I listened to this yesterday as prep for a class I’m running soon, and honestly, I’d forgotten how incredible it is. It’s from Ravel’s ballet, Daphnis et Chloe, and Lever du jour is a scene of daybreak. 1/3

The summer term of Saturday music appreciation classes gets underway this Saturday 18th April with Amy Beach’s delicious piano concerto. 1/4

Sibelius’ 2nd Symphony is an absolute wonder isn’t it? Written just after the turn of the 20th century, it coincided with a growing demand for Finnish independence from Russia. 1/3

The @nationaltrust.org.uk only rarely ask their members to take political action, but when they do, it’s seismic. Please take the NT’s action, email your MP demanding the Government protect 30% of the UK for nature by 2030: campaigns.nationaltrust.org.uk/page/186395/... bsky.app/profile/nati...

The precision and joy of the safe return after Artemis II’s trip around the moon is the big news today. It made me reach for Dvorak, who as a nineteenth-century Bohemian in America, wrote a symphony with the subtitle “From the new world.” 1/2

A moon-inspired choice today - the Moonlight Sea Interlude from Britten’s Peter Grimes. Britten started planning the opera during the war years and completed it in time to premiere in 1945. Just listen to the gentle swell of the ocean in the clear shimmer of moonlight. youtu.be/hxYG-EU4iSI?...

Something mesmerisingly beautiful - Gjeilo’s setting of The Rose by Christina Rossetti. There are three verses and each a different texture, a different balance between the voices. I’ll put the text in the thread below.

Today, April 8th, is the anniversary of The Great Western’s maiden voyage from Bristol to New York in 1838. Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s ship was the first steamer to make regular transatlantic crossings and she cut the journey time in half compared with sailing vessels.

Given the extraordinary photos coming from Artemis II, I couldn’t help but think of the Moonlight Sonata. Initially I dismissed it as too hackneyed.” But then I listened and within seconds, I remembered WHY it’s so well known. It’s beyond beautiful - when did you last listen to it?

Mahler 2, “The resurrection.” Something meatier today. Maybe you don’t have time for it all but just the opening few bars draw you in - you want to know where this is going.

If you’re going to listen to anything on Easter morning, do it right. Start with Et resurrexit by JS Bach from the B minor Mass. Don’t forget to breathe. Happy Easter everybody. youtu.be/VvzzD-rlnGA?...

Today I’m sharing William Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony. Premiered in 1934, this was only the 3rd Symphony by an African-American composer to be performed by a major orchestra - William Grant Still and Florence Price got there just ahead of him.

Good Friday listening - St Matthew or St John? Both have astounding openings. I’ve plumped for St John this year. Bach is simply unmatchable. youtu.be/FyeOPfg_6FE?...

A post you can probably smell. An ancient woodland indicator, ramsons (aka wild garlic) flourish in damp, shady places. 📸: Brian Muir

One of my favourite of the less-mainstream pieces that I included yesterday in an all-day workshop exploring the violin concerto over 300 years. Spohr’s 8th Violin concerto - this is the Adagio. I hope it’s a nice way to start your chilled Sunday morning. youtu.be/hFHmnbr-40U?...

I know it’s not the most important thing, but does it bug anyone else that Trump does it all wearing a baseball cap? It makes him look so crass and unserious. He is killing directly with bombs and indirectly and indiscriminately with the end of vaccines at home and USAID abroad.

What a beautiful day I’ve had listening to the music of Hildegard of Bingen and discussing her life and music with the class. If the news is upsetting you, do yourself a favour and take 2 minutes to listen to this. youtu.be/bg6dtg3g3Gc?...

I’m just back from the most incredible concert I can remember for a long time. Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Clara-Jumi Kang playing Beethoven Violin Concerto and Elgar 2nd symphony at Bristol Beacon. Incredible evening and a real privilege to be there.

How’s this for a gentle way to start the weekend? Phœbé by Mel Bonis (1858-1957). youtu.be/2wIjn7qt_04?...

Wow.

Please do help, if you can. New and rare music is vital to our cultural evolution and most recording companies seem to be more interested in another Verdi Requiem and more Alma Mahler (fine as they both are). If you can afford a few quid in this direction, it would mean a lot. x

Interesting!! www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...

Good morning Bristol!

Good morning and happy new year from Bristol

I had a party last night for my students and I sang this bit of silliness at the end, to finish with a giggle. You probably need to be British to understand. youtu.be/m4PxxBaNDNw?...

"Away in" is just the English translation of "Pret."

Getting properly Christmas-excited now. I cannot contain myself any longer, so here, just over a week ahead of time, is the WORD. 3’40” youtu.be/YG2woiVsJrc?...

One more full week before Christmas. Starting with something gentle and restorative, catching my breath so to speak. Shostakovich’s 2nd Piano concerto, 2nd movement. He wrote it as a gift for his son to play. youtu.be/1DFqVqApms8?...

Concert day of baroque loveliness, somewhere near Southampton. Thank God for satnav!

My offering to those of you who, like me, at this time of year, are longing for more sunshine. The glorious sunrise that forms the introduction to this aria from Haydn Creation will have to suffice for now. youtu.be/Mc4DORlzLY4?...

I haven’t shared any music by Amy Beach for a while. Here’s a gorgeous, peaceful excerpt from her Piano Quintet. She was a musical pioneer, born in 1867 and the first woman in America to compose and publish a symphony. youtu.be/9VEYkzQPWBY?...

Today’s musical wonder - JS Bach’s A mi violin concerto (and Monday’s Music Appreciation) Hopefully on a Saturday you have time for it all (13 mins) but if not, try: 0’00 1st mvmt for drive & energy 4’04 2nd mvmt for beauty & stillness 9’23 3rd mvmt for irresistible dance youtu.be/VSwLeKWKtis?...

If you haven’t yet succumbed to Spotify, but still prefer CDs, does that make your listening age 106? Asking for a friend.

No matter how stressed you are, if you press play on this for even one minute, you will feel the tension drop from your shoulders. Utter magic. Chopin’s 2nd piano concerto. youtu.be/nhZm-vr4QZo?...

We don’t often listen to the bassoon as a soloist do we? Here’s one of the best - the gorgeous second movement from Mozart’s concerto. It’s possible he wrote no fewer than five concertos for the instrument, but only this one survives. youtu.be/AJZBfdBeAJk?...

Let silly hacks go and work on their next bit of Westminster gossip. THIS is the main news from that conference. The clearest indication yet, right from the top.

Did I ever mention that singing is good for you?!? 😉 Make it your 2026 New Year’s resolution to join a choir and start singing. The benefits are enormous. www.bbc.com/future/artic...

I’d forgotten how much I adore this piece. Bach’s D minor concerto was obviously written for harpsichord not piano, but as a teenager, I had a recording with piano and it remains a favourite. I’m mesmerised by Polina Osetinskaya’s hands in this performance! youtu.be/osg_WmeLxQk?...

Wow - this guy must be really, REALLY bad with money if an extra £208 per month will “ruin” his retirement. Let’s take a look at his situation based on what he told the @Telegraph Because this does NOT add up! No, this is not a “poor pensioner” scrabbling around for pennies… 🧵1/9

On Tues, our evening Explore group will be listening to Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an exhibition. What a glorious kaleidoscope of colour & ideas. Here’s the whole thing - if you’re in a hurry, skip to the Great Gate of Kiev at 28’56, for a magisterial start to your w/e. youtu.be/rH_Rsl7fjok?...

Just 10k signatures needed now

How about some Florence Price for Wednesday in the form of her piano quintet? Listen to it all if you have time, or the still, spacious andante at 16’30 followed by the joyous Juba at 22’30. youtu.be/rhKWT9I5Cqc?...

I’m starting Tuesday with Dvorak, his heart-felt cello concerto. He was emphatic about its final shape, writing to his publisher, “I give you my work only if you will promise me that no one … shall make any alteration in it without my knowledge and permission.” youtu.be/wBFeeOt_SGY?...

Monday morning joy to get you up and at ‘em! Rejoice greatly from Handel’s Messiah. youtu.be/z1xlYIoekE8?...

Something flutey from Chaminade for Sunday morning. youtu.be/RFPE-a-UlH8?...

A snippet from today’s topic - De Torrente from Handel’s Dixit Dominus. It talks of drinking deeply from the refreshing stream in the context of tiredness & adversity. It’s so beautiful - a perfect way to start the w/e. To put it more succinctly - this is stunning. Listen! youtu.be/9y_God9vNLY?...

Word of the day is ‘quockerwodger’ (19th century): a puppet politician whose strings are pulled entirely by someone else.

I went to see The Choral today. What a lovely film! It is very moving and, of course, I adore the music of Elgar’s Gerontius. Big recommend.

Purcell’s Fantasia on one note - gentle contemplative music for Sunday morning. The tenor line literally holds on to a single note throughout. (I like the suggestion that Purcell had a mate who couldn’t really play, so this allowed him to take part.😉) youtu.be/GGwQo0qlG38?...

Golly. First Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht earlier in the week and today, Smetana’s Piano Trio. Music appreciation classes where almost nobody knew the music in advance, and everyone ended up incredibly moved and emotional. I don’t think we’ve had so many tears since we met during lockdown.