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

[IsFuzzyBeagMise]

Year of Wonder (Part One)

New thread to accompany the book Year of Wonder by Clemency Burton Hill.

All welcome to join in.

The De Falla was indeed quite jolly. I preferred the guitar version I found though.

I know what you mean about the Schnittke feeling dense IsFuzzy - I think it's one where setting might be important, can imagine it enjoying it more live and in the right context rather than putting washing away in my bedroom as now! * *

Adagio for Strings: Samuel Barber.

I know the Adagio fairly well having played the orchestral version once or twice before, but I didn't know that it has been played so extensively at various funerals and memorials over the years, so I learned something new. It's not surprising that it is synonymous with sorrow. It's utterly tragic to the point where I don't always feel in the right frame of mind to listen to it. It's beautiful, majestic and an incredibly sad piece of music.

It's good that you thought the Schnittke was somewhat dense too, Alias. I agree, context is important. However I often listen to music while putting washing away :)

The Barber is beautiful and yes very sad.

The Schnittke and Barber were both beautiful, although I agree you need to be in the right mood.

Today's is Music for Pieces of Wood, by Steve Reich. I think it's clever, but frankly it would give me a headache to listen to keep listening. Not one I'll be playing on repeat.

I liked the Reich. I thought it was cleverly executed, although I didn't hear the rhythmical complexities. I grasped that there is a substitution of beats for rests as there is never a break in it. I found it mesmerising and surprisingly upbeat, but agree with Biblio that you wouldn't want to listen to it on repeat.

Schnittke blah - choral - blah - pleasant...for me choral work tends to merge into one unless really striking, like the Britten the other week. It's a blind spot for me I think.

Barber - so beautiful. Such lush layering, the strings seem to sing. I completely agree that it is so very sad that I wouldn't listen to it often, but it is a thing of beauty and feels very timeless.

Today's Reich left me cold. I'm just not clever enough to see this as anything other than noise, and wouldn't listen again.

I quite liked the Reich for maybe the first 2 minutes, then I got bored. It made me think of Stomp or something (I have never seen Stomp so I have no idea why).

'Hymn to the Dawn' from Choral Hymns from the Rig Velda: Gustav Holst.

I really like this. I think it is very eerie and otherworldly and while it's out there, it's still beautiful. The singing is lovely with some really interesting harmonies in the vocal line. The harp is magnificent. It's a brilliant pairing, harp and women's voices. It's very different and unexpected. A definite favourite for this month.

I don’t have Spotify, so it took me a while today to find a version that was harp and female voices as in the notes - I listened to a cello and a male voice version in the meantime. I’m glad I did find a version as it was intended, as it really is different and yes a bit otherworldly. I’m not sure it would be a regular listen but I enjoyed it as something different.

Agree that otherworldly is the word.

Nocturne no. 8 in D flat major, op 27 no. 2: Frédéric Chopin.

I liked this. It's very tranquil. I have grown to like listening to solo piano pieces over the months. Perfect accompaniment to reading, I find :)

I enjoy the solo piano pieces too IsFuzzy. I really liked today’s, it was lovely and restful without being nondescript.

Definitely Alias 👌

Unmoved by the Chopin - tinkle, tinkle - but loved today's Pur ti miro, by Monteverdi.. Gorgeous.

Yes, I loved the Monteverdi too. It's really gorgeous. I thought the harmonic suspensions in the vocal lines gave it a bit of a bite and kept it interesting. The recording on Spotify is by Christina Pluhar and L'Arpeggiata. They are one of the best discoveries of the year, definitely.

Miserere: James McMillan

I thought this was an awesome piece, as in awe inspiring. I can understand how it could stop you in your tracks if you stumbled across a performance of it.
I did think it had moments of plainsong before reading the notes (go me!) and I thought these moments along with the voices in unison were haunting and very beautiful.

Favourites for the month; Arnalds, Grieg, Bach, Mendelssohn, Pérotin, Villa-Lobos, Purcell, Holst, Monteverdi, MacMillan.

Onwards to December, the last month!

O Magnum Mysterium: Morten Lauridsen

I really liked the Lauridsen piece in January ('Les Chansons des Roses no. 5') and I like this one too. This is the kind of choral music I like to listen to; balanced, well-blended and undemanding. The unexpected harmonic clang in the middle of the piece gave it a touch of the unexpected and stopped it from being predictable and too safe. Lovely ending too.

I really loved the Monteverdi - a standout favourite for me.

I thought the Macmillan was beautiful too. The final minute or so I thought was just sublime.

Lauridsen - Lovely too, not quite as special somehow as the last 2, but I did enjoy it.

I can’t believe we’re in December! Despite getting very behind at times, Ive loved reading and listening and am already trying to decide whether I want to just go back and listen/ read all over again from Jan 1st or if I will try the ‘Another Year of Wonder’ follow up.

'Mon coeur s'ouvre à ton voix' from Samson and Delilah: Camille Saint-Saëns.

I know this already from a cello adaptation of the piece, but I think this is far better. Fabulous stuff. Sweeping passion at its best. Straight onto the favourites list!

Edit ta voix tut tut.... * *

I'm wondering the same thing, Alias.

I haven't really done justice to the last few pieces, semi-listening while doing something else.

Fandango: Antonio Soler

This is absolutely brilliant. I love it. It reminds me of Boccherini's string quintet with guitar ('Fandango') in that it's a similar theme. I'm listening to Christine Pluhar's version (twice in one month! Has Christmas come early?!) and it's fabulous. I love how different instruments come into focus and you never know what will come next. Also, the firey episodes are interspersed with quieter interludes. A very fun, enjoyable piece today. Obviously it will go on the favourites list :)

Saint-Saëns A beautiful, swooping, romantic and passionate piece. I really loved it.

Foler Gosh this warmed me up on a cold December morning! (Particularly cold here as we are having to keep some windows open due to plastering work - excellent planning/ timing on our part). Made me want to dance.

There's been a LOT of vocal music recently, which is not usually my first choice to listen to.

Holst was more interesting than lots of choral stuff but I wouldn't listen again.
Chopin, nice bit o'tinkly piano. Nice enough, but not earth shattering. The key modulations keep it from being too saccharine.
Monteverdi was very pretty. It's a nice change to have a duet instead of choral vocal music.
McMillan - quite striking, still didn't love it.
Lauridsen - I didn't like the piece of his back in January. This felt more traditional, but wasn't interesting at all.
Saint-Saëns - If we're doing vocal music, then a big fat orchestra supported aria is probably nearer my taste than choral. So this was better than lots of staff from the last few days, but won't be a favourite.
Soler - the traditional harpsichord arrangment wasn't doing it for me, but Pluhar's reworking seemed to have much more verve. Definitely preferred that version.

Favourites for November were Shostakovich, Mahler, Purcell, and Britten - so one choral piece hit the spot!

PS - I'm going to ask for Another Year of Wonder for Christmas, and if anyone else fancies meeting on here to continue comparing notes that would be brilliant.

I am also going to try get back to posting more frequently for the rest of the month - I think I make more sense when the pieces are fresher in my mind!