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 work in Temple, right next to Temple Church (and worked there in 2003) - I wish I'd known about the all-night vigil! The choir practises on Wednesday evenings and it's a huge privilege to be able to listen in. So I have a personal investment in the Taverner but I also think it's a beautiful piece of music in its own right.

My favourite from April was the Beethoven - even though I'm not particularly familiar with that movement, I found myself randomly humming it! I've never been a particular fan of Mendelssohn, but I really liked the lovely E Minor concerto; the whole piece is beautiful. I didn't like the Debussy at all!

Jealous of you working in Temple, Welsh - I like a wander in that area when I'm in London. Very atmospheric.

I did like the Taverner. The Debussy is not for me. I didn't expect to like today's at all, but its playfulness won me over.

Yes, what a lovely place to work. So much history.

Today’s Mozart is lovely. Wistful yet playful.

I don't know Temple, but it sounds lovely and I would definitely like to visit the church sometime. It's great when you can make a connection like that to a piece of music, Welshwabbit.

I really like the Mozart Piano Trio too. It's a lovely combination of instruments; they work well together, viola, clarinet and piano. Yes, I agree that it's playful, wistful and I would say charming too. I'll mark it for the favourites list :)

I didn’t particularly like the Debussy but listened to some of the other Children’s Corner pieces which I liked more, The Serenade of the Doll was nice. I don’t really know what counterpoint is (even though I know it came up before, I fear I’m not a particularly great student in this area) so I didn’t really know what I was listening out for wrt Parnassus

The Tavener was beautiful. Just felt it washing over me, gorgeous.

The Mozart I agree was very charming and playful. You know in a Disney cartoon when creatures are gambolling about chasing each other and they kind of tumble together and make a full circle? It made me think of that. I have no idea why but there you are 😀I enjoyed it a lot.

Hello folks.
Unlike most of you I really enjoyed the Debussy. I loved the changes of tempo and the strong rubato feel throughout. My favourite movement from Children's Corner is The Snow is Dancing, though - so peaceful. I can't help but love Debussy even though he was clearly a wrong'un.

The Tavener didn't really hit the sweet spot for me. I don't know why - I feel it's the sort of thing I ought to like, but didn't especially. The Mozart was fine. So nice to see the viola shine. I love the mellow, rich tone. I have a strange mental block with the clarinet though, and always find myself thinking "this would sound nicer with an oboe".

'Ellens Gesang' 111, D. 839 ('Ave Maria'): Schubert.

I didn't know the background to this piece of music and I found it interesting. I always considered it to be a stand-alone piece. I didn't know that this piece was written in the context of a larger work, based on the writing of Sir Walter Scott.
The music is beautiful. A classic for good reason.

Like Fuzzy, I didn't know the context for today's - have just heard the first line warbled as a generic weddingy churchy type thing. I find it a bit hard to get past its over-familiarity.

Yes, I know what you mean, bibliomania.
I liked listening to it once, but I don't feel like another listen. I feel I already know it too well.
Objectively though, it is lovely.

Agreed, Fuzzy.

The Yellow Cake Revue; Farewell to Stromness: Peter Maxwell Davies.

This piece is growing on me. It's pleasant enough. The first section comprises of a cheerful tune that sounds like it is based on traditional music. The second section starts off in a minor key. It's moodier and more serious and it sounds more classical in its melodic line than what went before. Then there is a bridge back to the cheerful main theme and it ends on a happy note.

The first section and main theme is reminiscent of a TV theme tune, in a good way.

"Pleasant" is the word that came to my mind too, Fuzzy.

Maiblumen Bluhten Uberall: Von Zemlinsky
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This is wonderful, fantastic and challenging to listen to. I love the opening and close of the piece. It is divine. I like some of the singing, but there is a moment when it gets too angsty and this takes away from the enjoyment of it ('hyper-expressive' says Clemency). I thought the notes on this piece were good today. Sometimes you get the impression that everyone knew each other in the classical music circle :)
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Excuse the overuse of bold print!

The Zemlinsky is not for me. Sounded like caterwauling to my untrained ears.

Violin Sonata no. 1 in G Major, First Movement: Brahms.

This is lovely to listen to. It's romantic, tender, passionate and optimistic.

I couldn't listen to the whole of the Zemlinsky not for me. The Brahms is OK, but not my favourite.

I listened to it a few times, cloudjumper. It was a tricky one to listen to. I probably won't go back to it.

Spitfire Prelude: William Walton.

This is a cheerfully patriotic piece of music. Nice to listen to on the right occasion.

Another catch up from me.

Ellens Gesang' 111, D. 839 ('Ave Maria'): Schubert - will forever be associated with wedding warblers for me too.

The Yellow Cake Revue; Farewell to Stromness: Peter Maxwell Davies Liked this a lot and added to favourites.

Zemlinsky put me in mind of a bad 1930s film sound track in which Bette Davis plays an ailing opera singer. Didn’t mind it but probably won’t listen again.

Brahms A bit bored by this.

Spitfire Prelude: William Walton

Patriotic - used to hearing this on occasions of Remembrance so always makes me a bit sad. Love a brass band though.

I enjoyed your review, Best 😄

Still listening daily, but forgetting to post.
The Schubert was lovely, but definitely overexposed. Also the first couple of recordings I tried were horrible, and it took me a while to find one I liked.
The Maxwell-Davis bored me rigid.
The Zemlinsky was just wild, in a good way. I loved the sense of utter chaos in the middle resolving a little towards the end. I also thought it had cinematic qualities, and felt it could be used as incidental music for an episode of Vienna Blood (which is a compliment!). I absolutely will listen to this one again - I think there's just so very much going on that it will need repeated listening.
Love the Brahms, as I usually do. Sweet and soaring and playful in parts. Just lovely.
Walton today was less my thing. I found the opening a bit plodding and muddy, and there's not much light and shade.

Eugene Onegin Act One 'Letter Scene': Tchaikovsky.

I think I would appreciate this more if I saw a live performance and if I had an appreciation for the plot. There is, however, a gorgeous oboe solo nine minutes in (if you are still around at that point!) and really lovely interplay between the oboe, voice and French horn which is taken up towards the end by brass and strings in a glorious dramatic conclusion. That's wonderful and is the highlight for me.

What a piece of singing! I think this is absolutely beautiful and I was moved and enjoyed every minute I really want to watch this as a whole opera.