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.

I enjoyed today's. I like nocturnes it seems - I loved the last one we had too

I thought the nocturne was pretty, but not especially memorable. I do agree that it sounds more modern that the composer's dates would suggest.

Polonaise in D Major: Henryk Wieniawski

While admiring the brilliance of the playing, I'm not hugely taken with this. It's all style and no substance for me.

I wasn't emotionally drawn in by today's Polonaise. I liked the Nocturne yesterday. Quite liked the Schubert. I need to listen to the Handel again as it was a bit long to take in.

I am still completely obsessed with the Zelenka Miserere and have been playing it every day. I don't really know why I like it so much.

I enjoyed today’s Polonaise - it was light and frothy and I liked daydreaming about wearing a lovely frock and doing the dance at some grand ball or other.

Said daydream was wildly historically inaccurate, I have no idea what the Polonaise dance involved and the costume I was wearing was kind of regency inspired so too early, but no harm done!

Cello Suite no. 1 in G Major (Prelude): J.S. Bach

This is a very well-known piece for solo cello. These suites are the gold standard among professional cellists (and amateurs too!) They have been transcribed for other instruments, including the viola, which has the same strings as the cello, but an octave higher. I play this piece often and I enjoy it. It is calm and serene. Good practice on string crossings :)

I liked the story of their rediscovery. I listened to the Yo Yo Ma version - I really only knew of him due to the Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon soundtrack.

Clemency writes so well and I so want to take Bach’s cello suites to heart like she urges but I listened to today’s piece and felt precisely nothing. I even listened to the entire suite to see if it would mean more as a whole.

It just does absolutely nothing for me. Sorry Clemency (and I guess sorry Bach too).

Zefiro torna e di soavi accenti: Monteverdi

I think this is fabulous. I really like music from this era. I love the interplay between the voice and various instruments. It's a very simple but effective arrangement; very easy to listen to. The recorder in this piece is beautiful. It's definitely one to come back to and I think I'll listen to more from this album. I'm marking some pieces to review as my favourites at the end of the month :)

The Wienawski I found impressive - sounds ridiculously difficult - but I didn't really connect with it.

The Cello prelude I know well as it pops up a lot on TV/ads etc, but amazingly I don't think the over exposure has dimmed it. It sounds so clean and calm. While it's unmistakably Bach I think there's something timeless about it, and it would fit in well on a playlist with more contemporary stuff like the Glass Echorus chosen in January.

The Monteverdi is not my cup of tea. I think I have a bit of a blind spot for renaissance stuff.

I agree with you on the Prelude TheTurn. I feel the same about it.
I think my dream job would be to play in a group like 'L'Arpeggiata'.

Loved today's - very joyful

Lovely Bach yesterday. I wasn't so keen on the Monteverdi today.

My son passed his grade 2 piano yesterday. He squeaked through a bit, but it was his first exam so I am very proud of him!

Piano Trio no. 1 in D Minor (Andante):Mendelssohn

This was a joy to listen to. It is simply perfect from start to finish.
I liked the string quintet by Schubert earlier in the month, but this piano trio is superb. I think the combination of violin, cello and piano works so well.

Well done to your son Welshwabbit on passing his exam!

Thanks @IsFuzzyBeagMise!

congratulations to young Welshwabbit. It's a joy to have music played in the house.

I really enjoyed the piano trio today, and love that the melody line passes between the strings and the piano, allowing each to shine.

Congrats to Welshwabbit junior.

I did not like the Monteverdi one bit.

The Mendelssohn is lovely though. One to add to the playlist.

Well done to your son Welshwabbit !

I did enjoy the Monteverdi, I like the Renaissance pieces so far.

The Mendelssohn was just beautiful. Very calming and just perfect.

Spring 2: Max Richter

I'm not usually in favour of reworking an iconic piece like Vivaldi's Four Seasons, but I really like this. It is very skilfully done to keep some original features in a nod to the original but it also becomes a piece in its own right. I will listen to the other movements and hope I will like them as much as I do this one.

I know and love this. I think it's clever and fresh without being cheesy or disrespectful to the original, and shows off Vivaldi's genius perfectly. the whole work is well worth a listen, but most notably Spring 1 - I don't particularly care for that movement in the original, but Richter's version I love.

Also really enjoyed today's and it's new to me, so I shall seek out some more. Wasn't Max Richter on Desert Island Discs recently?

This was new to me too, and I really liked it. I will listen to the other movements.

I looked for Spring 1 and discovered it was featured in Bridgerton, so not strictly new to me I’m so lowbrow haha

@AliasGrape

This was new to me too, and I really liked it. I will listen to the other movements.

I looked for Spring 1 and discovered it was featured in Bridgerton, so not strictly new to me I’m so lowbrow haha

I first heard Spring 1 on The Crown if that helps

I really want to listen to Spring 1 now to see if I recognise it :)