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

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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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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 08/11/2022 10:30

Piano Quintet in F Minor, 1st Mvt.: César Franck.

This is certainly a very passionate and turbulent piece of music. If it reflects Franck's feelings for Holmès, she certainly had him in a spin! I find it amusing how you could read Franck's intentions towards Holmès into the music. As soon as I listened to that Quintet, I just knew you were up to something!!

I liked this one, particularly the moments when the strings play the theme in unison. It's magnificent.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 07/11/2022 20:58

I read that she put a grave accent on the e in Holmes to make it French :)
Yes, she does sound like an interesting character.

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AliasGrape · 07/11/2022 20:35

The Varese wasn’t for me, though I like the idea of music as organised noises.

Goodness Holmes was a popular woman wasn’t she? She sounds a very interesting character. I thought the piece was lovely.

bibliomania · 07/11/2022 14:33

I could see it as the soundtrack to a Doris Day film. Likeable.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 07/11/2022 10:12

La Nuit et L'Amour: Augusta Holmès.

It's good to hear that Holmès succeeded where many women did not and she became a prolific composer, writing what she wanted to rather than what was expected of her. Her status as an independent woman of means definitely must have helped.

This piece is pleasant to listen to. It's stirring and passionate with some wistful moments. It reminds me of music for a ballet. That's what came to mind before I read the notes. It's enjoyable, but I don't think I'll list it as one of my favourite pieces this month.

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bibliomania · 06/11/2022 21:05

I thought its understatedness was a good contrast to some of the big pieces we've had recently.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 06/11/2022 18:44

Density 21.5: Edgard Varese.

This is not a piece to listen to if you have a sore head! I found the notes interesting, but I'm not too keen on the piece. My ears are too 'stubbornly conditioned' to like a nice melody :)

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TheTurn0fTheScrew · 05/11/2022 11:05

Wasn’t keen on the Morales. I too had the horrors of the saxophone version first time, but even after checking out the others I wasn’t keen.

Arnalds I liked very much, although not strictly classical. Light and shimmering. Agree that it sounds like the soundtrack of a crystal shop, but I don’t mind that.

The Grieg was lovely. I only knew the first (Eric Morecambe Grin) movement, which I find a bit much. This was more delicate and all the better for it.

The Handel today is bright and fun. DC2’s oboe ensemble tackled this a couple of weeks ago. The tutor chose it because it was originally scored for 24 oboes, supported by brass, woodwind and percussion, with strings only added later for the first indoor performance. There are a bazillion versions on Spotify, but I would recommend the Academy of Ancient Music’s recording, which bigs up the percussion marvellously.

bibliomania · 05/11/2022 10:13

Great description, Fuzzy! I enjoyed the toddler with the drum and trumpet. As Alias says, it gets you out of bed.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 05/11/2022 09:21

Enjoy the fireworks display @AliasGrape😁💥

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AliasGrape · 05/11/2022 09:11

The Grieg is so beautiful. I had to listen to the first movement too to see what she meant about the opening, which yes I did recognise. I also listened to the third. All wonderful, I will listen to the whole thing.

I’m currently hiding in bed whilst husband deals with our own noisy toddler @IsFuzzyBeagMise , so your description of the Handel really made me laugh! I loved it actually, I’m excited about the firework display we’re going to tonight and listening to the piece has given me a bit of a musical kick up the bum to get up and get on with the day.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 05/11/2022 08:24

La Réjouissance, 'Allegro': Handel.

Normally I would enjoy listening to this, but today it feels rather jarring to my ears after the dulcet tones of the Grieg yesterday. This piece, following on from the Grieg and the Arnalds is like when you are having a conversation with your friend and your toddler bursts into the room, banging on her toy drum and blowing on her trumpet.

I liked the description of the public dress rehearsal in the notes.

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bibliomania · 04/11/2022 16:35

The Grieg is rather lovely.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 04/11/2022 09:23

Hi Alias, no! Definitely no saxophone in the Morales in the Spotify version; voice only.

Piano Concerto in A Minor Op 116 2nd Mvt. Adagio: Edvard Grieg.

I'm delighted that this piece is on the playlist. It's a long-standing favourite of mine that I played in years ago and never forgot. I think it's really beautiful. The opening is amazing. I was glad to see Clemency mention it. And I liked the learning about the fact that this piano concerto was the first one ever recorded.
I think it's very special, though there are other piano concertos that I also love, Rachmaninov's and Schumann's.

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AliasGrape · 03/11/2022 23:11

I don’t feel like I gave the Beethoven the proper attention as I stuck it on at breakfast time and then got on with serving/ eating/ clearing up plus getting weetabix out of toddlers hair etc. I liked it well enough but should probably try again.

I actually really liked the Morales - I wasn’t expecting it to be so heavy on the saxophone! I tried two different versions and they both were - was the one on the Spotify playlist too?

Arnalds was nice, I’m going to listen again to form a better judgement and half falling asleep just now.

bibliomania · 03/11/2022 21:58

The second Morales should have beenArnalds.

bibliomania · 03/11/2022 21:57

I realize I've only heard bastardized versions of the Beethoven - good to hear the real deal. Rousing.

The Morales and Morales sounded a bit like the New Age CDs you used to get in fair trade shops. That's not necessarily a criticism.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 03/11/2022 08:59

For Now I Am Winter: Ólafur Arnalds

This is the first favourite piece of the month for me. I think it's beautiful; it shimmers. It's sombre in mood, but there is something reassuring about it. Light in the darkness. We had a piece by Arnalds before on the playlist which I also really liked.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 02/11/2022 10:28

Parce mihi Domine: Cristóbal de Morales

This is a calm, sombre piece of music that is very appropriate on All Soul's Day.

I think I might appreciate it more if I listened to it in a church or cathedral in the context of a religious service. I don't think it's a piece I will go back to listen to again.

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 01/11/2022 15:24

Symphony no. 9 in D Minor 4th Mvt. 'Choral': Beethoven.

I realised on listening to this today that i think I know this music without having ever listened to it at all properly. I should really go and listen to it in its entirety. * *

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bibliomania · 31/10/2022 19:18

I thought the Copeland and the Palestrina were beautifully atmospheric.

It's touching that your DH made an unequalled effort on the dancefloor for his wedding day, Best!

AliasGrape · 31/10/2022 16:11

I liked the Copeland, made me think of a sunrise though that could well have been power of suggestion with the notes/name.

Palestrina - was quite enamoured of all the choral stuff at first but the more pieces we hear of this particular type the more I struggle to distinguish them.

Faves for October - Bruch, Gluck, Valente, Zipoli, Smetana, Gershwin.

BestIsWest · 31/10/2022 12:57

First dance and also our last I should say as it was the one and only time I ever got DH on the dance floor! He does not do dancing!

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IsFuzzyBeagMise · 31/10/2022 12:57

Today's was perfectly pleasant polyphonic choral music from Palestrina :)

My favourites for this month are; Bruch, Glass, Gluck, Bridge, Valente, Walton, Bach, Puccini, Zipoli, Morley, Canteloube, Boulanger, Smetana and Gershwin. Special mention to Rautavaara for being both weird and wonderful.

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BestIsWest · 31/10/2022 12:56

I’ve discovered this year that I’m not at all a fan of this kind of Choral singing. It may be different if actually among it and I’m sure it’s very emotional you are singing it yourself but zzzzzzz. Sorry!