Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

Original poster

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.

OP posts:
TheTurn0fTheScrew · 27/12/2022 13:13

Corta-jaca

Welshwabbit · 27/12/2022 13:09

Hopping on to make one of my increasingly sporadic observations- really loved the Pergolesi, one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard. Liked the Bach and Wagner too.

Original poster
IsFuzzyBeagMise · 27/12/2022 09:48

Corta-jaca: Chiquinha Gonzaga.

This is a short, snappy little piece that is very enjoyable to listen to. Very interesting notes about the life of Gonzaga. The album on Spotify sounds interesting too; 'Piano Music by Brazilian Women' and worth a listen.

OP posts:
bibliomania · 26/12/2022 14:26

Absolutely love the Pergolesi.

AliasGrape · 26/12/2022 09:27

I also thought the Pergolesi was beautiful.

Original poster
IsFuzzyBeagMise · 26/12/2022 09:13

Stabat Mater: Giovanni Battista Pergolesi.

I think this is a gorgeous piece of music; really haunting and atmospheric. I love the overlapping dissonance in the vocal lines. * *A favourite for sure.

OP posts:
AliasGrape · 25/12/2022 22:34

Found the Wagner a bit boring.

The Bach was great.

Merry Christmas fellow Year of Wonder-ers 🎄

TheTurn0fTheScrew · 25/12/2022 22:14

Christmas Oratorio - yay!
Trumpets, drums, a brilliant choir. What more could you want?
Merry Christmas everyone.

Original poster
IsFuzzyBeagMise · 25/12/2022 08:30

Christmas Oratorio: J.S. Bach.

This is a lively, bright and cheerful* *piece of music that I think is perfect for today. There is a great sense of excitement in it. I think the orchestration is excellent and the voices too of course. It's a lovely piece of Bach. I especially love the introduction, the drums and woodwind leading the way.

Wishing all fellow Year of Wonderers a very Merry Christmas 🎄

OP posts:
Original poster
IsFuzzyBeagMise · 24/12/2022 13:48

bibliomania · 24/12/2022 13:34

Cosima was a slow riser, I take it Ha, Fuzzy, too true. I thought it was quite nice but didn't make it so the way through. My mother came into the kitchen and told me to put something more cheerful on.

Hilarious, Biblio 😅 I think your mother nailed it :)

OP posts:
bibliomania · 24/12/2022 13:34

Cosima was a slow riser, I take it Ha, Fuzzy, too true. I thought it was quite nice but didn't make it so the way through. My mother came into the kitchen and told me to put something more cheerful on.

Original poster
IsFuzzyBeagMise · 24/12/2022 09:07

Siegfried Idyll: Richard Wagner.

I like the story behind this piece and it helped me to appreciate* *it. It does seem to have a gentleness to it, a personal touch. It's pleasant to listen to, although it does go on a bit. Cosima was a slow riser, I take it :) I would have preferred something more christmassy on Christmas Eve, but anyway! It's nice, but one I wouldn't be inclined to go back to.

OP posts:
AliasGrape · 23/12/2022 21:57

I enjoyed the Humperdink actually, I listened before the notes and did think there was something very childlike about it. Again, not an all time favourite but I will probably listen again at some point.

Original poster
IsFuzzyBeagMise · 23/12/2022 11:08

Evening Prayer: Engelbert Humperdinck.

I found this a bit sweet to listen to, but on reading the notes it made sense that it's a prayer sung by children. I don't like the Spotify version at all. The singing is too sacherine. I prefer the more operatic renditions of the piece. It's fine, but not a favourite for me. I prefer the Rutter from yesterday, which seems a bit more wholesome.

OP posts:
AliasGrape · 23/12/2022 00:09

I absolutely loved the Ellington - listened last night whilst wrapping presents and have had it on several times today too.

I liked the Rutter too actually. Not stand out memorable but I thought it was very pleasant and I don’t mean that in a damning with faint praise way!

bibliomania · 22/12/2022 20:29

I did the Rutter was Christmassy, albeit in a carols by candlelight rather than ho ho Santa way.

Original poster
IsFuzzyBeagMise · 22/12/2022 09:22

Yes, I agree and was thinking the same, TheTurn. It's very nice and pleasant to listen to. I have heard it before during the year, definitely.

OP posts:
TheTurn0fTheScrew · 22/12/2022 08:57

Today we have another carol, What Sweeter Music? by John Rutter
Perfectly pleasant, but not memorable, and IMO insufficiently festive.

Original poster
IsFuzzyBeagMise · 21/12/2022 09:53

Good morning! I agree, the Berkley was nice but not memorable. I listened* *to it more than once, otherwise I wouldn't have recalled it.

I love this version of The Nutcracker. It's fabulous. I came across it last year when I came across Christmas jazz. I think I listened to the whole album before but it's time for a revisit. And it's not just for Christmas either :) Enjoy your Christmas preparations, TheTurn.

OP posts:
TheTurn0fTheScrew · 21/12/2022 09:16

Morning! Today we have the Overture from Nutcracker Suite by Duke Ellington, after Tchaikovsky

For me, this is Christmas bottled. I think Big Bands and Brass Bands lend themselves perfectly to Christmas, and so this version of the Nutcracker is just perfect for wrapping presents and making mince pies (yes, my annual leave has started). If you enjoyed this, the whole album's worth a listen, especially Sugar Rum Cherry, and Peanut Brittle Brigade. Perfect.

AliasGrape · 21/12/2022 00:26

I listened to the Berkeley earlier in the day and now I come to comment I can’t remember a thing about it! I didn’t dislike it, just didn’t stand out at all.

TheTurn0fTheScrew · 20/12/2022 22:51

Berkeley I found quite dull I'm afraid.

Original poster
IsFuzzyBeagMise · 20/12/2022 07:45

Cradle Song: Michael Berkeley.

This is lovely. A really soothing and gentle lullaby.

OP posts:
AliasGrape · 19/12/2022 23:00

Carlos - agree that you can’t fault Clemency for the variety and range of pieces, this one brought a smile. It’s been a long long day and this was a little pick me up at the end of it (but also has the sense that it could turn murderous - which is also appropriate for how I feel today!)

Original poster
IsFuzzyBeagMise · 19/12/2022 19:16

Hi TheTurn, The Lamb is on the compilation of carols that I have somewhere around the house, a CD box set. I'm used to listening to it too. I agree with your thoughts on it and the comparison with The Coventry Carol which is also lovely.

OP posts: