January 21, 2019

Year of Wonder – January

Here's a recommendation for those who are new to classical music, as well as those who are well-versed in the classical tradition. Find a copy of Year of Wonder by Clemency Burton-Hill and then plan to spend the next year exploring what Leonard Bernstein called the "infinite variety" of classical music. Burton-Hill, has assembled descriptions of a single piece of classical music for each day of the year. Reading what she has written and listening to the pieces she describes takes about 10 minutes a day, 15 minutes at the most. 

It's now January 21, and I have almost completed my first month of my "Year of Wonder." In less than a month, Burton-Hill's list has already enriched my life with what I'm beginning to describe as my daily meditation through music. Burton-Hill has also introduced me to a few terrific pieces of music I had never heard (Hildegard's "O Virtus Sapientiae" and Kapsberger's "Toccata L'Arpeggiata," for example).

I have made it my resolution for 2019 to listen to all the music in Burton-Hill’s book. Although I am somewhat knowledgable about classical music, I also know I have much to learn, and Burton-Hill's book has been a godsend.

If you would like to join me in my resolution, I’ll be publishing Spotify playlists created from Burton-Hill's book on this blog for each month of 2019. Stay tuned, and enjoy!

“I am determined … to extend a hand to those who feel that the world of classical music is a party to which they haven’t been invited.” 
– Clemency Burton-Hill

 


Hildegard of Bingen, "O Virtus Sapientiae" (12th century)
Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra

Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger, "Toccata L'Arpeggiata" (17th century)
Christina Pluhar, theorbo

No comments:

Post a Comment