#MusicMonday: Vivaldi-The Four Season, 1 Spring Recomposed by Max Richter Et Al

I am working on a post that combines Byronic heroes, Bridgerton, and Richard Armitage. I started it two weeks ago, unspooling the vision in my head to something comprehensible in writing. During the last episode, featuring the last ball of the social season on Bridgerton, my ears perked up at a classical piece. My classical music education consists of Bugs Bunny cartoons or some kind of remix now Bridgerton might introduce people to some truly beautiful pieces that find new audiences decade after decade. The soundtrack even includes classical renditions of popular songs, especially one prominently featured in one-yowza!- love scene. (Watch it for yourselves. All through the scene I wondered What do I pay attention to? Where I heard this song before or the sexy times playing out here?)

The more I hear Max Richter, the more I enjoy his music. It’s evocative as it plays with vocals, spoken word, or with modern instruments with an orchestra. It’s easy to see why he’s Richard Armitage’s choice for some groundwork laid for exploring a character in a given project. Richter’s discography balances original soundtrack works with his own releases. Some tracks go as long as 10 minutes and I used them to focus on something at work or provide its own soundtrack to something like creating a LibGuide.

For a little while, I didn’t play his music. On the Nature of Daylight in particular played during mom’s illness but the same track, Dream 1 (before the window blows it all away) pt 1, giving Armitage solace sadly made me scream one day in my car after a marathon bedside vigil.

RA: Oh, I am sorry, that wasn’t my intention

Me: Don’t worry. I remember later that night I listened to Taylor Swift’s new album, Lover. It soothed me and I just skipped a track. Pancreatic cancer is a fucking freight train.

(RA nods in agreement.)

While the piece gained notoriety thanks to Bridgerton, the hopeful strings along with synth sounds building with each note but not overpowering the orchestra. It gives a modern touch to a classic. I know what will play in my car when I go get my vaccine and continue playing in my head as I wait in line. Maybe it’s while waiting at my doctor’s office. It offers what spring offers after a long winter-hope.