AKnitterofThings · 03/08/2022 12:34

Playing a little catch up here! First review too (I am not educated in musical jargoneither 😁)
I really enjoyed Csárdás, not heard of the piece or of Vittorio Monti. It was certainly a foot tapping bit of music and it made me smile.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 03/08/2022 10:08

Sonata for Cello and Piano no.1 in E Minor Op 38 1st Mvt, Allegro ma non troppo: Brahms.

This is the first of the favourites of the month for me. I think it's magnificent. It's the first time that we have a piece for cello and piano from the romantic period. So far this year we listened to a movement from one of the Bach suites for cello, but other than that the cello has featured in chamber music on our list to date.

The cello is a wonderful instrument. It's powerful with great depth and range. It's very sonorous in the lower register and tender and lyrical in the higher register.
This piece showcases the cello's best qualities. There is also a real partnership with the piano which is definitely not just accompanying the cello. The piece engaged me from its haunting opening notes through to the end. I'll come back to this one.

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AliasGrape · 03/08/2022 09:06

Today’s Brahms was not for me either.

AliasGrape · 02/08/2022 11:05

I generally enjoy the choral stuff and didn't not like this, but it didn't particularly do much for me really. Felt a bit nothing.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 02/08/2022 10:42

To Be Sung Of A Summer Night On The Water: Delius.

This starts off nicely enough with the choristers singing a gentle tune, but takes a strange turn when the solo tenor breaks in with what sounds like a refrain from a Gilbert and Sullivan musical. It sounds rather jarring from then on and not particularly idyllic for a lovely summer's night, I don't think.

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AliasGrape · 01/08/2022 23:15

All caught up again, visitors gone home and toddler DD's birthday celebrations over with so really must make the effort to get back into daily listening.

The Bach piece just highlights for me how much I still don't really 'get it' despite learning and enjoying a lot. It was OK, I suppose I could tell it was 'serious proper classical music' but I've no idea why Clemency insists it is everything. I can't particularly imagine seeking it out again and I had far far more fun listening to the Tarrega, which I definitely will again.

    • Today's 'one hit wonder' was rather nice too.
BestIsWest · 01/08/2022 18:32

Had to do two weeks worth of catching up so may have overloaded my ears.
liked the Canarios, Mozart Requiem, Dvorak. Hated the Bach.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 01/08/2022 13:25

Ah! Yes. The Handel was beautiful. Suitably regal for the occasion of the Queen's birthday.

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bibliomania · 01/08/2022 12:37

That was meant to say that I loved the drama of the Handel.

bibliomania · 01/08/2022 12:37

That was meant to say that I loved the drama of the Handel.

bibliomania · 01/08/2022 11:41

Caught up with the last few days - love the drama.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 01/08/2022 08:56

Csárdás: Vittorio Monti.

I don't have strong feelings for this piece either way. It's a party piece for violinists in my opinion.

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TheTurn0fTheScrew · 31/07/2022 10:48

The Tarrega was really lovely. I has no idea that the Nokia ringtone was stolen, and what great source material. Summery and light.

Handel was good too - pretty melodies with a very serene feel.

Today’s piece is elegant and restrained and not what I imagine when I think of Lizst (I think the tricksy stuff is within other sections). I enjoyed it but didn’t find it especially memorable or moving.

My favourite this month were Satie (arr. Koncz tho!), Smyth, Weill, Mahler, Ravel, Mozart (shocker), Dvorak, Bach (not transcribed), and Tarrega. Several of these are old favourites, so special mentions for the Smyth, Weill, Ravel, and Tarrega pieces, which were great to discover.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 31/07/2022 10:35

Sonata in B Minor, Andante Sostenuto: Liszt.

I think I prefer the other piece for solo piano that we had earlier in the year by Liszt, 'Six Consolations'. There is a lovely moment at around two and a half minutes into the piece. It's not a favourite though.

Speaking of favourites, it's the end of the month and it's time for a review. I really enjoyed the American selection of pieces this month. They were altogether very interesting and varied.

As usual, there are quite a few; Satie, Smyth, Weill, Elgar, Mendelssohn, Gershwin, Ravel, Savall, Tabakova, Mozart, Dvořàk and Bach. And an honourable mention goes to the string quartet's version of the Satie that TheTurn posted.

Onwards to August!

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 30/07/2022 08:51

Eternal Source of Light Divine: Handel.

I enjoyed this very much. I thought it was very radiant and altogether full of light as per the title of the piece.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 29/07/2022 08:57

Gran Vals: Francisco Tárrega.

This is relaxing to listen to after the intensity of the Bach double bill.

Whenever I listen to classical guitar, I wonder why I don't listen to it more often. It's lovely.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 28/07/2022 20:55

That's fascinating, TheTurn. It was so close to being lost forever.

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TheTurn0fTheScrew · 28/07/2022 20:28

I read today on Noah Bendix-Bagley's Twitter that the manuscript for the 6 Sonatas and Partitas by Bach was discovered in 1814 in St. Petersburg among a stack of old paper destined to be used as wrappings in a butter shop!

I was cross yesterday as I didn't want to listen to a piano version of the mighty Chaconne, but everything's alright again now. This is perfect. I went for the Hilary Hahn recording. So clean and vivid.

bibliomania · 28/07/2022 13:28

Loved the Josquin Des Prez.. I find the Bach somewhat impenetrable, particularly the original version. I suspect it's my fault rather than his.

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