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YEAR OF WONDER: Classical Music for Every Day

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About this listen

 As featured in the Telegraph and on Radio 4's Today programme.

'A magnificent treasury . . . a fascinating tour de force.' Observer

'Year of Wonder is an absolute treat - the most enlightening way to be guided through the year.' Eddie Redmayne

Classical music for everyone - an inspirational piece of music for every day of the year, celebrating composers from the medieval era to the present day, written by award-winning violinist and BBC Radio 3 presenter Clemency Burton-Hill.

Have you ever heard a piece of music so beautiful it stops you in your tracks? Or wanted to discover more about classical music but had no idea where to begin?

Year of Wonder is a unique celebration of classical music by an author who wants to share its diverse wonders with others and to encourage a love for this genre in all readers, whether complete novices or lifetime enthusiasts.

Clemency chooses one piece of music for each day of the year, with a short explanation about the composer to put it into context, and brings the music alive in a modern and playful way, while also extolling the positive mindfulness element of giving yourself some time every day to listen to something uplifting or beautiful. Thoughtfully curated and expertly researched, this is a book of classical music to keep you company: whoever you are, wherever you're from.

'The only requirements for enjoying classical music are open ears and an open mind.'
Clemency Burton-Hill


Playlists are available on most streaming music platforms including Apple Music. Music Spirituality Meditation

Critic reviews

Year of Wonder is an absolute treat - the most enlightening way to be guided through the year. (Eddie Redmayne)
Enthusiasm bounds from every page... It's the creation of a super playlist of classical music... Another day, another delight.
Soothing, beautiful songs guaranteed to help you fall asleep.
Her enthusiasm leaps off the page.
A magnificent treasury . . . a fascinating tour de force.
All stars
Most relevant
I feel cheated. A wonderful book but why is there no link to the music recommended? It seems I very clunkily have to memorise the citation (which of course I can’t even see) and then go onto Spotify? Get your act together Audible!

Why isn’t music included?

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When I read the reviews for this download I thought it a wonderful idea to have an explanation and an introduction to the piece of classical music each day followed (Obviously) by the music described, what other format could one expect from a title which explicitly says "classical music for every day"? Having listened to the enthusiasm of the narrator in the Introduction and the January 1 description of J S Bach's B minor Mass my ears poised to hear the 3rd movement......... January 2nd....... What?

If the narrator meant what she said she would have made it as easy as possible for her target audience to access the music with the least possible difficulty, by playing it after each description. No classical music newcomer is going to seek the music elsewhere if it is any trouble doing so.

Bitterly disappointed that such a wonderful idea was not taken to its seemingly obvious fulfilment. Even more disappointed to have been misled but too saddened to approach the advertising standards authority to see if there is a case to answer..... shame on you Clemency Burton-Hill and Audible, what were you thinking?

So much potential makes it so much worse

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I have the physical copy of this book which is great... only problem is you have to find the piece of music on Spotify, having read the day’s entry and description of the piece. Naturally, one assumes the audible version will have the description segueing seamlessly into a rendition of the piece. No... just the description and then on to the next description. Also, I have to say that personally I find the author’s voice quite irritating with a put-on Radio 4 style barely suppressed joyfulness always at play. And the 15 minute introduction was so annoyingly opinionated I nearly crashed my car...

Absolutely disappointing

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I bought this because I assumed it would include the music. It doesn't. Unbelieveable. So disappointed.

NO MUSIC

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