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.

The Tchaikovsky - I feel like Spock, looking on baffled at a display of human emotion. I just don't get it. It's like listening to foxes outside - I'm sure each yowl is full of significance to the intended audience, but it's all just noise to me.

Is it opera in particular, Bibliomania?
I love the reference to Spock, by the way!

Piano Concerto no 2 in F Major, Second Movement, Andante: Shostakovich.

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

This is an old favourite of mine. I played it years ago with an orchestra and it stayed with me. It's a lovely part to play as a string player. It's deep, dark and soulful. The strings are muted throughout and the piano when it comes in at the start is like a chink of sunlight breaking through cloud. It's perfection.

The other movements in the concerto are really good too. Very different in character. I recommend a listen.

A lot of opera and some of the big orchestral pieces too, Fuzzy. High-pitched things. I'm most comfortable at the plainsong/Gregorian chant end of things. Overall I've been impressed at the sheer variety of pieces we're listening to. It's been a revelation that there are areas within classical music that I enjoy.

Isn’t it funny how we all react differently. I had no idea what was going on because I hadn’t read the notes at the time but I really engaged with it. Must be my inner Vulcan. I do have slightly pointy ears.

Gah just realised I misread Biblio’s post so mine makes no sense. Ignore me, lack of sleep.

Ha, Best. That's classical music for you, teaching you new things about yourself.

Interesting, Biblio. fascinating...😄

Personally, I'm not too fond of dissonance for the sake of it (looking at you, Pierre Boulez!) I like a good tune :) I'm not too fond of very dense orchestral textures like the Strauss pieces. They are a bit exhausting to listen to.

I'm discovering that I like choral works and solo piano works more than I thought I did and I really like the modern minimalist pieces that we have heard like 'The Blue Notebooks' and Philip Glass.

I hope you like the Shostakovich today, Best and you find it soothing.

This sense of exploration is quite fun, Fuzzy.

It is indeed :)

A lot of catching up to do again.

Loved the Schubert I quite liked the familiarity, it’s nice to feel like I do know some things sometimes!

Maxwell Davies - I can see it described as ‘pleasant’ upthread and can only agree. There’s absolutely nothing about it says ‘protest against a uranium mine’ to me but it was nice enough.

Zemlinsky Nope
The Brahms was lovely, even for a violin refuser like me :)

Walton This sometimes features at the Battle Proms which we used to go to every year until Covid/ having a baby. Great flag waving music.
Tchaikovsky Opera sounding like opera again. Didn’t hate it but definitely didn’t feel like I was appreciating it as I should. Love the description of Spock looking on baffled!!

On to today

Shostakovich - I love Fuzzys description of the piano like the sun coming out. That’s just how it felt and also what happened just as I listened (though only briefly and we’re back to rain now). This is so tender and beautiful I loved it.

The Shostakovich is indeed blissful.

Harlem Symphony: 3. Night Club: James P. Johnson.

It's always good to listen to jazz; it clears the air!
I like this piece a lot and I would listen to more of Johnson's works, either straight jazz or this interesting jazz/classical fusion.

I already knew this (My Dad was a great fan of jazz and I grew up with this kind of music). I love, love, love it. I can hear snatches of ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’ and ‘Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off’. and I can see the dancers in the nightclub in my mind.
Love it.

That's brilliant, Best! I didn't pick up anything at all, but I thought it was very enjoyable.

Loved the Shoshtakovich and the back-story about it being written for a beloved young adult son. Liked but didn't love the Johnson - it made for a cheery start to the day.

I really enjoyed the Johnson and will listen to more. I too pictured the nightclub and dancers in my mind. Full of fun and energy.

'Una Furtiva Lacrima': Donizetti.

I recognise this aria. I played in a production of this opera years ago and I hear this aria played often on the radio. It sounds very familiar.
It's easy to listen to, it's not challenging on the ear. It's nice and straightforward.

Poor Donizetti. Another composer who suffered misfortune towards the end of his life.

This felt familiar to me too, though I don’t know where from, the radio probably.

I listened to the Pavarotti version and enjoyed it. Undemanding is a good description Fuzzy, and is what I needed today.

What a sad life Donizetti had, terrible.

Also listened to the Pavorotti version and also really liked it.

Yes! The Pavarotti version is very good.

Another fan of the Pavarotti.

Piano Quintet in E-Flat Major, Allegro Brillante: Schumann.

I really like this first movement. I particularly like the 'conversation' between the cello and viola after the introduction, where the cello leads in. It's lovely. I'll listen to the other movements later.

Catch up from the last few days.
Tchaikovsky - fine, not blown away. I think I'm just not as emotionally drawn to opera.
Shostakovich - oh my, this is lovely. What a birthday present. Soft, tender, delicate. Lots of things I don't normally associate with Shostakovich, although I love his more menacing, pacey stuff as well.
Johnson - never heard of him before, but went straight to listen to the other movements of this symphony (the second in particular was brilliant). I love the jazz influence of this era. Great stuff.
Donizetti - see Tchaikovsky.
Schumann - I found this a little busy and formal. Felt a bit stiff drawing room to me.

Six Mélodies, Op 5. No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Andante Soave: Fanny Mendelssohn.

I think this is really beautiful. It has a yearning quality to it, unless I'm being influenced by what I've read in the notes, but I don't think I am. It's very wistful. Fanny Mendelssohn was really gifted. It's good that Clemency is featuring her on the playlist.