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

[MamaNewtNewt]

This thread is for the 50 bookers (or in fact anyone else who wants to join in!) who are reading Year of Wonder: Classical Music for Everyday by Clemency Burton-Hill.

The author has selected one piece of music for each day in the year, and includes a brief overview of the piece and the composer to provide some context. There's a playlist on Spotify and we can share links to each piece of music for those without access to Spotify.

I think most of us are planning on (roughly) sticking to the daily setup but feel free to read / listen ahead although the discussions are likely to stay around the music for the current date.

Thanks to @TheTurn0fTheScrew for bringing this book to our attention on the thread. Really looking forward to hearing everyone's thoughts.

Elgar: Symphony no. 2 in E flat major 2nd Movement

I love the music of Elgar. His cello concerto, Enigma Variations and Introduction and Allegro for Strings are all beautiful works.

I don't know this symphony. I like this movement from it. I thought it was very sombre and I loved the expressive oboe. It matches my mood today.

I have looked over the February pieces to list my favourites and it's nearly impossible. It would be easier to say what I didn't like (Berg) as I liked and loved so many of them. Special mention goes to Allegri, Landi, Gjeilo, Schumann and Liszt.

I couldn’t really get a handle on today’s. I liked bits of it, particularly towards the end, but as a whole I wasn’t overwhelmed.

I know what you mean. I felt the same. I had to listen to it a few times.

Ar Hyd y Nos

Dydd Gwŷl Dewi hapus i bawb.

I hated the version of this on the Spotify playlist but this version by Bryn Terfel is just perfect

Off to persuade DH to make Welshcakes now. He makes the best.

I was coming on to say the same! Beautiful piece of music but I don't like the version on Spotify.

Happy St. David's Day!

Happy St David's Day, Best!

I like the bit of Elgar that you can hum along to, ie. the hackneyed bits. Yesterday's felt more advanced level.

Meant to say that Vladimir's Blues felt like uncanny timing, to echo Alias.

Happy March! Am still listening, but behind on posting. My favourite for February was Lili Boulanger, with other highlights being Fanny Mendelssohn, Bernstein, Schumann, and Brahms.

Over the last few days I enjoyed the Richter - short, simple, and elegant. I would have been happy to see it develop more but then I guess it wouldn't have been minimalist! The Borodin was beautiful - Romantic chamber music is very much up my street. Yesterday's Elgar I found quite stagnant and dull.

Today's was lovely - I've also gone for Bryn Terfel.

Ockeghem: Requiem, Kyrie Eleison

I really like this piece. Short and sweet! A beautiful interplay of voices, soothing and calming. I'll listen to more of the requiem. It's fascinating that we can listen to music from the 1400s.

IsFuzzyBeagMise I agree on all points! The harmonies were beautiful, although I'm not sure it will become a playlist regular.

Listening to older music definitely provides a great sense of connection with the past. I'm a fully signed up atheist, but always go to Nine Lessons and Carols at our cathedral at Christmas, and think about all the generations who've sat in the same space listening to the very same music over the centuries.

Yes, TheTurn0fTheScrew. I feel the same and especially with choral music.

I agree that it’s amazing to listen to something so old, that would have sounded the same six or seven hundred years ago.

Bizet: Carmen Suite no. 1 (Intermezzo)

I was surprised and pleased to hear this piece selected from 'Carmen' as there are other better-known arias and choruses that Clemency could have chosen. She does that occasionally, though. She likes to profile lesser-known pieces.

This piece brings back happy memories for me as I played in three operas back in the day; 'Carmen' was one. It was challenging. The music isn't easy. The opera is long. I think there are two intervals. This intermezzo occurs before the third act, if my memory serves me right.

We had great fun during that time. The company hired a Swedish soprano for the role of Carmen. She didn't get on with the conductor. She stamped her foot in proper diva style and declared that either he would go or she would go. So the company decided it would be best to keep her and find another conductor, so they flew in this fellow from London (we're in Ireland). This was on the first of the dress rehearsals, two nights before the opening night. There was more drama off than on the stage :)

Back to the piece. It's lovely and languid in keeping with the relaxed atmosphere of people lazing around and chatting in the square in Seville, Spain.

I really enjoyed the Intermezzo. We are very much Team Woodwind at home, and this piece shows off the elegance of the flute and oboe particularly well.

My elder DC played this in a (IMVHO) fabulous flute ensemble a couple of weeks ago in a beautiful venue, so happy memories for me too. I didn't know it before that.

It must be wonderful to play with an orchestra or to make music with others. I am very envious. Maybe something for retirement.
Liked the Bizet though it was unfamiliar to me.

Today's was rather sweet.

For yesterday, i agree that I love the historical connection with the older music. It's the same thrill as handling an archaeological find.

Vivaldi - Concerto for two Trumpets I like a bit of trumpet and this was rather jolly.

Yes! This is nice, bright and breezy. It seems completely effortless, which is no mean feat. Even if the instrument is more evolved today, it must be challenge to produce a nice clean tone.

I love the music of Vivaldi. No matter what the piece, combination of instruments, I love it.

Very bright and sprightly.

Prokofiev: Symphony no. 1 in D Major, 1st Movement

It's another blast from the past for me. I hadn't heard this for years and I really enjoyed listening to it.
I think this is a brilliant piece of music. It's fun, witty and absolutely joyful. I recommend the other movements of the symphony too if you liked this.

This is the kind of classical music that alienates me and makes me think I don't like the genre. However I was intrigued by the explanatory notes saying that it was a playful pastiche of earlier styles - not something I would ever have been able to spot myself.

I do get what Bibliomania says - it seemed very pompous in a way to me but I also get the joyfulness of it. Bit conflicted and think I might have to listen a few times.

Piano Trio
Hello everyone. Still here!! I started a new job and with that and something else big I lost myself for a few weeks.

I really enjoyed todays.

It also made me think how I can get to Jaqueline Du Pre in less than six degrees of separation ( do you know that game?!) two different ways.

One through a childhood friend of mine who was related and one through my husband who is friends with the family. I love that game because I am a complete nobody but I seem to know people who know everybody!!

@IsFuzzyBeagMise I agree about Vivaldi. Always makes me happy. I enjoyed the Prokofiev, but the one I've gone back to the most of the recent pieces is the Elgar. I'd not heard it before and some parts are achingly beautiful.

I really like todays - dramatic and yet melancholy.

I think you beat me hollow at six degrees of Jaqueline Du Pre Cherryana

I do have a relative who plays in the strings section of one of the big London orchestras so he possibly knows someone who knew her or played with her but that the closest I can get.