Villa-Lobos
Year of Wonder – December
November 25, 2019 Music Potpourri
December is the last month of my Year of Wonder. Clemency Burton-Hill's book Year of Wonder describes one piece of music for each day of the year, and I have listened to every piece in the book so far. It's been great fun, to say the least.
November was a particularly good month with many dreary, minor key pieces to fit the mood for late autumn. A few of my favorites (at least the ones I could find on YouTube) are embedded below.
Whether you have already begun the journey or would like to begin now, I have embedded a Spotify playlist for Burton-Hill's recommendations for December.
Enjoy!
Spotify Playlist for DECEMBER of the Year of Wonder
Purcell, Dido and Aeneas, "When I am laid in earth"
Performed by the English Chamber Orchestra
Jessye Norman (soprano)
Chopin, Nocturne No. 8 in D-flat major, op. 27 no. 2
Performed by Evgeny Kissin
Holst, Choral Hymns, "Hymn to the Dawn"
Performed by the BBC Singers, conducted by Nicholas Kok
Villa-Lobos, Bachianas brasileiras, No. 5, Aria
Performed by cellists from the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Barbara Hannigan (soprano)
Reich, Music for Pieces of Wood
Performed by Third Coast Percussion
MacMillan, Miserere
Performed by Third Coast Percussion


November was a particularly good month with many dreary, minor key pieces to fit the mood for late autumn. A few of my favorites (at least the ones I could find on YouTube) are embedded below.
Whether you have already begun the journey or would like to begin now, I have embedded a Spotify playlist for Burton-Hill's recommendations for December.
Enjoy!
Spotify Playlist for DECEMBER of the Year of Wonder
Purcell, Dido and Aeneas, "When I am laid in earth"
Performed by the English Chamber Orchestra
Jessye Norman (soprano)
Chopin, Nocturne No. 8 in D-flat major, op. 27 no. 2
Performed by Evgeny Kissin
Holst, Choral Hymns, "Hymn to the Dawn"
Performed by the BBC Singers, conducted by Nicholas Kok
Villa-Lobos, Bachianas brasileiras, No. 5, Aria
Performed by cellists from the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Barbara Hannigan (soprano)
Reich, Music for Pieces of Wood
Performed by Third Coast Percussion
MacMillan, Miserere
Performed by Third Coast Percussion
Year of Wonder – October
September 28, 2019 Music Potpourri
Last year I purchased a book by Clemency Burton-Hill titled Year of Wonder: Classical Music to Enjoy Day by Day.
And that’s what I have spent the year doing: enjoying at least one piece of classical music every day, using Burton-Hill’s book as a guide. It truly has been a year of wonder.
Whether you have already begun the journey through Year of Wonder or would like to begin now, I have embedded a Spotify playlist for Burton-Hill's recommendations for October.
I have also embedded videos for a few of the highlights from September.
Enjoy!
Spotify Playlist for OCTOBER of the Year of Wonder
Korngold, Violin Concerto in D major, second movement
Performed by Hilary Hahn (violin) with the Deutsche Symphonie Orchestra conducted by Ken Nagano
Villa-Lobos, Suíte Popular Brasileira, IV. Gavatta-choro
Luiz Foschi, guitar
Strozzi, Che si può fare
Performed by Céline Scheen (soprano) with L’Ensemble Artaserse
Bach, Goldberg Variations, No. 5
Performed by Colin Booth with graphical score by Stephen Malinowski


And that’s what I have spent the year doing: enjoying at least one piece of classical music every day, using Burton-Hill’s book as a guide. It truly has been a year of wonder.
Whether you have already begun the journey through Year of Wonder or would like to begin now, I have embedded a Spotify playlist for Burton-Hill's recommendations for October.
I have also embedded videos for a few of the highlights from September.
Enjoy!
Spotify Playlist for OCTOBER of the Year of Wonder
Korngold, Violin Concerto in D major, second movement
Performed by Hilary Hahn (violin) with the Deutsche Symphonie Orchestra conducted by Ken Nagano
Villa-Lobos, Suíte Popular Brasileira, IV. Gavatta-choro
Luiz Foschi, guitar
Strozzi, Che si può fare
Performed by Céline Scheen (soprano) with L’Ensemble Artaserse
Bach, Goldberg Variations, No. 5
Performed by Colin Booth with graphical score by Stephen Malinowski