5 & 1 Classical Playlists
by Mark Meynell
Begun during the pandemic, the 5 & 1 series was rebooted in early 2024 to offer access to the wonders of the world of classical music.
For many, it's a remote and intimidating world, full of arcane conventions, elitist institutions, and incomprehensible noises! As such, it is an art form widely assumed to have lost its relevance. Far from it!. After all, film music would never sound as it does without the foundations laid even by relatively recent compositions.
So, while many are open to it, they have no idea where to start. Hence, the 5 & 1 series. The idea is simple. Every few weeks, we will post a new theme, under which five short pieces or extracts will be introduced, followed by one substantial composition (which might last anything from ten minutes to an hour). The hope is for at least one piece to connect with in every post, and that this would spur listeners on to explore further exploration.
The music will be as varied as possible, drawn from the last six centuries or so, originating from or evoking many different cultures, as well as the genius of all kinds of musicians.
Happy exploring!
Shtetl: Jewish Europe's Eradicated East
(5&1 #36)
On 27th January 1945, the death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated. Nobody could have had any illusions about Nazi anti-semitism... But few could ever have conceived of the extent of the Nazis' determination, sophistication, and savagery until the reality began to be laid bare. This date was therefore designated as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Nightfall: Dare You Go Gentle? (5&1 #34)
Most of the time, it brings much needed relief and rest from the rigors of daytime; a chance to catch one's breath and reflect, perhaps to enjoy the company of a few close friends, then eventually, of course, to sleep. However, there are seasons when the hours of darkness represent everything but those joys. On occasion, I have even come to dread them.
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Autumnal Mists & Mellow Fruitfulness
(5&1 #33)
The 23-year old poet John Keats described the fall, or as we say in these parts, the autumn, as a "season of mists and mellow fruitfulness" in his masterpiece To Autumn. His wander through the countryside south-west of London inspired him; the poem bursts with nature's harvest-time profligacy and appeals to all five senses. But there is an inherent melancholy: nothing lasts, as the leaves turn, temperatures drop and nights lengthen.
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